The stars and the sun
by IsabellaDangelo
Summary: What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the “fictional” one? New Moon continuing through BD, AU, Canon couples, Longest Twilight FF!
1. Chapter 1

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **This is one of my crazy ideas. Sorry.

* * *

Prelude

I don't care if this was nothing more than a psychosis –another hallucination-, too much of me wanted to believe it was real. After all I had seen in the past few months, maybe dying was the only way to get me back. But now, I'm not sure if I wanted to go back at all.

Chapter 1

I had been planning this trip for ages. It was a one week journey up to Cornell and then over to my Great Aunts, only to come back to the wonderful little town of Greenbelt, MD. Okay, so it doesn't sound that exciting when I put it that way, granted. But if you add in that I'm helping to design some of the outfits for a mini medieval festival near Cornell for a friend and that my Great Aunts live only a couple of hours from Niagara Falls, it gets a little more interesting, right?

I've been to Niagara Falls almost every winter since I was 13. My family stopped going when I was 28 or so since all of us "children" had moved on with our lives. My life currently consisted of my house in Greenbelt, my rather insane job with the FBI, and my friends. Oh, and fashion design. Particularly historical fashion design. I really need to get the new patterns from Simplicity and cross compare them to my own patterns and see if what the difference in fit is. I'm totally an Alice.

That's another thing about my life. Like pretty much every other female between 15 and 55, I'm in love with the Twilight series. It's just too….cute! It doesn't help I love history and therefore, the very idea of being able to speak to someone who actually lived through the Civil War or who can remember when the speed limit was 10 miles per an hour on main roads is simply fascinating. If I ever got to meet the vampires, they'd probably go crazy do to my constant questioning.

For the trip, I made sure I had everything. I had the costumes packed near the door. I also had my sleeping bag, my own clothing (both garb and mudanes), and all of my pup's stuff as well inside my pretty truck. I had wanted a 1953 Ford truck but I figured that was taking obsession to a whole new level so I went with a model that was 50 years later…and blue. Blue is good.

Making sure I remembered everything: Clothing? Check. Toothbrush? Check. Hairbrush? Check. Bling? Duh. I packed my ziplock bag of all my favorite jewelry, plus a few "maybe" pieces first. I had shoes. I even, in a rare moment of brilliance, went to the local 7-11 and took out money from the ATM. I normally hate carrying large amounts of cash but something told me I'd need at least $150 on this trip rather than relying on the plastic. I supposed it will do for late night drive-thru snacking. Ginsie will love that.

Ginsie, my beloved furball, was coming with me. She was a highly requested guest of well, everyone. She was all of 23 pounds and I'm pretty sure at least 5 of those pounds were fur. She was white and ginger and had the cutest little ringlets on her tail. I picked the tail-wagger off the floor of my house and made one quick inspection.

Given that it was spring and, thereby, completely unpredictable temperatures, I had packed both t-shirts and sweaters. I also brought my coat and a pink strawberry scarf. I've had a huge thing about strawberries since I was five and Strawberry Shortcake was first on TV. I'm probably one of the few "adults" that actually watches –or tries to watch- the remade version. It's just not the same. Way too PC for my tastes.

"So, Miss Gins," I tell my pup. She looked up at me from her spot in my arms. "Think we got everything?" I ask her. She wags her tail response to tell me she just wants to get this car ride on the road. Kissing the top of her furry white head, I take her outside to my pretty blue truck, placing her in the passenger seat. I know my pup. She'll try to get into the back seat but I've blocked it off. I'm not your driver, pup, no matter how much you think you are Queen.

Closing the car door behind her, I take a look at the house and remember that I left both cell phones inside. It's not like I'll get far without them. I walk from the small parking space, back up the sidewalk, and into my tiny home again. Grabbing the cell phones –one pink and the FBI issued silver one- I take my final look around. I try to remind myself that, if I forget anything, not only will Aunt Mary and Aunt Angie have it, but I can always buy more. I doubt I've forgotten anything expensive. Still, I take one final check around the house –really final this time- and only grab some more jewelry to go with my already impressive travel collection. I have a feeling I'll need it even though it's not my favorite.

Once out to the car, I see that Ginsie has already taken over as "driver". "Scoot!" I command her as I step into my truck. The pup complies slowly and looks at me like some disgruntled toddler. It's amusing really.

I took off down to the beltway and then on to I-95, up towards New York. There were about three different ways I could go and I figured a nice straightish path right through PA would be fun. My strange little brain would sometimes randomly think about how Ithaca was where the Cullens stayed during the New Moon period and yet it was also where I was heading right now. Maybe I should check out the psychology students and see if there are any with older styled blond hair? I couldn't help but smile at that whimsical thought.

I sang along with the radio, or my CD collection, half the time. It mostly got me strange looks from my dog who seemed to prefer Celtic music. Don't ask. I have a very strange little pup. I thought about my friends, about my costumes, about sewing, and about anything I'd like to read about next. I thought about my job, called up my Mom when I made it to Harrisburg, and basically had a mostly uneventful trip. Mostly.

It started to rain when I was half way between Scranton and Binghamton. The downpour got so great that I thought about pulling to the side as it passed over. The really heavy storms rarely last long. I kept going until my eye started to twitch. I knew that was not a good sign. Ever since I was 12 years old, I'd suffered from migraines. Sometimes it starts with hallucinations or colors. Sometimes it's the stupid eye twitch. I don't always get the pain, just the auras or a very disjointed feeling. I knew better to even try to drive with a migraine. It wouldn't be pretty.

Pulling to the side, I started to close my eyes. I swore, right before my eyes fully closed that I saw lighting directly in front of me but I never heard the thunder. Ginsie groaned and curled up in her seat, using the center counsel as a pillow.

I woke up an hour later only to see the light color clouds overhead and a huge red jeep barreling down the highway. Everything about it reminded me of how Emmett's jeep is described in the books –including the speed it was going at- which made me smile a bit. I checked the clock and saw I had been out for a little over an hour. Not too bad. Jackie wasn't expecting me until tomorrow so I had no reason to rush. As soon as the jeep passed, I started up my truck and continued on my way.

Something told me not to check into the hotel right away. Maybe it was the nice long line of cars out front or the simple calling of the park not too far away. I had done my research before I left and found out they had an off-leash dog park there. Not that I'd let Miss Ginsie off her leash. She was infamous for her grand games of hide and seek.

So I stopped and got out, putting the pup on her purple leash. I wanted her to walk around for a while so she'd be tuckered out by the time we checked in and not bugging me every three second while I tried to read through my email. There were plenty of other dogs and I mumbled my hellos to a few people. I was a watcher. My inner anthropologist always got the best of me. I'd observe and then join in when I had questions or learned as much as possible without talking.

I started to take random pictures of whatever caught my eye. First it was the trees, the animals, but something was always nagging me and I wasn't sure why. All I wanted to do was go for a quick trip around Ithaca in my car for some reason and not check in. This was odd but, given that it was only two pm since I left my house at 7 am this morning, I figured it couldn't hurt. After all, technically, check in wasn't until 3, right?

Grabbing the pup, I got back the car at about 2:30 pm. I started to head down to Buttermilk Falls State Park since it sounded like a better place to get some decent pictures. On my way down, I saw that Jeep again. This time, I got a lot better look at it. It was huge and it was right behind me. The front windshield was tinted –was that even legal in New York?- so I couldn't see the occupants. I bet it was some old guy or a girl and no one even close to looking like some of my favorite fictional characters.

The jeep went around me. I didn't think I was going _that _slow. I had been going at least a good 10 miles over the posted speed limit. I didn't want to get another speeding ticket. I already had two in the past three months. Lead foot disease. But I guess I don't drive enough like a Cullen for this guy.

I kept driving only to see the red jeep, _again_. This time, it was in front of a large but somewhat isolated house right near the park. I swore I saw a Mercedes right next to it. Shaking my head, I decided to just go and check out the park and ignore my inner nonsense.

The park was beautiful! I loved the waterfalls and the creeks. I loved the trees and the sounds of nature all around me. Ginsie loved it too. Apparently, the dog park wasn't enough to curb her enthusiasm. I took as many pictures as I could for about a couple of hours before my camera cried for mercy. I decided it was time to check in around 4:30 pm. On my way back towards the hotel, I pointedly ignored the isolated house with the jeep and the Mercedes out front. I didn't want my imagination getting the better of me.

I left the sunroof open when I got to the hotel for Ginsie. I only opened it up on the back side, rather than fully, in case it started to rain again. Rain and leather interior do not mix. "I'll be right back, babe," I told my furry pet, kissing her on top of her head, and then running into the hotel.

The hotel was nothing spectacular but it did allow pets. It was an extra $15 a night but I was more than willing to spend that on my pup if it meant I could bring her with me. I half listened to the TV playing in the background while I waited in line. All I could hear was about another breach of security at LaGuardia. I remember a couple of years ago when that happened about this time of year and smirked. History repeating itself because we're too stupid to see our own fallacies. Typical.

I was mostly ignoring the TV as I waited for the guy in front of me to finish checking in. I kept looking around the room thinking about things such as what I would be doing for the next few days, how much I wanted to stop and get pies on the way back home from Aunt Angie's, and how the curtains hanging up in the sitting area of the hotel would work pretty well for an 18th century dress. My expression changed to a grimace when I heard something on the TV that caught my attention again. Natalie Holloway.

I had heard enough about that case. Apparently, they were combing a beach, again. How many times can they look over those shores and just not come to the conclusion that a shark got her and that she'll never be found? It's 2009 for God's sake! She disappeared four years ago.

Turning to glare at the offending object, I started to hear something that didn't make sense. "Natalie Holloway, who you'll remember, disappeared during a graduation trip almost two years ago," the reported stated on the tube. I blinked and only came out of my confused state when I heard the guy at the counter calling "Miss?" a few times.

"Oh, um, sorry," I muttered as I went and handed my reservation papers over. The guy looked at the papers and typed in the information. I just looked around aimlessly, my attention now on getting back to the truck to let Miss Ginsie out and worried it would start to rain again.

"Uh, Ms. French?" the guy behind the counter asked to get my attention. I sighed and turned back to face him. He was severely overweight and had greasy hair. Not anything to look at.

"Yes?" I answered, curious. Based on his reaction to the computer screen, there was a problem. I hated problems.

"Your reservation isn't in here," he stated simply. I sighed again and went to pull my credit card out of my Cullen Crest wallet. I seriously had an obsession with Twilight. Okay, so the wallet was perfect because I had gotten rid of my purse thanks to it. I really detested purses.

"I made it last week and I gave you the paper," I started to argue. I was a number one "don't mess with me" type person when I wanted to be. I really should have been born in Texas and not Florida.

"I know, Ms. French, but it's just not showing up," he told me, frustrated. I handed him my platinum card that I made the reservation with.

"Can you swipe this and see if it comes up that way?" I asked. He greedily took the card and looked at me, then the card, again. I know. I look maybe 22, 24 at the most. The curse of my family. I could easily pass as a college kid. Heck, my baby brothers look older than I did. My Mom, God bless her, looked maybe in her mid forties. It didn't matter than she'd turn 60 next year.

He shrugged and swiped it. His thick brow became a unibrow as he looked at the computer screen, confused. "It says that the card isn't working," he said. I managed to reign in my anger. There was no reason to get mad at this poor guy. It's the computer's fault. Obviously.

"Is there something wrong with your computer?" I asked. Could this whole thing wait and just take it in the morning. After all, he had the paper receipt that I did, in fact, pay already.

"I don't know," he muttered as he flipped through computer screens. While he tried to find my reservation, my ears picked up on the TV again.

"Reports now indicate that Abu Gharaib prison will transfer the remaining prisoners over to Iraqi authorities," the reporter stated. That got my attention. Abu Gharaib closed a long time ago as far as I knew. I knew they were thinking of opening it back up –under a different name and management- but I didn't think that had happened yet. It was then I noticed the date on the ticker at the bottom of the TV screen: March 19, 2006. I smirked.

"Um, do you have a tape in or something?" I asked, pointing to the TV. I've heard of watching old football games but old TV new reports? Not so much.

"Huh?" counter guy asked as he looked up and followed the direction of my hand. He looked confused, again. I think that was his permanent emotional state. After all, I've seen plenty of other people that are nothing but confused all the time. It certainly explained Sara. "Oh, no. It's live," he muttered before going back to his computer screen. Live. As in now. LaGuardia. Natalie Holloway. Abu Gharaib. These were all events I knew from three years ago and he was saying this was live?

Shaking my head, I saw a newspaper nearby and went to pick it up. Counter guys eyes followed me but he didn't say anything. Right there, in the upper right hand corner it said March 19, 2006. I'm pretty sure I lost what little coloring I had for my skin right then and there. Was this some elaborate practical joke? If so, who? I seriously doubt Adam or any of my co-workers would go to these lengths.

Slowly, I walked back over to the counter, biting my bottom lip in thought. What the heck was going on? Maybe Lee? Even my brother didn't seem a likely culprit for this much a joke. Close, but not this bad.

"Umm, Ms. French?" counter guy asked me again. I turned to him, still thinking about who might try something like this. "Your name is really Elizabeth French?" he asked.

"Yeah?" I asked back, confused. He smiled at me, showing his braces.

"Oh, my sister loves that series. She'd die if she knew that I met someone named Elizabeth French," he told me nonchalantly. I was the one that was confused now. "You know, you even kind of look like her," he stated. I was taken back a bit, which he must of have seen. "I meant the Elizabeth French in the Destiny book series," he explained as he continued to type away at the computer. I had never heard of this book series and I'm pretty darn sure I'd hear of a character with the same name as me.

"Long brown hair, somewhat tall, slight southern accent," he continued with his description of Elizabeth French. Everything in me told me to get the heck out of there at this point.

I grabbed my credit card back. "Thank you," I said quickly. "I'll just be back later when the computers are working," I muttered. As I ran through the doors, I heard counter guy shouting at me about leaving something behind. I didn't care. All I wanted to do is get to my car and think. So that's what I did.

I pet Miss Ginsie for about a half hour, thinking. My mind kept going back to the red jeep while I replayed the news stories in my head. I looked down at my phones and saw that both were dead despite the fact I had both full charged before I left home. The pink razor was still plugged into the cigarette lighter. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

I needed a distraction and decided to go and stop at the bookstore I saw on the way here. I didn't know why but I thought, maybe, this book series might have an answer or three. It sounded crazy but so did things like time travel and red jeeps at this point. Crazy was all I had to go on.

When I pulled up to the bookstore, I looked at my perfect pup. "Guard the car," I told her. Right now, I was too confused to do anything more than go inside and check out these Destiny books.

I managed to ignore the looks I got from people when I walked towards the table display. It seemed really odd because, normally, that's where the Twilight display was. I didn't see a single Twilight book anywhere in sight. Picking up the book, I started to read the first paragraph.

_Dear Diary,_

_My name is Estelle Williams and I'm currently 16 years old and a sophomore. I'm attending Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. It's a new building, complete with turquoise doors. One of the juniors, yet another Elizabeth, loves the décor. She's funny like that. Anna and I both in band._

I couldn't read the rest. Estelle Williams was the name of one of my friends –a really good friend in High School- who ended up having a lot of issues after we all graduated. Anna was a mutual friend of ours who's life path took her in a very different direction from mine. Elizabeth…my name again. I remember loving those turquoise pillars and doors around the post-modern structure. The school looks so old now. It was finished in 1994. I was a junior.

Slowly, I put the book down. "Hey?" someone called out near me. "Are you alright?" the same voice asked. I turned to see an older woman with her teenage daughter nearby. When I faced them, the teenage girl's face dropped. She had been juggling the third book in the series back and forth in her hands.

"Wow!" the girl exclaimed when she looked me up and down. "You really look like her!"

I blinked. "Huh?" I asked so loquaciously.

"Elizabeth French!" the girl exclaimed. I tried not to grimace. My name was Elizabeth French. I am Elizabeth French. "Did you dress like her for the party?" the girl asked.

Even though I didn't know of any party or even know much of anything else at this point, I decided just to agree. It was easiest. "Oh, um, yeah," I stuttered as I gathered the three books. The third book was a hardback. As I turned to go to the cash registered, I saw a sign above the stacks of books: Kismet debut, March 19, 2006. I managed to control my reaction this time and shuffle my way to the counter. I paid cash this time and didn't look up the entire time. I didn't want anyone else to recognize me as "Elizabeth French".

Normally, I didn't mind this kind of attention. I'd dress up in my 16th century gowns and parade around the Renaissance Faire or I'd dress up as Leia and go see Star Wars. Heck, I even wore my full X-files shirt and necklace to go see the movie not too long ago, just like I use to every Sunday when it was on the air. That had been amusing. The t-shirt was barely wearable. Anna had given it to me for my 18th birthday.

I threw the books into the car, surprising Miss Ginsie. I only grabbed the latest and turned to a page where I saw my name again.

…_and here I was, Elizabeth French, watching the slow, painful spiral downward of Estelle. How many more __did I have to watch end up making obviously bad choices? How could I possibly help them when they couldn't help themselves? Estelle was different. She had no choice in the matter of what life threw at her. She was sick and I sat here, on the window seal, listening to her non-sensible chatter while she was stuck in the isolated mental ward. I would just nod to anything that sounded like a question. What else could I do? The Estelle I knew was gone and I only hoped to get a piece of her back._

I started to hyperventilate. I remember that day. It was horrible. Several of my high school friends had email me in regards to Estelle having to go to the hospital. No one was sure what was wrong other than she wasn't mentally stable. I remember Sara crying. I remember a couple of other people being there too. I think one was Anna. I remembered feeling so helpless and only wanting to be there for Estelle…even if she didn't realize I was there. She said she knew, later, when she got better. At the time though, I wasn't sure.

Closing my eyes, I got lost in my thoughts. It was March 19, 2006. How I got here, I wasn't sure. If here was even a place and not just a really deranged dream, I wasn't sure. But, for whatever reason, I was sure the red jeep had something to do with this and I was determined to find out what.


	2. Chapter 2

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **Two chapters to the same story in one day? Well, I figured y'all wouldn't read it if I didn't bring in some familiar characters soon so…..

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Chapter 2

_It's was late, dark, and unbelievably scary down on the Mall at night. It was about ten when we got off the Smithsonian station stop and climbed up the escalator. Elizabeth had the most ridiculous smile on her face. "C'mon!" she shouted at me before heading off on to the green. I followed, not wanting to be alone in this part of town this late. She ran down the length of the Mall, past the carousel, laughing. I couldn't help but join in even if my laugh was from nerves. There was hardly anyone around but a few other stragglers on this late night. I doubt she even noticed the guys on the corner dealing. She never noticed things like that. Instead, she ran up to the Capitol building and shouted "NEWT!" as loud as her voice would allow. When she followed it with laughing, I decided to ignore the world around me as well and join in._

_-Giselle's POV, Destiny pg 453_

It was getting dark. Ginsie was getting worried by the tone of her whimpering. I was…well, right now I was determined. I figured with the crazy stuff that had been going on so far today, why not take it a step further. I was going to do what any other person would hopefully do in my situation; go up to the house with the red Jeep and black Mercedes and lie through my teeth assuming none of them looked anything like the Cullens.

This was crazy. Of course they wouldn't look like the Cullens. Just ignore that there wasn't a single Twilight book in the front of that bookstore. Ignore that the entire story of one of your good friend's lives is all right next to you, in written, published form. Just ignore that parts of it are published from your point of view. Just ignore the problems with the hotel, the date, the tv…. Just ignore.

My story, if anyone that didn't look like the Cullens answered the door, was that my truck was making a funny noise and my phone didn't work. At least part of that story was true enough to make it believable. My phones were both dead; because it was 2006 and not 2009…and I don't exist.

Shaking my head from my thoughts, I smiled back down at my pup. I tried to keep the worried tears from appearing because I knew that would only get Miss Ginsie anxious. I didn't want my pup to get anxious too.

"It's alright, Gins," I told her, petting her with my right hand while I drove with my left. "We'll figure this out," I whispered. Ginsie sighed, exasperated.

I didn't want to think about what I would do if it wasn't the Cullens house. If I was placing everything correctly, the red Jeep that passed me earlier today further on the highway was Emmett running off to stop Edward. When he passed me again, it was because Jasper had run after him and stopped him per Alice's command. At least, I hope that's what that was. If it wasn't, then I'm crazy and confused which was not a good combination.

Even allowing my thoughts to think like that, to think I'm in Twilight, sounded crazy. Oh sure, I've joked before how I'd love to go on a shopping spree with Alice Cullen but well, who hasn't? To actually think I might get the chance though, that was crazy. Totally, completely, insane. If I knock on the door and it's not the Cullens, I'm going straight to the hospital and asking to be locked up. The whole time change thing should be enough to declare me mentally unstable. I hope they'll let me keep Miss Ginsie though.

I turned down the roads and almost passed the house that was surrounded by trees. The jeep and Mercedes weren't visible from the road anymore but that might be because it's dark. It was 7 pm afterall. If I had my time zones down correctly, Bella and Alice were still on a plane. There was the plane from Seattle to probably JFK or Atlanta and then another plane to Rome they had to take. I hoped they were on the plane to Rome right now. At 5 am this morning, Bella should be safe in Edward's arms. Well, my time. Their time, it would be noon. I think. Slowly, I drove up the driveway and parked near the front. I took a deep breath reminding me just to ask to call AAA. That's all I needed to do right now.

I ignored my nerves, which got bad, and kissed my pup again on the head. "Stay here and guard the car," I stated with a smirk. Like she'd be much of a challenge to a regular old human much less a vegetarian vampire! Sighing, I stepped out of my car and made my way to the front door. I hoped Esme didn't mind that I made a b-line for the door rather than using the stepping stones. I shouldn't think like that, think that this really is the Cullens, that I'm really back three years ago, that this isn't just some bizarre practical joke…or that I'm not crazy.

I knocked on the door and didn't hear anything. "Please, just open the door," I whispered. Somehow, I felt that just by seeing who ever lived here, that my day would make sense. It wouldn't matter who appeared at the door, just that someone was there and I'd make my decisions on what to do next based on that. This would work. It had too. This day was just too weird otherwise.

The door started to creak open and I held my breath. Secretly, I started to pray in my head while my left hand moved the rosary I had in my pocket around and around, from bead to bead. Maybe that's what I'll do. If it's just some old guy living here, I'll go to the church and demand sanctuary. It sounded reasonable enough. Okay, so probably no one has done that in the Western World since the 18th century but still, it would buy me some time to figure all this out.

As the light from inside the room poured out into the twilight lit yard, I looked up to see a massive shadow. Squinting, I saw the curly top of brown hair and bit my lip. Thank God I wasn't breathing because I knew at that moment I'd be hyperventilating if I had bothered. My eyes had yet to adjust so it might be just a coincidence that this guy happened to be about 6'5", massive, and have curly brown hair? Yeah, right. And it's a coincidence that I have long brown hair and a slight southern accent just like Elizabeth French in the Destiny books.

"Can I help you?" he asked. I blinked and remembered to breathe. Yeap, Emmett. I bit my lip again and thought of what to say. I hadn't planned on my insane fantasy actually being real. I thought it was just an insane fantasy. It might still be. Swallowing while he waited for me to speak I decided on the direct approach. Let them think I'm like Alice….

"Emmett Cullen, right?" I asked, gathering up what little courage I had. Maybe the direct approach wasn't the best idea. Maybe I should have just asked for the phone but then what? Right now, the Cullens were my only grip on whatever reality this was.

"Um, yeah. How'd you know?" he asked as he scratched his head. I smiled. He really was a giant teddy bear.

"I know a lot about you, Emmett Dale McCarty Cullen," I said off handedly. This was starting to be amusing in a nerve racking way. Here I was talking to one of my most beloved vegetarian vampires ever. I hope I never wake up if this is a dream. It's way too much fun.

If vampires could pale, Emmett certainly would. Suddenly, a lock of blonde hair was behind him. Based on the height and the hand on Emmett's shoulder, I knew it was Carlisle. I smiled as Carlisle gently pushed the very confused –I think that's the emotion of the day- Emmett out of the way.

It was now Carlisle in the doorway and Emmett slightly behind him. I could just make out Rose on the sofa hunched over, looking like she was crying. My smile fell as I remember what day it was and the news they were most likely awaiting.

"Can we help you?" Carlisle asked gently, curiosity brimming in his eyes. I managed a small smile. I doubt that any humans really bother them here.

"I'm not sure," I answered truthfully only getting Carlisle to raise an eyebrow. "I'm sorry for coming at such a horrible time, Doctor Cullen," I stated smoothly, shaking my head. I know he'd be just as confused as Emmett by now. Neither had ever seen me before.

I looked back up to see Carlisle clearly trying to figure me out. I smiled slightly. "Let's just go with the theory that I'm kinda like Alice for now," I managed. After all, everyone was pretty sure by now that Alice had "visions" as a human and that's why she was in the asylum, right? So another human having "visions" wouldn't be too odd to this group. It didn't matter than I read it all in a bunch of books or that the books were finite in terms of time.

I watched as Carlisle's expression changed to one of understanding and maybe…amusement. I wasn't sure. I'd ask Jasper if he was in the mood later. Once I told them all they'd see their siblings/children/spouse in about a couple of days while at the Seattle airport, I'm sure they'd be much happier. Assuming everything would go the way of the books and I haven't totally screwed up the time line or anything. I hope not. I wanted to go shopping with Alice and beat up the werewolves with Bella. It sounded fun. Just ignore that I was nearly twice Bella's age alone. I never did outgrow being 19, not really.

"So then, you already know who all of us are?" Carlisle asked. I could just barely detect his accent. It wasn't anything like modern English accents. Rather, it sounded more like the coastal accents in the islands along Virginia and Maryland. It sounded like home which is where I desperately wanted to be right now.

"Yes, sorry. I'm being horribly rude," I told him. I smiled a bit more. "Muh name is Elizabeth and I'm pretty sure I know what's going on," I stated as Carlisle lead me into the foyer. I ignored that my accent was getting slightly thicker, a natural result of being either too comfortable or too nervous. Carlisle, himself, was good at putting on a friendly face. I guess three hundred and sixty some years of practice do that to you.

As Carlisle closed the door behind me, I took one last look to the truck to see Miss Ginsie already in the driver's seat, watching me. I shook my head and headed into the house. Part of me wondered where Jasper and Esme were, but I quickly realized they were probably both too over-wrought with grief to bother with a silly little lost human at the door.

The three vampires that were here all looked at me expediently and that caused me to be a little bit nervous. I looked down, an old habit, and thought about what to say. "I...I think I'm supposed to tell y'all that they'll come home," I whispered somewhat nervous. "All three of them," I said as I looked up at the group of curious but sad gold eyes. I wasn't nervous because they were vampires. I was, instead, nervous because here I was, giving into my psychosis and talking to a bunch of fictional characters.

Rose got up and appeared before me, angry. It was an odd thing to see someone that pretty look that mad. "How do you possibly even know that!?! Even Alice doesn't know that!" she screeched at me, inches from my face. It's a good thing I was about the same height at her and, apparently lacking the whole "oh scary! Predators!" instinct to boot. I just narrowed my eyes, ignoring for the moment that she could kill me with the snap of her fingers, and gave her my best "you will die" look as my friends call it. There was something horribly ironic in that.

"Rose," Carlisle warned, putting a hand on his daughter's shoulder. I know I had said enough to get them to at least be curious about me. It's not like every human would know Emmett's full name or that three members of their family were missing. Okay, well not every human in this world. Every human in mine, sure.

"I know. I know they will take a flight from Florence and then to Rome. From there, to Atlanta. Once they get into Seattle, you'll see all three; Edward, Alice, and Bella, again," I said as I looked her straight in the eye. I guess no one, let alone a human, really ever looked down Rose before because she actually shrank away from me and back into Emmett's arms. I sighed, watching Emmett trying to comfort his wife as she started to sob again.

"Sorry," I muttered while looking at my feet. I felt a cold hand on my upper arm and looked over to Carlisle's hopeful expression.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Sure? No. I wasn't sure of anything today. I just got thrown back three years and into one of my favorite series. Part of me would love to think I'm dreaming but I never get this nervous in my dreams. Dreams are always slightly off, slightly wrong. There is always something to indicate you are dreaming. Normally, the second I think about the events around me being a dream, I either wake up or get to have a lot of fun with my dream. I'm not waking up and, although amusing, I can't exactly make a giant teddy bear crossed with the Stay-Puff Marshmellow man suddenly attack Emmett. Although, that would be hilarious! So, this isn't a dream. Whatever it is, I'm not sure which makes me unsure of anything.

"Not entirely, but I'm 90% sure," I stated quickly. Carlisle was guarded but did manage a small smile, slowly letting go of my arm.

"Thank you," he said only barely loud enough for me to hear. I nodded in response when I felt someone else join the room. Or at least, I'm guessing that's what the cool breeze was.

"Ninety percent?" I heard someone ask. I saw what I could only guess was Jasper and he looked…miserable! His hair was a mess and not in a good way. His eyes were gold but so blank that they minus well be black. I could tell he wasn't breathing; something in me wanted to check. He stayed near the stairwell, almost covered in shadows, away from me, the little blood bank.

"She'll come back, Jasper," I said calmly and surely. I tried to remember how this all worked from all the books and additional stuff I had read. If I believed enough, and my emotions showed that, then Jasper could feel it. I worked on my own confidence – something not exactly easy to do when you are surrounded by fictional characters that you shouldn't even be able to talk to- and then decided it would be better to work on simply having faith in my knowledge of the books. I knew the books. I head read New Moon at least eight times. I read Breaking Dawn twelve!

Knowledge was my key. I always had faith in my knowledge and abilities to research anything. Long as I focused on that, I knew it would trump anything else I was feeling. "I know she'll come back. You'll see her again," I whispered gently, as soothingly as I could. It was the voice I used years ago when talking my brothers out of their fears when they thought a ghost was in their room or had a nightmare. I babysat, a lot.

Jasper just nodded once and turned slightly. I saw Esme, distraught, appear behind him. Carlisle was instantly at her side. I nearly wanted to cry myself at the sight of her. Her daughters and her son might not come home. Her baby boy, for all intents and purposes, had tried to kill himself, had asked for others to kill him, and her only hope –all the Cullens only hope- was clumsy, human, Bella. Instantly, I felt like I was intruding. I shouldn't be here.

Well, of course, I shouldn't be here. I should be at the hotel, eating all sorts of bad things like chocolate bars and Neccos while drinking soda and watching way too much TV. I should be kicking back and ignoring my embroidery project right next to my laptop. I should be calling my Mom, my best friend Kit, or maybe playing email wars with Lesley. I should be in 2009, not 2006. But more than that, I shouldn't be here, at the Cullens, when they are undergoing such depression.

I turned to leave, looking at the floor again. I should leave. I didn't know exactly where I would go, but somewhere. I only had $150 in my pocket. I'm pretty sure I could go to the local pawn shop and pawn some of my jewelry until I could get a job. Not that I had a resume, or even a social security number right now. I didn't exist. That was depressing.

"I'm sorry for intrudin'," I said as I reached for the door. I was amazed when a cold hand stopped me and it wasn't Carlisle. I looked up to see Jasper. He looked at me and then over to his parents. He still wasn't breathing and I guessed he was out of air. I managed to keep down the giggle but I knew he could feel my slightly jovial nature. He looked at me again and even managed a small smile.

"Elizabeth," I heard Carlisle say but it was Esme who spoke next. Although still clearly distraught, she came over to me, wringing her hands together. "How rude we must seem!" she stated. "You've told us the first good news any of us has heard over the past few days," Esme told me, her lips slowly moving into a smile. I smiled back slightly. Carlisle moved with his wife, keeping an arm around her.

"It's okay, Esme. I know why," I informed her. It was true. I did know why. I doubt I'd be doing well if any of my brothers' tried a stunt like this. I'd probably be like Alice and drag their girlfriend with me to go and retrieve the idiot of a brother. I knew exactly how stupid boys could be.

"Please, stay," Esme said in such a voice that it almost sounded like she was begging. I bit my lip and looked to the door and then to the vampires. I didn't want to leave. It wasn't like I had anywhere to go to, but still, it wasn't like I could stay with Ginsie in truck. Or, at least, not for very long. "I have hot tea," she said hopefully.

I had to smile at that one. "Hot tea? Why do a bunch vampires have tea?" I asked. All of them looked shocked, well, except for Carlisle. It seems my "go with the like Alice theory" got through to him at least. Eventually, all of them relaxed. But, before I could apologize for my rather blunt outburst, Emmett, bashfully, answered.

"I like the smell," he admitted. I laughed at that, actually laughed, despite the depressing feel of the room. It was simply too funny to think a vampire actually liked the smell of a human food.

"I guess I can stay for a little bit," I admitted and followed Esme to the kitchen. The atmosphere of the house was already beginning to lift.

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**Author's Note:** Love it? Hate it? I wasn't sure whether to introduce the Cullens now or to wait. I had about twenty different ways for Elizabeth to find them and I thought this was one of the more logical.


	3. Chapter 3

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note:** I'm thinking of having our dear Elizabeth give the Cullens some "breathing room" for a couple of months…and her getting into some trouble. Any yeas or nays? She'll end up with them again, eventually. Ya know, when Seattle starts having all it's problems in the next coming months? :-)

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Chapter 3

_I listened as she told her story. She told me of how she saw things, odd things. She told me about her hallucinations, as she called them. She told me about the ghosts. Given that she was normally a very "down to Earth", conservative type woman I could only think of one things to say to her. "You aren't the type to suddenly give into fantasy, so if you say that's what you saw, I believe you." And I did._

_-Estelle to Elizabeth __Kismet__ pg 526_

I sat down on one of the stools in the kitchen while Esme actually heated water in a kettle to make the tea. I don't think I've seen kettled tea since the last "period" tea party I went to. I suddenly felt odd not to be dressed up in my stays and petticoat while watching Esme place the pot on the stove.

Jasper and Carlisle were in the kitchen too. Carlisle stayed near his wife while Jasper took to one of the far corners. Poor guy. I'd only stay for maybe half an hour. I didn't want to cause him any unnecessary pain right now.

Emmett stayed with Rose out in the living room. I doubt she wanted to deal with another human that "knew" given everything that was going on. Or, even, really, another human right now. I just had to keep in mind that I was what she wanted to be and ignore everything else when it came to Rose.

"I hope orange tea is alright," Esme stated as she turned back to me. I smiled at her and nodded.

"Orange tea sounds fine, Esme," I informed her. Truth be told, it was one of my favorites. I took in my surroundings quickly. The kitchen was nice, modern, with all chrome appliances. It was a change from the mis-matched appliances at my parents' home or the white and pink in my blue and brick kitchen. It's hard to pass up a pink toaster. Or a pink microwave. Or pink pots and pans. I liked turquoise as well but there was just something more humorous about pink. Like my brothers' cringing every time they came into my house.

"How did you find us?" I heard Jasper ask. I knew that voice. I had heard that tone of voice for most of my life. It was the military integration type voice that my Dad had and most of the guys I work with had. I knew what to do when I heard that type of voice; just answer truthfully. The problem was that I wasn't even sure what the truth was at this point.

I couldn't come out and say that they were all fictional characters and my full name was Elizabeth Catherine French, just like in the books I had still sitting on the floor of my truck. I thought about going to grab the Twilight book to explain, at least have some credence to my bizarre story but that felt wrong. Those were written with Bella's personal thoughts. It didn't feel right to let anyone other than her or maybe Edward read those. Maybe when they got back, I'd let them read them. I also had my print out of Midnight Sun since I loved reading that side by side with Twilight. It was just bliss.

"I saw the Jeep earlier and remembered it from something I saw earlier," I answered truthfully enough. I hoped. I looked down at my hands, still figuring out how to explain without lying. "I wasn't sure whether to follow it or not, if my mind was playing tricks on me or not, but I've seen some other things durin' this crazy day and Ah knew that if I didn't at least test my theory," I started blabber on. My accent was getting thicker and I knew it. I held my hands in front of me, taking a sudden interest in my fingernails.

I felt a cool hand on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Carlisle behind me. He offered me a soft smile. "Thank you. You have offered us the first sign of hope we have had over these past few days," he told me sincerely. I managed to smile back a bit.

"I couldn't hold back what I knew. It isn't right," I informed him. It wasn't. I knew what was going to happen. My knowledge, hopefully, alleviated their pain even in its smallest amount. Any amount of joy I could bring when the outlook was so terribly bleak was a good thing. I was safe in my knowledge, in my facts. For now, those were my refuge in this strange hallucination I was experiencing. At least I had something familiar. It wasn't the dancing grapes from eighth grade when my migraines were at their worst. That was a totally different type of weird.

"Do you know what time they will arrive back?" Jasper asked me, continuing his interrogation. I shook my head. I don't remember the time from the books. Just that it was day.

"No. I think it's in a couple of days but I know it will be in the morning. Y'all will see them when they land in Seattle," I started to explain. Jasper immediately cut in.

"Seattle?" he asked, surprised. I nodded, looking around at both Jasper and Esme. Carlisle was still behind me. I watched as their lips moved quickly, discussing something. I guessed it was arrangements to move back to Forks. It wasn't like it would be hard. I remember Edward telling Bella that the hospital received Carlisle back with open arms…or I guess will receive.

"I suppose we should make arrangements for the next few days no matter the outcome," Carlisle suddenly stated. He moved to Esme as he said so, wrapping an arm around her. She had that worried look back on her face.

I had been so focused on the three vampires in the kitchen that I didn't even notice when Rosalie came in. "So that's it then? We simply go back based on her word and then what?" she asked angrily. I swear, if she could, she'd be crying. Emmett was behind her, trying to calm her.

"Rose," Carlisle gently warned. Rose just glared at him.

I did the only thing I could think of, the only thing that might get through to her. "Rosalie Lillian Hale," I stated simply. Her full name. "I know you are upset right now, both with yourself and at the entire situation," I started. Rose glared at me.

"Don't even begin to think that you know everything! You just came in the door ten minutes ago and," she started until Carlisle shouted an "Enough!" at her. It was enough to stop her. I learned right then that an angry Carlisle is actually rather scary. Well, in that fatherly "bring me a switch" type way. Still doesn't really seem like a big scary "I'm gonna suck your blood" vampire.

I could tell Carlisle was about to apologize for his daughter's behavior but I shook my head at him and turned to Rosalie. She was quite pretty. It was really hard to tell if she or Catherine Zeta Jones was prettier. If there was any woman I'd like to look like, it would totally be Catherine Zeta Jones. I've got the hair at least.

"You are right, Rose. I don't know everything," I told her. I looked down. Everything about being here, in the house of my favorite fictional characters, was wrong. I shouldn't be here. Maybe I shouldn't have even come in to tell them that everything would be okay; because it would and they'd find out in a couple more days anyway. "I should get going," I whispered as I slid off the barstool. It wasn't like I had any where to go.

Home. I suddenly realized I didn't exactly have a home to go to or even a hotel room! I was use to having tons of homes open to me. I had my cousins on the west coast, my Great Aunt's up North, my parents' house which was only a half hour from mine in Maryland. I had all the cousins down south that wouldn't mind if I spent a day or two but right now, I wasn't sure if they even existed. If I even existed. After all, were the vampires the pyschosis or was my entire life it? I just didn't know and it scared me above all else. Thank God I could keep that fear down and buried for now until I would get to my truck.

"Rosalie," Esme chastised her daughter. Her only daughter in the house right now, I realized. Alice and Bella were both on a plane to Italy and I was the only one that knew, for a fact, that they'd both come back to her.

"It's okay, Esme," I shook my head and went to push my way towards the front door. Rose and Emmett stood in my way thought at the entrance to the kitchen. However, before I could even get very far, I felt another cold hand on my shoulder. I also suddenly felt…peaceful? Maybe that was the right word but I wasn't sure. It was that feeling I only got when I let all my cares go and just observed the world around me. Jasper.

"Thanks," I muttered to him.

"You don't have to go, dear," I heard Esme stated worriedly. I looked up to see her shooting Mom looks at Rosalie. Rose, herself, seemed to have calmed down a bit. Whether that was Jasper's influence or due to parental guilt-tripping I have no idea. It might be a mixture of both.

I turned to Esme fully, gently patting Jasper on the hand to tell him I'd be alright. As soon as he moved back I could feel that peacefulness trying to escape me. I held on to it with all my might. I didn't want to think about anything other than the here and now. Everything else was too terrifying.

"I really should. I don't think my pup will like it much if I leave her in there for too long," I told her truthfully. Okay, so that was only half the reason. My other reasons where that I'm clearly psychotic now and speaking to my delusions. Ain't that grand?

"Oh, of course," Esme said sadly. I began to see that horrible sadness creep back into her face that I had seen when I first came in the door about fifteen minutes ago now. I felt bad for even being the slightest bit responsible for that. I bit my lip and thought.

"Um," I started brilliantly. My cell phones didn't work so it wasn't like I could give my number. I doubted, in this lovely little hallucination that any of my emails worked either. I didn't have any connections, no addresses to give them. I was officially a nomad and didn't even have the luxury of being a nomadic vampire. Oh za fun.

"I'll try and get one of those pre-paid phones tonight," I continued, lamely. Who would even think they wanted to contact me or have me contact them again. "If you want, I'll drop off the number in the morning," I offered, allowing the vampires the choice of wanting to contact me.

Carlisle, in what couldn't have been more than a split second, handed me a paper in writing I recognized from an older script. I had to smile simply because I knew people that would die to be able to write like that for various projects and scrolls. The paper had a bunch of numbers and names on it. It was all their numbers and names. "Call the moment you receive the phone," he told me, putting the paper in my hand.

"Thank you," I whispered. At least Carlisle, and it looked like Esme, had made the choice. I heard Rose let out a frustrated sigh and stomp her way back to the stairs it sounded like. I turned, automatically, for my eyes to follow but I couldn't see anything. Both she and Emmett had already left.

"Don't worry about her," I heard Jasper say, my head automatically swinging in his direction. I offered a small smile.

"I know, she's…tenacious," I stated, remembering the words from the book. I think that's how Edward described her in both Midnight Sun and Twilight. Of course, I'd rather say more stubborn than an old mule but I had a feeling that would just cause Rose to get angry with me again.

The vampires still in the kitchen chuckled and smiled at me. I held up the piece of paper again to emphasize my next point. "I'll call as soon as I get the phone," I told them before turning towards the living room to head out the front door. Before I knew it, it was Jasper holding the door for me. I smiled slightly at the scene. Always a good ole southern gentleman. Also, he probably just wanted to get the blood bag out of the house so he could breathe again. I smirked at that thought.

"Are you staying in town?" Esme asked from behind me. I turned to see her worried expression and Carlisle holding her to his side. I knew better than to tell her the truth right then and there. I had a feeling, knowing Esme and her maternal insticts, I'd be told to sleep here tonight. I didn't want to make things harder on Jasper or on any of the vampires.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered. It didn't matter than Esme didn't look much younger than me. She was a good 82 years older…or there abouts.

"Call when you get to the hotel," she told me seriously. I bit back a bit of a laugh. She sounded so much like my own mom.

"Yes, ma'am," I told her, still smiling. I went to walk out the door and stopped. Turning around, there was something I just had to do for my own personal enjoyment. "It was nice really getting to meet y'all," I said to the three assembled vampires. They all murmured similar goodbye like phrases. And then I looked down the hall and made sure only to raise my voice a slight bit. "Even you, Rose," I teased.

As I left the house, I swear I heard Carlisle and Jasper chuckling. That had been so necessary. There was just something so needed in getting the last word in when it came to Rosalie Hale. I know she'd be waiting to get me back now and this was going to be one game I'd love to play. Who was the more stubborn, Rosalie Hale or Elizabeth French? Even I didn't have a clue.

Ginse, as usual, sat up in my seat when I opened the door. She had been keeping the driver's seat warm…or probably just wrapping herself in my scent. "Scoot!" I ordered the pup who, semi-obediently moved her furry bum to the passenger seat. Think about scents, I wondered what the heck I smelled like to the vampires. I might ask them is this delusion keeps up for much longer.

Once I got the truck started and backed out to the main road –not an easy thing to do when you can't see out the back window- I realized something. I didn't have the slightest clue as to where the local Wally World was. I tried to think if I passed one anywhere near Ithaca but I couldn't remember. Freakin…I sighed as I pulled on to the main road and drove out towards the city.

I also had the problem of money. Since it was March 19, 2006 in this fun little world where I'm a fictional character, I figured the easiest way to get money, quick, would be to pawn some jewelry. There were more than a few pieces that I could get rid of without much heart-ache. Some things, like my grandmother's engagement ring or my cross pendant I wore around my neck would never leave me. But things like my gold chain for German outfits? Or any one of my many strings of pearls? Those I could easily do without. I think the gold chain might even be worth something. I wonder if I brought that horrible bracelet from my ex that had the tiny sand sized diamonds in it? That would definitely be something I want to get rid of.

So, as of right now, I had $110 in my pocket and that was to serve for gas, food, and a phone until I could pawn some jewelry. I spent about $40 on the books now lying on the floor of the passenger side. That had cut into my budget but it had been necessary. I think I saw a rest stop not to far down I-81 that I could just sleep in the car at. It wasn't necessary to get a real hotel room. Although, I'd like a shower, I didn't see how spending nearly all of my $150 in one night would do me much good just because I wanted a shower. Maybe, if I was lucky, it was one of those very few rest rooms that did have shower stalls? Yeah, right. I had only seen those three times in my entire life.

Getting my thoughts back on track, I saw a gas station and decided to pull in. I still had well ¾'s of a tank, thank God. I had filled up right before that massive rainstorm I got stuck in. I had stopped right before the day got crazy. Or I went crazy. Either way, something was not right. I parked the truck and looked at Ginise, once again ordering her to stay inside.

There was the one attendant inside the convenience store part of the gas station. I went in and decided to get an ice tea and some chips. I was hungry after not eating since this morning. I had been too nervous.

Taking them up to the register, the attendant began to blindly total the two items up. "That will be $2.56," she said without looking at me. I handed over the bills and change, exactly.

"Can ya tell me if there is a Wal-mart or a Target around here?" I asked her. It sounded strange not to call them Wally World and Targẻt but I didn't want to have more questions than answers right now. I just wanted to get in the Wally World, get the pre-paid cell phone, call the Cullens, and then go to that rest stop, hug Ginsie, and cry my eyes out. It was at least a plan.

The attendant looked up and blinked at me. I had gotten her out of her little daze and routine. "Oh, um, sure. There's one about a couple of miles from here," she told me. Quickly, I took down the directions on the back of the receipt for my chips and tea. Smiling, I left the little store and drove to the Wal-mart.

I looked over at Ginsie when we got there and felt bad for leaving the pup in the car so much today. Parking at the far end of the parking lot, I got her leash which immediately got her tail wagging. "C'mon, pup. Let's let you out for a bit," I told her quietly. I just walked her up and down the median strips for a bit. I'd take her to the park again tomorrow. She really seemed to like that and she'd be able to walk around a lot. At least one of us could be happy and not worry about stuff like no home, no money, no family.

It was the last that got to me really. No home, eh. I could easily survive in a tent for a while. I've certainly been on enough camping trips to know how to live outdoors. No money well, it wasn't like I even had much to begin with. What little money I did have went to the mortgage payment, the water bill, the electric bill, the cell phone bill, the credit card bills, the insurance bill, the home owners association…by the end of the month, adding all that plus food, gas for the truck, and other necessary stuff, I hardly had any money left. So, I was use to not having much money.

Family. I had never really been without some sort of family around before. I always had my parents, my brothers, my Aunts & Uncles, my cousins…even my close friends around me. I never went a day without speaking or emailing at least one of them. And now, well, I had the dog. That was it.

Sighing, I looked at my beloved pup, my only connection to the world outside of this delusion – if that's even what this was- and walked her back to the truck. "I'll be right back," I promised and blew her a kiss as I locked up the truck, Ginsie safely inside.

Navigating the Wal-mart was pretty easy. I quickly found electronics and just decided to get the cheapest pre-paid cell phone. I didn't need anything more than to be able to dial the Cullens and 911 at this point. Although my old phone had fun stuff like ringtones for each person and a camera, I just didn't need that right now. This was survival of the fit in the urban jungle right now…with vampires. Fun.

I ended up with a Tracphone. I racked my brain trying to remember if they had put limits on how many you could buy yet or not. I didn't think so. In March 2006, I had still been on the night shift and I don't think the tracphone ban came about until 2007. I think. I really couldn't remember. Not that it mattered anyway.

I bought a 60 minute card figuring that I'd only need the phone for emergencies. I figured out how to activate, how to get it working, and was out only another $40. That left me with $70 in which to fill up the truck and eat. Good thing I'm going to the pawn shop in the morning. Gas will not be cheap and it costs about $30 to fill the tank up. It's a good thing it gets good mileage though… It's also a good thing that I brought an entire new bag of Ginsie's food as well as a new bottle of her meds. I won't have to worry about either of those things for at least a month.

Given the money woe's, I knew I had to get a job. The problem was I had no social if I was a fictional character and no name. Not that that stopped illegals ever day or anything. Maybe I could advertise my services as a computer help person on some local bulletin boards or something like that? That might work. I'd think about that in the morning.

Once I got the phone working, I pulled out the now crumbled piece of paper Carlisle had handed me. It was now 9 pm. Normally, I'd be worried about people getting ready for bed but I had a feeling that Esme might just be waiting by the phone. Not for me, but for her daughters or her son to call her and tell her that they were alright. I felt bad. Like me calling would be a let down. However, she did tell me to call and so did Carlisle.

"Hello?" Carlisle's voice came over my phone.

"Hi, Carlisle. It's Elizabeth," I stated lamely. It's a good thing vampires can't forget because technically, he'd only known me for about 20 minutes, tops. I, of course, knew him a heck of a lot better thanks to the books.

"You found a cell phone, I see," he said with a hint of humor in his voice. I smiled at that.

"Yes, the number is 607 555 2710," I told him so he'd have it. I pet my pup as I spoke on the phone.

"Thank you for calling back. Esme would like to know if you reach the hotel," he told me. I decided not to lie but not to give the whole truth either.

"Oh no, I'm still out in front of Wally Worl- I mean, Wal-mart," I answered. I swore I heard Emmett in the background say something but I couldn't make it out.

"Alright. Please, if you wouldn't mind, come by here again in the morning," he asked of me. I felt a little chill of excitement go through me. The vampires actually wanted the strange human around.

"Of course," I said, probably a bit too energetically. "I'll see y'all in the mornin' then," I told him a bit more subdued.

"Until then," Carlisle stated and then hung up. I did as well.

I drove to the rest stop I had thought about. I left Ginsie in the car to have my "human minutes" as Bella called them. I took my hair brush, toothbrush, and other small toiletries with me. I cleaned up as best as I could, letting my hair fall from it's half wrapped bun all the way down my back. It came out in a wave and I braided the long locks. The scrunchie at the end of the braid hit the small of my back. My hair was the one thing that made every girl jealous of me. It was long, thick, and it wasn't ragged at the ends like some girls have when their hair gets too long.

Sighing at the image that created me in the mirror, I re-packed everything and headed back out to the truck. I hugged Miss Ginsie as I sat in the driver's seat, thinking over the day. One little eye twitch and I was inside one of my favorite series ever. But, beyond that, I had nothing. I had little money, no home to go to, no family to call, I didn't even really have a name. I only had those strange little facts about this world and my world stuck in my head and my pup.

Rather than crying, I felt excited. It was odd. Even though I had nothing, I truly had nothing. I could do whatever I wanted and not worry about my responsibilities. I could live where I wanted, go where I wanted, and be whomever I wanted. Too bad J. Jenks lives all the way over on the other coast. Maybe I'll just have to drive out to Forks, WA, a place I have never even been close to going before, and start over. It might be fun. Of course, I need money first. And sleep. Right now, sleep sounds good.

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**Author's Note:** So, there's the third chapter in this strange little story. Hope y'all like it! Thanks for the review, fav's and alerts!


	4. Chapter 4

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Although Estelle/Elizabeth/and especially Miss Ginsie all belong very much to me. Edward, Bella, Carlisle and the rest of the Twilight gang don't. I'm just having way too much fun with them.

**Summary:** What if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she do? Think? Feel? And most of all, what would happen if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** This really is way too much fun to write. I'm glad it looks like at least a few people are having fun reading it too.

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Chapter 4

_We sat outside the principal's office again during our lunch hour. It wasn't because we were in trouble. The Liz triangle had decided that they couldn't stand sitting in the cafeteria anymore. Apparently Rogue Liz thought it smelled like rotten milk and Trekkie Liz and Lizzie Bug agreed. Rogue Liz then decided to start a "protest" outside the principal's office. If we weren't allowed anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch, then she was going to make her dislike of that rule well known. I was just following in for the fun of it. I had never been involved with a protest before._

_-Estelle __Destiny__ pg 124_

I woke up at 5:30 am. It was still dark out but I could see the green glowing numbers on my new pre-paid cell phone. I smiled. Bella had gotten to Edward. They were safe. Oh yes, they still had to convince the Volturi to let them go and then make it to Florence for a plane trip back home but the worst was over as far as I was concerned.

I turned around and searched through my bags until I found my black tote bag with the Cullen Crest on it. Inside were all the books plus my sewing supplies. Pulling the bag from the back into my lap took a bit of effort. Carefully, I peeled through the bag, making sure not to stick my fingers on any loose needles, to find New Moon. It seemed only right to read it while these events were actually happening. I got to page 494 and saw that Alice wouldn't call Jasper or any of the rest of the family until they were on the plane. Hmmm.

Calculating in my head without exact distances or speeds was hard. I guessed that, if I am working with a 7 hour time difference –something I wasn't really able to confirm- then Alice might call Jasper at about one or two this afternoon. I think. I really wasn't sure at all but it sounded good. I could figure out exact distances if my laptop still worked and I could get Wi-Fi somewhere. There had to be a Starbucks somewhere in Ithaca.

With my new plan of action, find a Starbucks so I could do calculations that really didn't matter in the grand scheme of things; I decided to change out of my clothes from yesterday and try to clean up as much as I could in the rest area. I'd need to get money and stay at cheap hotels for a while. The very idea disgusted me. The lowest I was use to staying at was the La Quinta and even that was pretty clean and decent. Anything less than $55 a night was not my idea of a hotel. That's stretching it even then. But, I only had $70 or so left and it wasn't like I had a steady job and bank account in this universe. So, my options were extremely limited.

I took Miss Ginsie out of the car and walked her while it was still dark. I then grabbed a set of clothes and went to change in the woman's room. Thanks to years of Girl Scout camp and re-enactments, I was an expert on changing clothing in confined spaces. It didn't take long. I cleaned up as best as I could and sighed when I looked in the mirror. The black circles under my eyes were not attractive. But my hair was behaving itself so I only pulled the sides back and let the rest of my hair hang down my back rather than putting it all up in a bun.

I only put on my sparkling chapstick. I hated make-up. Make up was extra weight on your face that gave you wrinkles pre-maturely. I had yet to see a girl that started wearing make-up before high school that didn't look older than I did by the time she hit college. That was just scary. Why make gravity's job any easier?

I got back to the car by a little before 6 am and headed back on to the road to find a Starbucks. I hit the main road and just followed it until I saw the familiar green letting and the double tailed mermaid. I quickly pulled off and drove into the parking lot. I wanted my Wi-fi…and maybe a croissant? That sounded nice…

Again, I cracked the sunroof to let air in. It was March so I knew it wouldn't get hot but fresh air in the truck was a nice thing. Especially since it would be my home for the next couple of months. Maybe I could get a tent and sent up camp at a local campground. It would be cheap and I had everything else I needed.

Taking my laptop, I took one more look at my curious puppy. "Be good," I told her this time as I closed the car door. Heading into the coffee place, my nostrils were it with that aroma de Starbucks. It was disgusting.

I couldn't drink coffee anymore. It wasn't that I necessarily liked it to begin with but after a frappacino a couple of couple of years ago that gave me hives, I decided to give up with the whole coffee thing. Hot chocolate was way better anyways.

I ordered my hot chocolate and a croissant and waited patiently for the guy behind the counter to mix it up. It wasn't like it was hard. Chocolate syrup, skim milk, stir it up, and you've got hot chocolate. That and I was the first customer in line. Maybe they just opened and everyone else wasn't awake yet. It was still very early.

I sat down at a tiny little table the second I got my hot chocolate. There was only one other person in here other than the workers so it was easy to sit far away from him. I listened to the dull sounds of machinery in the background as I opened my laptop to figure out the pointless answers to my fruitless questions. It was just something to distract me and I knew it.

I slowly tuned out the noises in the coffee shop until they became a dull roar in the background as I type in things like "time zones in Italy" and checked Google maps for the distance between Florence and Volterra. Its 82 km or about 50 miles. I could do that in an hour without an issue but Google maps was telling me it took an hour and a half. I guess if you actually obey the speed limits…

Lost in my own thoughts, I was startled when I saw someone sit down across for me. I only calmed my nerves when I noticed the lock of blond hair and the pale skin. "Coffee drinker?" Carlisle asked me.

I shook my head and moved the laptop out of my way so I could see him. He really was beautiful. I smiled. "No, I'm allergic," I told him while I held up my cup. "Hot chocolate," I said in explanation.

"Ah," he answered. I looked down at my cup of hot chocolate, unsure of what to ask next. I was thinking of asking him how he found me when Carlisle spoke again.

"You are up fairly early," he told me. I looked up at him, cocking an eyebrow. Okay, so it was maybe 7 am now and I'm lucky if you can get me up before 8 am normally but still, it seemed an odd point.

"I rarely see anyone here when I pass by on my way home from the hospital," he continued. I smiled slightly. "I saw your truck and thought you might wish to follow me back?" he asked. That made me break out into a larger smile.

"I'm pretty good about finding my way around," I started. It was an interesting change I saw in Carlisle's expression.

"Of course," he breathed, clearly thinking over something. I contemplated what when I realized how all this must sound from his perspective. I'm like Alice, in human form, as far as they know. It's not like Alice could ever get lost because she'd be able to see the impact of any decision she makes right after she makes it. So if she decides to go north, she can see what is "north" before she actually goes there. I'm not that good. I'm not even really like Alice at all. Well, unless you consider the whole shopping fashionista thing.

"But I wouldn't mind following you back. Things tend to look different at different times of day," I told him quickly. Carlisle smiled slightly. I knew I could find my way back. I was a pro at memorizing directions. When I went back to the town I lived in when I was only 10 a couple of years back, not only did I find my way back to my old house, I also found the way to the mall from my old house. How I did that, even I don't know. The area had changed so much but still, I somehow figured out the way.

"Why don't you finish your hot chocolate and then we will be on our way?" he asked me. I nodded and took a sip, glancing over at my laptop. According to all my calculations, Alice should call by 3 pm today our time. I really hope so.

"Alice should call by 3," I told him out loud. I didn't really expect his shocked expression and quickly looked down at my cup again. "Sorry," I muttered as I realized I probably shouldn't say things like that in a public setting. It was innocent enough a remark but the implications of it most certainly weren't.

"Are you positive about that?" Carlisle asked quietly. I nodded.

"Well, sorta. I know she'll call on the plane from Florence to Rome. They won't be able to catch a plane until late. Your umm…friends?" I more asked than stated, hoping he'd get the message. I didn't want to come out and say _Volturi_ or those-vampires-you-use-to-hang-out-with. I needed to guard my words in a public space no matter how innocent they might seem to me. Carlisle nodded in understanding, encouraging me to continue.

"Well, your kids are gonna hang out with them for a bit, just until it starts to get dark," I tried to explain. I put emphasis on the word _dark_ hoping Carlisle would get the clue. The Volturi were keeping them in the castle until they were sure no spectacular displays of glitterama could accidentally occur. Personally, I'd just blow it off and tell anyone who happened to catch sight of the vampires in the daylight that that's what happens when you spend a bit too much time trying to get the glitter just right on your school project. Somehow, I don't think most vampires would be appreciative of that. Of course, I had yet to see any of them in the sunlight myself…

I watched as Carlisle took an unnecessary deep breath at my words. I knew he was worried. I had to try and alleviate those fears, even by a fraction. "After it gets dark, Alice will drive 'em all to the airport in Florence. I don't think it will be much time after that that they all hop on the plane," I explained. Carlisle nodded. I watched as his eyes flickered up in thought.

"Yes, I suppose if they wait until it is dark there that it could well be three before I hear from them," he stated more for himself. I could see the hope and the pain in his eyes in that moment. I knew how badly he wanted his children right before him where they were safe.

"You'll see them again, Carlisle. Soon," I told him quietly. This time he only weakly smiled at me before looking around the slowly filling up Starbucks.

"We can go now, if you want," I said as I quickly turned off my laptop.

"Don't you want to finish your chocolate?" he asked. I smiled to myself as I closed up the computer. He said "chocolate" with a distinct accent; one I had heard only a couple of times during my re-enactments. I shook my head.

"I can drink it in the car. I just came for the Wi-Fi," I said, holding up the laptop as evidence.

"Ah," Carlisle stated but looked at me confused as we both moved to leave. "Don't they have wireless access at your hotel?" he asked me. Damn. Caught. I stopped in my tracks and thought. Thank God I'm quick on my feet.

I shook my head. "Camping," I answered, hoping he'd buy it. After all, with all the forests and parks in the area, camping seemed like a perfectly good explanation.

"Where are you camping?" he asked once we both got outside. I scrambled for a name of a campground in my head. I tried to recall any signs for any campgrounds on the way up. I couldn't think of any.

"Just down the road," I answered, hoping that would be enough. He seemed to let it go for now when I reached my truck. Carlisle's Mercedes was right next to it. Talk about a discrepancy in class. My Ford, despite its pretty blue color and leather interior really looked…blocky, maybe cookie-cutter, next to the Mercedes. I noticed Carlisle looking in the window of my truck and Miss Ginsie, bless her, looking at him curiously.

"She's not exactly the best guard dog but she's amusing to have around," I told him as I went to open the driver's side door and push the puppy over. She was not going to like being in the car so much but what choice did we have?

"She looks like she would be very amusing," he agreed before getting into his car. Carlisle reminded me to follow him and he promised he'd go slow. I smirked at that. I was half tempted to tell him that slow to me was seventy five but I thought better of it. Let the vampires learn the hard way that not all humans were incapable of breaking that 55 mph speed barrier. I'd freak out if I actually had to go that slow.

It wasn't long until we got to the house. I carefully got out of the truck, kissed the pup on the head, and went to follow Carlisle back into the house. All the time, I thought I was completely insane. Here I was, standing right next to one of my absolute favorite fictional characters, about to go back into his house, and a part of me wanted to act like this was perfectly normal. The more rational side wanted me to lock myself up in a nice padded cell. Thank God I rarely let the rational side win.

"You can bring her in, if you like," Carlisle stated when I met him near the front steps.

"Huh?" was my brilliant response, being caught off guard. I glanced back at my truck and quickly realized what he meant. I shook my head before he could repeat what he had said. "Emmett might eat her," I replied.

"Hey!" I heard from inside. Carlisle smiled at my and his son's response. Before we made it to the front door, it opened to the sight of a peeved Emmett. "Would not," he told me stubbornly.

"Emmett," Carlisle began to warn him.

"Would too," I joined in easily. I knew this argument well. I had three brothers of my own to contend with. I still saw all of them, normally, on the weekends.

"Nuh uh, Jasper would be most likely," Emmett said defiantly, crossing his arms. Carlisle looked exasperated and like he need a huge amount of Tylonel. I just smiled until I realized Jasper didn't race down to defend himself. The smile quickly left my face when I remembered the birthday party and how Jasper hadn't seen Bella since then. How he was blaming himself for all this and how he wasn't even sure his wife would come out of this mess. All because of a simple paper cut.

"Emmett, you know better than to," Carlisle started but I interrupted, guessing what he most likely would say next.

"I'll get Miss Ginsie," I told the two vampires standing near me before rushing back to the truck. I put her on her leash and walked her, quickly, into the house. I trusted Jasper…and Emmett. I just wanted to have fun with my vampires and my mind kept forgetting the reality of what was going on. Or what was going on around my delusions I guess. Since this clearly wasn't reality. If this was reality, I'd be helping to fit costumes right now.

This time, far more soberly, I walked up to the door. Ginsie wasn't sure what to do about the vampires. She let out a low growl until she saw I wasn't the least bit afraid of them. Then she looked at them curiously and followed me in. She'd hide behind my legs, like she always did when she was scared. As she did so, she whimpered up to me and I just shook my head. The pup, being my pup, laid down on the floor behind me when we were fully in the house and sighed. She knew I wasn't one for changing my mind once it was made up. We were staying.

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**Author's Note:** A little bit of a shorter chapter this time. Thank you for the reviews! I promise the next chapter will be LONG. I was going to get into the "who exactly are you and what do you know" part in this chapter but umm…that would make this chapter way too long. So, next time!


	5. Chapter 5

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Although Estelle/Elizabeth/and especially Miss Ginsie all belong very much to me. Edward, Bella, Carlisle and the rest of the Twilight gang don't. I'm just having way too much fun with them.

**Summary:** What if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she do? Think? Feel? And most of all, what would happen if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took a bit! I actually had to work at work this week. It's been scary. They give me stuff and I look at it and laugh at them…. Anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter 5

There I stood. I was in the foyer of the Cullens' house. Now, granted, it wasn't the house in Forks but still it was the Cullens' house. And I had most of the Cullens, the infamous –in my world at least- vegetarian vampires. I should have been all bubbly with excitement at the very fact I was standing in their midst. I should have been blurting out twenty different questions a minute. I should have been gushing. Instead, it was depressing.

For one thing, this should NOT be possible. I could easily pass off yesterday as a weird dream, a fluke, a hallucination and nothing more. But to have it happen again in a period of less than twenty four hours told me this was not a hallucination. If it was, I was probably already in some nice padded room right next to Estelle and I'd be painting the walls with unicorns and rainbows any second anyway.

For another thing, if I even bother to give in, just for a second, and think that this is real, that I'm here, that I've talked to Carlisle since I sat down to play on the computer at Starbucks, then the depression comes in the form of knowing at what time I'm at. For the past nearly twenty four hours, those have been my two biggest issues; when and where. The where was currently the Twilightverse and the when was March 20, 2006. Neither of these things should be possible.

March 20, 2006, at this time in morning, I should just now be getting home to crash in my bed. I was working the night shift at the FBI and I hated it to no ends. When I got switched to the day shift, in January of 2007, I thought things would get better. Well, at least I wasn't dealing with dark circles all the time and I got Fridays off to begin with. I worked a Sun-Thurs schedule for a couple of months. And then it switched. And then that switched. And never for the better. Nothing in my life seems to switch for the better. Although, even I admit, it's hard to find anything bad about being switched into this universe.

I now can do what I want. Granted, I have nothing other than my truck and my pup but that's a good thing in a way. Although, I'm sure if I get pulled over and any cop tries to run the registration, this would not be a good thing at all. Given my license and the registration on the truck don't exist in this world, I'm pretty sure I'd be in deep trouble long before I had time to think through all the various ramifications. And then I'd be locked up in a mental hospital to boot.

So, for now, I am here. I'm going to have to deal with being here and all it's possible consequences. I could feel Emmett still eyeing me as well as Rosalie. Esme had come in and hugged her husband and greeted me as well. She mentioned something about toast and eggs if I'd like any. I politely declined. When I thought about talking again, about explaining that Alice would call, I saw Jasper come into the room and stay at the farthest edge. Glancing behind me, I saw Carlisle was speaking to him at level I couldn't hear. Well, couldn't understand at least. I could hear the faint sounds of whispering but I didn't understand it.

"So they'll call?" Emmett asked. Ah, that's what Carlisle had been muttering about. I looked at the floor, again feeling like I was being an intruder. It was…odd. But the second my feelings of intrusion came over me, they were lifted. I felt a wave of peace come over me and it was just…odd. I knew it was Jasper and I looked up only to smile a bit at him before turning to Emmett.

I nodded. "This afternoon, our time," I confirmed. The room was silent for a minute after that.

"Do you know what time exactly?" Rosalie asked rather timidly. It was odd to see her go from the angry vampire last night to the soft spoken, sad vampire before me now. I could only shake my head.

"I know it's when they are on the plane from Florence to Rome. I know they won't catch that until an hour or two after it gets dark. So, I'm guessing about two or three our time but I'm not sure," I answered as truthfully as I could. I knew a lot from the books, like how they were supposed to spend spring break in Alaska and not here. I really wanted to ask them why they were still in Ithaca and not with Tanya's coven but I figured it wasn't my place. I was here to answer, not question. Or, at least, that's what I've been telling myself.

Rose simply nodded at my explanation. I wasn't Alice, unfortunately. I couldn't tell the exact times of things that will be, only what I knew from the books. I only knew so much even then. At least I have the whole "human" thing to cover up the holes in my "like-Alice" theory. Hopefully, if they were buying this, then the Cullens simply figured that my inability to see certain things was because I was human and not because I was hiding anything.

"So…we wait until then and we'll hear from Alice," Esme stated, sounding unsure and almost hoarse. I looked at her and could instantly see the sadness in her eyes. Her eyes would be red and her face would be blotchy from all the crying she had done if she was human, I was sure of that.

Suddenly, I thought of my own mother. By now, she was probably frantic with worry. I hadn't called her when I was supposed to get to the hotel last night. She was probably trying to figure out whom to call up here and getting in touch with everyone she could. Her face was definitely tear stained by now and my Dad, well, he was probably angry. His first thought would be I was doing this on purpose. He'd think I'd runaway or was playing some sick joke on Mom. He'd only even consider that maybe I hadn't after a couple days of me not showing up and then he might feel guilty. The might being a key point.

I was born out of order as far as he was concerned. My Dad wanted a son first, a daughter second. Despite the fact he got three sons after me, he still resented the fact that I wasn't a boy. He got over it a bit three years ago, this June that would be coming up here. But even then, it took my Great Aunts yelling at him to make him realize what he had. Still, he'd be angry at me for things beyond my control. That's just the way he was.

I looked down at the floor again, seeing Miss Ginsie behind me. My pup. At least I had her.

"Until then, we'll wait here," Carlisle stated. I turned my head to the couple again and saw Carlisle squeeze Esme's shoulders as she leaned against him. "Of course, if you have other plans, Elizabeth," Carlisle quickly amended.

It took me a moment to realize that by "we", I was included. I thought I heard a huff from behind me, sounding very much like Rosalie, but I ignored that for the moment. The way the Cullens were acting, the fact that they were here and not in Alaska, it was almost like they expected me. They probably did if Alice saw me. Curious, I figured I minus well ask my question now and get it over with.

"Why aren't y'all in Alaska?" I asked. I figured it was the safest way to phrase the question. Realizing I suddenly had five pairs of golden eyes on me and that I hadn't answered Carlisle's implied question made me look down at Ginsie again. I didn't like to look into people's eyes – vampires or not. I didn't know why, but it always made me very self conscious.

It was quite for a bit so I peeked back up, worried I said something. I could see Jasper whispering towards Carlisle. Emmett looked shocked while Rosalie's eyes narrowed. Seeing me, Jasper stopped and Carlisle explained. "We had planned on going until four days ago. Alice asked for us to stay here. She would only say that we had a visitor coming here that we would need to talk to," he told me. I blushed a bit and looked down. I was right, Alice told them.

"Oh," was my response. Probably not the most brilliant but it put everything together in a nice little package. While I was still in 2009, something happened that made Alice see me. I had no idea as to what it could be. Although, it might not have been me, specifically, she was seeing. Alice might have just seen "someone" and that someone ended up being me. I couldn't know for sure until Alice made it back which wouldn't be until tomorrow morning, I think. Even then, it would be on the other coast.

"Shouldn't y'all be packing?" I suddenly asked. If they were to go back to Washington State, they probably needed to pack up a few things. I also assumed they would need to call a mover to get something across the country. Taking a plane would get them there fast enough but everything else would take time.

"Packing?" Emmett answered confused. I realized they weren't sure if their loved ones were going to live and even what to do after that. I nodded once.

"Yeah, ummm, they'll fly into Seattle on their way back," I answered. I was slightly confused given that I would think vampires would plan for every eventuality. If they didn't make it, were they planning on staying here? And, since they would make it, didn't the Cullens plan to meet up with them? To see Bella? I know that if I was waiting by the phone I'd be planning like crazy and have the credit card in hand to buy tickets for a plane ride.

"We have twenty four hours," Rosalie mumbled. I looked directly at her and raised an eyebrow. I think I actually saw her flinch.

"To move everything, Rosalie?" I more stated than questioned. Then I realized, they hadn't spoken to Alice yet. They hadn't decided to move back yet. Heck, they didn't even know that their loved ones were well, kinda safe yet.  
"We're moving back?" Emmett asked. I noticed Jasper quirk an eyebrow in my direction.

"Umm, yeah, I thought so…" I managed to sputter out. They moved back. They had to move back. Edward wouldn't dare leave Bella again. He shouldn't have to begin with and they all knew that. Rosalie learned that lesson the hardest after her stupid little stunt.

Suddenly, there was a difference in the atmosphere. The five assembled vampires began to plan. Although they clearly still had some doubt in my "abilities", it's always safer to plan for change rather than sit around and do nothing. Emmett and Jasper were ordered, by Esme, to go and get boxes at the local liquor store. I was tempted to go with them or at least ask them to pick up some Mike's or some yummy cider. I could even go for some straight red wine with the way I was feeling but it's not like any of it would really help my situation- I have a ridiculously high tolerance to alcohol.

Carlisle was on the phone within a half hour to get plane tickets. Esme was fluttering about, starting to organize things to pack. Only Rosalie remained immobile. She was still sitting on the couch, looking at her hands. I being the human with the puppy dog, had been trying to stay out of the way. However, a big part of me wanted to talk to Rosalie and just tell her if she played nice and asked for forgiveness, Bella would forgive her easily. Edward would be harder but something in my gut told me that Rose wasn't as worried about earning Edward's forgiveness. It was a whole sibling thing.

I, once again, felt awkward. I shouldn't be interfering with the fictional lives of mythological characters but, yet, here I was. I was stuck in a place where I was fiction and that which I knew to be fiction was real. How real, I wasn't sure. It looked real. It felt real. It smelt real. But I knew that those things could be tricks of the brain. My brain had tricked me before. Okay, so not this well or for this long but it had tricked me.

"Elizabeth, sweetheart," I heard Esme's voice. I turned my head to look at her. "I'm not being a good hostess am I? Why don't you sit down and I'll get you something to drink," she said as she came over and gently guided me to one of the chairs in the living room.

"I'm fine, Esme, really," I said as I walked over to the living room. Ginsie was right behind me. Rather than her normal, happy, tail wagging self, she looked nervously at me and then Esme. Again, once she saw that I wasn't the least bit scared, she relaxed slightly and only let out a light growl when Esme's hand touched my shoulder.

Esme looked down at the dog who was all the size of a footrest. Smiling, she looked back up at me. "She's very protective of you, isn't she?" Esme asked.

I nodded. "Ginsie won't do anything unless she thinks I'm hurt," I explained. Unfortunately, I knew that too well. Ginsie would instantly become "nursemaid" when I was sick, becoming my second blanket as she'd curl beside me when I wasn't feeling well. I also knew how protective she was over me and my things. I still remember the day that the tow truck driver came to take the old car away. Ginsie wouldn't hush until I wrapped my arm around her and showed her it was okay.

Rosalie scoffed at that bit. I smiled. I heard her mumble something to which Esme shot her a look. I raised my eyebrow in Rosalie's direction. I couldn't understand what she said other than "dog". Still, I got the gist of her tone and new it wasn't nice even if Esme hadn't thrown her the Mom look.

When Esme's attention was redirected at me, I saw a confused look upon her face. "You heard that?" Esme asked worriedly.

Rosalie suddenly stood up, near me but not intimidating. She looked strangely curious. "You can hear this?" she asked in a very soft whispered voice.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "Well, umm, yeah, sorta," I answered, looking back down to the dog at my feet. The atmosphere in the air instantly changed and I felt Carlisle join us.

I could hear whispered tones, the soft murmur of each voice in a rapid conversation. I couldn't understand it all, but I could hear it and tell who was speaking. I didn't like the feeling that was creeping up in me from listening intently to the soft whisperings. It reminded me too much of keeping my ears open for the sounds of Dad's footsteps when I was a teenager and to stop reading before he caught me again and yelled at me to get my nose out of my books and to go outside like a normal child.

Looking up, I saw the three vampires stop their conversation and look at me. I shook my head. "Continue. I shouldn't be causing this much of a disruption," I said and gently pulled on Ginsie's leash to get her to move again. I moved to head back to my truck. I accomplished what I wanted; to give the Cullens hope. What right did I have to change the story more than that?

I felt Carlisle's hand upon my shoulder as I took a step forward. Turning, I looked up at him easily but confused. "If you would like to stay, we all would welcome some disruption currently," he told me. I bit my lip and looked at the other two, particularly Rosalie. I knew Esme would go along with whatever Carlisle wanted for the most part.

I nodded once to him. Carlisle actually smiled a bit. "Now, tell me, you could hear us just now?" he asked, almost excited. I nodded again.

"Well, sorta. I couldn't make out all the words but I could tell who was talkin' and all that," I answered. Rosalie even looked curious.

"Let me guess, normal humans shouldn't have heard a thing?" I asked.

"No," Carlisle answered.

"Figures," I mumbled mostly to myself.

"Do you mind if I conduct a hearing test? It shouldn't take very long," Carlisle asked. I shrugged and smiled a bit. If I was to serve as a distraction while there was so much doom and gloom going on in the Cullen household, then I'd happily serve as one.

Carlisle started to lead me up to towards the stairway but I held back as best I could. "Miss Ginsie?" I asked in regards to my pup. I wasn't sure if she'd be welcomed upstairs and I wasn't about to let her leave my side. She was the only thing I truly had left.

"She'll be fine," Carlisle stated as he ushered me upstairs along with the pup. His office wasn't big, but it did have tons of bookshelves, each with a glass cover. Everything was either mohaghany or leather. It also all looked antique.

Directing me to one of the plush leather chairs, Carlisle went and got a strange looking machine from one of the cabinets. I looked at the dials and the cords with a great deal of skepticism. The thing didn't look like it had been operational in the past couple of generations despite its shiny surface.

Calmly, Carlisle explained to me what the machine did – it was for the hearing test and it was antique but still worked- and then gave me the headphones. Ginsie, being fearful of the docile vampire, hopped into my lap. I hugged her tight while I listened for each tone.

We sat there for about an hour. I'd raise my hand when I heard something. Each strange little beep or high pitched noise was slightly different. Once the hour was up, Carlisle came over and took the headphones off me. I looked up at him curiously as he looked to be thinking something over.

"How is your vision?" he asked me as he tapped his chin. I shrugged.

"One eye is better than the other but I don't need glasses either," I answered.

"Reflexes?" he asked. I smirked. I knew my reflexes were not normal. I remembered how I gave up and moved my leg one day when a doctor had been hitting my knee fifty or so times to check my reflexes. It was one of the few perks of being massively double jointed.

"Null and void," I smiled. Carlisle raised an eyebrow at me and I sighed. I straightened up and let Miss Ginsie jump down from her spot on my lap. Sighing, I did what I always did; I showed him. I clasped my hands together in front of me and twirled my arms above my head, still clasped, until my joined hands rested at the small of my back. I then did the same thing forwards. Like every human I had ever shown this to, the vampire doctor's eyes went wide with surprise followed by a look of frustration and curiosity.

"All my joints are kind of like that. My shoulders and my knees are the worst," I explained.

Ginsie, who was now at my feet, kept looking worriedly between myself and the doctor. I shrugged at the dog to show her, again, that I wasn't afraid.

"Hmm," Carlisle mused aloud. I looked up at him. "Well, it seems your hearing is a bit above normal but consistent with someone that has a disability," he stated.

"I take it that doesn't include mentally?" I more teased than asked seriously.

"No," Carlisle answered in a similar fashion.

"Huh," I answered. Carlisle gestured for me to join him and head back downstairs. I paused to look at the various antiques, grinning when I saw the cross. Carlisle's face, when he saw what I was looking at was a mix of both humor and sadness.

"It was my father's," he began to explain softly. I nodded.

"I know. Sixteen thirties, right?" I more stated than asked.

He paused and looked at me again. "Like Alice…" he stated to himself. I shook my head.

"I said that's a theory," I happily replied, hopping down the last two stairs. Ginsie quickly followed me.

"Only a theory?" I heard Rose's voice suddenly before me. Oh dear. I don't want to explain this one.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know and I'm sorry. I promise the next chapter will be better. I'm trying to get up to the point of Alice's call and then, after the vampires leave, it will get fun!


	6. Chapter 6

The Stars and The Sun  
**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Elizabeth/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.  
**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?  
**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews! I can't tell you how much they mean to me. I'm actually rather impressed that anyone else likes this. :-) BTW, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. Some of this story might get a bit confusing. I think I've decided on what I want to happen, for the most part. Elizabeth will definitely interfere but only because one split decision she makes will really mess up a part of Eclipse later on.

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Chapter 6

_The smells of apples and fall leaves assailed my nostrils. I felt I was in the world of magic as we walked around the Renaissance festival. It was the first time all of us had managed to get together since Rogue had graduated High School. She was here with us along with Gizelle, Anna, and about five or six others from my junior year. I believed in unicorns and rainbows as I watched Rogue, for the first time in nearly a year, walk towards us in her peasant blouse and flowing skirts. For the first time I ever remember, she looked like she was home.  
-Estelle Fate page 86_

I managed, somehow, to talk myself out of the whole not-quite-like-Alice thing earlier. I still wasn't sure how, but Rose and Carlisle seemed satisfied with the whole just-a-human answer. Still, I was going to have to be extremely careful until I could get my hands on Edward and Bella. I wanted them to read their stories first before I managed to show them mine. I knew if I came out and said I was Elizabeth French, I'd be laughed at and sent to the nearest asylum. But if I showed them their stories, their thoughts, and then said I was Elizabeth French, at least I wouldn't sound completely crazy. Or so I hoped.

I managed to keep those kinds of thoughts – thoughts about how to explain my situation to the Cullen Clan- in the back of my head. The foremost thoughts in my head were in regards to helping Carlisle and Esme call up people. Given that I was human, anything else I could help with would only slow down the process.

It was about one when I noticed the atmosphere changed. Everyone had been going to and fro without much ado. I was fascinated, at first, with seeing the white blurs move in front of me. That lasted about all of fifteen minutes before I got distracted with something else. Still, the idea of such speed was so very cool. Even if I didn't flinch which seemed to upset Emmett a bit. I guess he was expecting me to react like Bella a bit.

I could feel the anxiety in the air when the clock hit one in the afternoon. It took me a moment to realize why; Jasper was waiting for the phone call from Alice. He was probably projecting even if he didn't mean too. I couldn't blame him. Even though I had said that they'd all be coming home, I doubt I'd have much stock in me either…or even believe anyone until my loved ones were safe in front of me.

It hit me then again. I had no idea when –or even if- I'd ever see my loved ones again. My Mom, my brothers, everyone except my pup were somewhere else. I managed to fight back the wave of emotions and put those thoughts to the side for the moment. I'd worry about my own fate when I wasn't around the Cullens anymore. They didn't need their own problems compounded with my own. All I wanted to do here was help them.

Keeping that in mind, I went back to the work Carlisle had given me earlier. I sat at the dining room table with a phone to one side and an address book to the other. Carlisle had marked off all the people I was to call to help make arrangements for a move. The clan had decided that no matter what, they couldn't stay here. Ithaca isn't where Bella was and if all turned badly, then it would only harbor the sadness. They needed to get away from this self imposed purgatory. Or, at least, Edward imposed purgatory.

I went through the list a bit slowly, keeping my ears pealed for any possible phone calls from Alice. Around 2:30, I felt a change in the atmosphere. It went from that annoying waiting anxious feeling to complete nervous anticipation and then to calm in under a minute. I dropped what I was doing and ran up to where I knew Jasper had been pacing only to find everyone but Jasper gathered outside of his room.

Slowly I approached, Esme immediately pulling me to her side with a warm smile upon her face. I could tell by the looks everyone had that it was Alice.

Rose looked nervous, like she was now scared of the ripping she'd get when they all got back. Emmett had his arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. I had heard earlier Emmett making Rosalie promise to apologize to both Edward and Bella when they got back. She had already apologized to Jasper since Alice got involved in this. From what I understood, that didn't go quite as planned but it seemed everything was okay for now.

Carlisle was intently listening on the conversation that I couldn't really hear. I could hear a muffled word here and there, letting me know that Jasper was in there and was talking, but much more than that, I couldn't say. Instead, I tried to read Carlisle's expressions to get a gauge on what was being said. By the look of nervous anger and then relief, I'm guessing Jasper was questioning Alice about their trip into the heart of Volterra.

Esme kept me at her side. It felt almost like being in my own mother's arms except Esme was taller and younger looking. My own Mom was maybe 5' 3" on a good day with shoulder length wavy brown hair and green-gray eyes peering out her thin rimmed glasses. She was maybe all of a size 6 and 115 pounds soaking wet yet she always complained about how she needed to diet and exercise more. She didn't ever seem to gather that, after 50, it was perfectly normal for humans to have a bit of a belly.

Yet, with Esme, I could feel that same concerned love, that worried mothering that I always felt from my mother. She tried so hard to protect me from my father once she figured out that I wasn't exaggerating in regards to his screaming and yelling when it came to me. I still remember when I first left home and then came back how much my brothers were relieved because Dad had gotten on them instead… He got better when I finally left home and he realized that we were children, not sailors…not ensigns that he could order around. Of course, I was 27 by that point.

After about fifteen minutes, everyone started to move downstairs. Esme gently lead me to the living room where all the vampires, minus Jasper, sat and look contemplative. I watched them curiously before Carlisle began to speak.

"Were you able to hear any of that?" Carlisle asked me. I nodded.

"Only bits and pieces but I got the gist of it," I explained. Placing the facial expressions with the few words I did hear and what I already knew from the books gave me a bit more insight than the average human.

"They'll be home tomorrow morning?" Rose asked almost timidly. I shrugged a bit.

"Seattle, but yeah," I answered. Rose nodded knowingly before going back into thought.

It was quite again for a moment. "Were you able to contact the travel agency?" Carlisle asked me. I nodded again.

"I got the plane tickets for y'all and you should be leaving around five tonight," I told him.

"That doesn't give us much time," Esme immediately responded, standing up in the process.

"Rose, go finish helping Jasper pack up Alice's things. Emmett, finish loading the cars," Esme began to issue her orders. Both Rose and Emmett were gone in a flash, listening to their vampire mother.

"Elizabeth, do you mind helping to call a few more people?" Carlisle asked me. Before I had a chance to respond Jasper came down the stairs. He held up a small key ring with a couple of keys dangling from it.

"Alice said to give you this," Jasper said as he slowly approached me. I held out my hand and tried to remember not to feel hurt or too guilty about the fact Jasper wasn't breathing around me as he approached. Taking the keys, I looked at them confused.

Jasper smiled slightly as he backed away a couple of paces. "They are to this house and the house in Washington. She said you'd need them," he informed me. I looked at the small crystal bubble key ring in shock and then remembered, this was Alice, and shook my head.

"Please, give her a hug for me when you see her," I asked of Jasper. He nodded once, smiling, but not talking any longer. I felt Carlisle's hand on my shoulder and turned my head to look at him. All I saw was concern upon his face as he gazed down at me.

"Elizabeth, where do you live?" he asked me. I bit my lip, not sure how to answer that. Looking down, I saw Ginsie finally get up from her mid-afternoon nap only to lay down at my feet.

"Just outside of DC," I said slowly. It was true. I did live just outside of Washington DC…but in 2009. Okay, so in 2006 too but just not in the same place. This whole interdimentional time travel thing was terribly confusing.

"Alice said something about asking you when, not where," Jasper stated, now on the far end of the room. Both Esme and Carlisle looked at him. Esme's face was one of confusion and Carlisle's matched for a moment, only to turn to curiosity. I sighed.

"Yesterday morning, I left my house in Greenbelt to help out up here with an upcoming Renaissance festival on campus," I muttered, not looking at the vampires. I'd tell them at least part of the truth. I wanted to keep the whole interdimentional thing to myself until I could hand the books to Bella and Edward. "By the time I got about an hour or so away, it started raining pretty heavy so I pulled to the side of the road. I closed my eyes for maybe an hour at most and, when I awoke, it was March 19, 2006. I left my house on March 19, 2009," I informed them. The silence that followed this time was disturbing rather than raising my curiosity as to what they were thinking.

"Three years…" Carlisle muttered. I simply nodded.

"Then you know us in the future?" Jasper asked. I bit my lip again.

"Of you is more like it. It's…hard to explain without going into a lot of things that would probably cause a lot more worry than necessary right now," I stated. I hoped that would be the end of it but, of course, Carlisle's curiosity got the best of him.

"Such as?" he asked. I sighed again.

How could I explain that I had, right in my truck, a series of four books all written from Bella's perspective? Or that I had half a book printed out that was from Edward's? Neither would go over well right now and I felt like handing those books over would be violating the trust of two people I haven't even really met yet.

"It's for Bella and Edward to explain when they get back. Or at least part of it," I said.

"Of course," Carlisle said off-handedly as he went deep into thought.

I started to feel self-conscious standing in the room with the three others. Emmett came bounding the stairs behind me. I turned to see him stopped at the bottom of the stairs with three big, heavy looking boxes. He looked around the room at the others. "What?" he asked them in general.

"It appears our Elizabeth does not see the future but, rather, is from the future," Carlisle told him

"Really?" Emmett asked me. I nodded and muttered an "mm hmm".

"Cool! So are there like flying cars and stuff yet?" he asked. Before I could even answer, I heard at least two "Emmett!"s from behind me and stifled a giggle. Rose came down the stairs and hit him over the head before placing another box in his arms.

"Take these to the Jeep and stop being ridiculous," Rose reprimanded him.

"What? I was serious!" Emmett informed them.

Trying hard to laugh, I answered him. "No, Emmett. No flying cars," I told him. Much to his disappointment it seemed. I thought on the events between 2006 and 2009 as Emmett walked at an almost human pace, dejectedly, to the front door. "Actually 2009 is pretty miserable," I told everyone assembled. "Between Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, and in particular the economy, the world really is starting to bottom out."

I turned to Carlisle. "Oh yeah, late summer early fall of 2008? You might want to take all your money out of the stock market. It will totally crash in October…like all the other big crashes," I informed him.

"Another crash?" I heard him say. I only nodded still think. "Yeah, there must be something with years ending in eight. Or major elections. Probably a mixture of the two…" I mused.

"Who wins the election?" Emmett asked.

"Obama," I said off-handedly, still thinking about the economy.

"Obama?" I heard more that one vampire question.

"Umm, yeah. I mean the whole democratic party was pretty split over Clinton or Obama and a lot of people seem to think there was some back party dealin' but Obama beat McCain," I explained, trying very hard not to express my own political views on the subject. I just had to remind myself, every few minutes when I thought about it, that in October of 2009, Obama would be seen for what he really was. Or so I hoped.

"Wow." I heard someone say but I didn't really pay much attention. It wasn't long before I was back at the dining room table calling up people I didn't know. I wasn't sure where Jasper was but I kept seeing Rose and Emmett fly down the stairs and head outside with boxes.

Esme I could hear humming in the other room. Just as I started to look up to give my eyes a break, I saw Carlisle sit down near me. I smiled at him.

"I've gotten through to almost everyone," I informed him.

He nodded but looked to be worried in thought. "If you are from the future, then you have no place to stay? Where did you stay last night?" he asked me. I hung my head and began to pet my pup you put her front paws on my lap.

"In my truck. I had some cash from the ATM but I didn't want to use it for a hotel. When my credit card didn't work and I heard the news at the hotel I was to stay at…I figured it out," I told him truthfully. Of course, that was only part of the puzzle.

I saw a shadow come up next to Carlisle that I recognized immediately as Esme. Slowly, I looked up and saw two worried faces. "Although Alice gave you her keys, we would like to know if you would rather come with us than stay here," Carlisle told me. I blinked at him. I was actually being offered a chance to go with the vampires? I guess the odd paranormal creatures did need to stick together. After all, what else would you call a human that just went through the Twilight Zone to enter…well…the Twilight Zone? Not normal.

I bit my lip again and looked down at Miss Ginsie. "I think…it would be better if I stayed on this coast," I told them.

"If you prefer," Carlisle told me. I slowly looked up.

"We are leaving all the pots and pans. If you need anything at all, just call," Esme told me. "I can't imagine traveling in the past like this." I smiled slightly. The vampires were letting me use their house. Of course, since they weren't using it, I'd sorta be their caretaker, I guess.

"Y'all really don't have to do this. I'll be fine, really. I just wanted to let you know that they would be coming home safely," I informed them.

Esme gently grasped my arm. "Sweetheart, we want to help. You helped us so much these past hours by reassuring us that our children would come home. You don't know how much that means to us both and to our other children," she stated. I smiled at her.

"Let us make sure you are at least comfortable here just as you managed to comfort us," Carlisle informed me. I simply nodded. For now, at least, I had a home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm so so sorry this took forever to get done! I've been actually doing work at work! And I've been sewing like crazy. I'm sure that I'll be sporadic in my updates until the end of August. I'm sorry! I promise, as soon as the vampires leave, Elizabeth will get to play. :-)


	7. Chapter 7

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Elizabeth/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **I'm totally loving the reviews! Please, keep 'em coming. I promise that you'll find out more about the books Elizabeth is in as the story progresses. At least a couple of our favorite Twilight characters are big fans of the books. ;-)

* * *

Chapter 7

"_Do you really want to hear the truth, Estelle?" Rogue asked me, a glint in her eyes I didn't recognize._

"_Of course!" I stated enthusiastically. I always loved hearing Rogue's somewhat unhampered version of events._

"_The truth is that I saw what happened when you moved into the group home. It clearly didn't help you at all," she started off sadly. I could tell she was holding something back but I wasn't sure what._

"_When Anna moved out of her Mom's she clearly wasn't in a right place. I mean, I'm glad she got into Vet school and all but well, have you heard some of the stuff she's been saying?" Rogue asked me. I only nodded. I had heard. But I knew Anna and I knew that what Anna was saying was right for her. It wouldn't work for Rogue, our third of the Elizabeth triangle from High School. She wasn't into the world of ideas, only into the world that she could point to and see as evidence. It always stuck me as funny that she was so religious given her practical point of view._

"_Giselle, well, I haven't heard from her in ages. Have you?" she asked but continued going on as she threw a pebble down from the rock she was perched on._

"_Then there was Sarah. Not your Sara, but the one I think you met at my college graduation?" she asked me, turning to hug her knee._

_I nodded in response. "She was rather large? Had curly blondish hair?" I asked. I was pretty sure that was her. Rogue nodded._

"_She called me up a couple of months ago," she said with a smirk before staring back out into space at something I couldn't see. "She was just released from a mental hospital when she called. She said she had forgotten her own name…" Rogue trailed off. I knew what the mental hospital was like. I had been there a couple of times now. It wasn't so bad but I hadn't been totally there. I at least remembered my name, I think. Well, once the medication was evening out my system…_

"_Then she goes off and decides to be a groupie for a goth rock band!" Rogue stated angrily. I watched as the emotions played across her face. "So you see," she said quietly. "Moving out is really a step backwards to me. Everyone I've ever known who's left home doesn't do well, Estelle. They become something other. I don't want to be anything other than what I am now. I don't want to change. I only want the world around me to change for the better…and that isn't happening either."_

_-Estelle's POV __Kismet__ pg 453_

Watching the vampires pack was the most amusing thing I had ever seen. I saw white blurs carrying various colored blurs into very stationary designer suitcases. I could just make out which blur was Esme and which blur was Jasper. Jasper had actually asked me to come upstairs. Something about my emotions being a bit more stable than everyone elses. I shrugged and followed. It wasn't like I had anyone left to call and it gave me a chance to get to see the rest of where I'd be living for the next few weeks at least.

Esme had done a beautiful job on the house. Silk gauze curtains ordained the windows in the living room but heavier beige silk jacquard curtains made their way into the décor of Esme and Carlise's room. The room was filled with floral prints but not in an overtly feminine look. It vaguely reminded me of something more out of another time than the shabby chic vogue that was probably currently going on.

I sat on the duvet cover, with Ginsie at my side, right next to the suitcases. At first, I didn't want to allow the pup up but it was Esme who picked the pup up and put her next to me. Ginsie made the funniest noise I had ever heard when Esme picked her up. Seeing me laugh made the poor pup very disgruntled. She just kept looking up at me like she was awaiting an order for me to run and was disappointed that I wasn't the least bit scared. The pup was terrified and inched closer to me until she was flush with my thigh every time the vampires through things into the suitcases next to us. I just pet her long white and ginger fur, trying to calm her down.

When Jasper came in, he looked at me and the pup, shook his head, and smiled. "What?" I asked, petting Miss Ginsie as Jasper began to hurriedly throw things into a box. He was done in maybe two seconds.

"She's scared but she's determined to listen to you on this. And you are amused," Jasper told me from across the room, quietly. He was trying not to breathe with me around.

I shrugged and looked at my pup. "She'll be fine. She knows better than to try and go against something I've said," I told him, kissing the pup on the top of the head. She went from watching the vampires, carefully, to looking up at me and wagging her tail a bit. With one breath, she turned again and growled lightly at Esme. "Ginsie!" I admonished the small pup. Jasper smirked and Esme laughed.

"She's just very protective of you, dear," Esme told me kindly before going back to her super quick back and forth with filling up the suitcases.

"If she keeps it up, she'll become my next fur muff," I muttered, teasingly glaring at the pup. Ginsie sighed and put her head back down on her paws. She knew that I'd never hurt her.

Jasper shook his head and picked up the now five boxes he had filled up during the course of a minute. "We've almost filled up the storage. We need to leave soon," Jasper told Esme.

Esme stopped and looked at her son and then to me, sighing. "You won't mind mailing anything we might leave behind, would you?" she asked me.

"Of course not," I told her as Jasper left the room.

"I'm glad that we will have someone here to take care of things," she mused as she pulled out another hat box it looked like.

"Your garden will be here when you come back," I promised. Esme turned and smiled at me.

"We'll probably be back in a week or two to pick up the cars," she told me. I remembered in the book that Alice had driven the Mercedes down from Alaska. Turns out, she drove the Volvo to Alaska with Jasper. Esme wanted to wait until Carlisle had his vacation time from the hospital approved. Rosalie and Emmett were to join Alice and Jasper in Alaska but Jasper had called and told them to stay in New York when they landed on their way in from somewhere in Europe. Jasper then flew home to tell everyone about Alice's vision while Alice went to confirm what she had seen in her visions. So, rather than the Mercedes, it was the Volvo that Bella had seen. And now, nearly all the cars were here.

"I'll keep an eye on them," I told her. I'd probably just keep the garage locked up and make sure no one could get in there. I certainly wasn't about to drive them; no matter how much I seriously wanted to re-enact several scenes from the James Bond movies with Edward's Vanquish. That really would be just too awesome. However, one totally fictional universe at a time was enough for me. Even if it wasn't real and I was crazy now…at least I was a happy crazy! Well, sorta.

"If you need anything, please call us. I simply can't imagine being thrust into the past like this," Esme said worriedly. Looking at the worry-lines on her forehead, she reminded me of my own mother. I looked down, remember the five foot two woman who finally got my Dad to calm down enough and learn that he had a daughter and sons, not military recruits. I wonder if she was worried at all or if I'd just end up where I left off and no one would know…or if this was just some psychosis and she was really here, holding my hand like I had to do with Estelle all those years ago.

Esme gently lifted my chin with her finger. "Please, if you need anything," she said again. I nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. I promise," I whispered back, fighting, rather successfully, the tears that were threatening to form.

She smiled at me and then looked towards the door before looking back at me. "You'll come down and see us off, won't you?" she asked somewhat sadly.

"Of course," I told her, quickly hopping off the bed. Ginsie watched me curiously. She wouldn't move until I'd taken a few more steps away and she was sure I was leaving the room.

"All the linens are in the hall closet. You are free to use any of the rooms in the house," Esme said as we carried the suitcases downstairs. I had one medium bag. Esme, who looked like a scarecrow compared to me, had the other four large bags. Ginsie was hopping down the stairs behind us.

I swear I heard Rose say something but I pointedly ignored it. "All the keys to the house, garage, shed, and the cars are in the first drawer to your right as you walk into the kitchen," Esme continued. I nodded, remembering. I had seen Emmett throw them all in there…and then have him explain that the Jeep was great for off-roading while I was on the phone. It was an amusing conversation.

Carlisle and Jasper came to take the bags away from Esme and myself when we got down the stairs. It was almost Twilight by the looks of the sky outside. I loved the sunsets in the Spring and Fall. The colors were always amazing to me.

"I assume Esme has told you where everything is?" Carlisle asked, putting an arm around his wife the second he got back. I nodded.

"If you have any questions or problems, please call us," he told me. I smiled since Esme had just said the same thing when we were upstairs.

"I promise," I repeated. Esme gave me a hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. Ginsie made some sort of little noise that I couldn't quite identify but it wasn't a growl this time, thank goodness!

"Go to them," I whispered back.

Rosalie stayed next to Emmett, looking rather sad still but she managed to look up at me, curiously. "Don't mess with my car," she muttered. I crossed my heart and smiled innocently. Esme and Carlisle both gave her the parental glare.

Emmett just shook his head and held out his fist which I happily bumped against my own. His fist was huge compared to my own. "See you later, Miss Lizzie!" Emmett teased. I rolled my eyes.

"Bye, Emmett," I told him as both he and Rose left. Jasper just shook his head, half smiling, clearly excited about getting to see his wife soon. He shook my hand but still wasn't breathing before he left.

"Bye, Jasper," I said to him as he went through the front door.

"Our flight information is on the kitchen table," Carlisle told me. I nodded.

"Stay safe," He said before grasping my shoulder in a light squeeze. I smiled a bit. Esme hugged me again before all the vampires left the home in Ithaca and went to the airport. As I watched the Mercedes and the Jeep leave, I felt my feelings of loneliness slowly bubble to the surface. I kept them at bay by looking at my pup.

"So Miss Ginsie," I began. The pup cocked her head at me. "What do you think we should do first?" I asked. Ginsie only answered with a tail wag. I sighed and looked back out the front window.

"I suppose we should unpack the truck if we are staying here for any length of time," I admitted. And then I looked down at my clothing and remembered all the stuff I had in the truck. "And it would be a nice way to start the evening with a shower or a bath," I mumbled to myself.

Looking back down to the dog, I held up my index finger to her. "Stay here," I ordered before going outside to grab the purple body bag like duffle bag from LL Bean. The evening air was cold enough I couldn't stay outside long. I could see the snow start to fall and land in my hair. My breath was plain in front of my face as I breathed out. Shivering, I quickly grabbed the purple duffle bag and ran into the house again.

Ginsie looked at me as I wrapped my arms around myself the second I got back inside and threw the bag down. I was sure my fingernails were already purple due to the cold. I went over to the under-used, if ever used, fireplace and looked to see if I could start a fire in it. It looked clean and the flue seemed to work when I turned the knob. It was just so cold even though the heat was on in the house. The lack of sunlight made the air feel even colder now.

I looked out back and saw a small pile of wood, probably either for aesthetics or because it was some punishment that Esme devised for Emmett…or some game. At any rate, there was firewood. I grabbed my coat to go outside this time and brought five pieces back in, snow covering me in the short minute I had been outside. If this cold keeps up, I might have to find an axe and cut down a tree or two myself. I hope Esme wouldn't mind.

Ginsie watched me in curiosity as I quickly built a fire. The flame was small once I got it started on some old newspaper –March 5th, I checked- but it was warm. I put my hands as close as I could get to try and warm them up. It didn't work well.

Sighing, I closed the screen so that the fire danger would be a lot less while I went upstairs to start my bath. If I couldn't get warm air, I could get warm water.

I went up to Edward's bathroom, figuring it was the least used in the house. Not that the vampires needed anything more than a shower and a sink but still, it I preferred the bathroom up there since it had a skylight. I wanted to watch the snow if I could.

As I watched the water steaming as it filled the tub, I though back on the past forty eight hours. Unpredictable, insanity, wild, amazing, miraculous, were all words I could use to describe my current situation. However, no matter what had happened, I had to think of what will happen soon. I needed money. I needed a job. I needed food. All those things went together. But for now, I'd just be able to soak in a tub and then go back downstairs, drink hot tea, and sit in front of a fire in this gorgeous home.

I stayed in the tub, watching the snow fall out the window – which was thankfully to the back so it faced the woods and not any peeping toms- until the water got cool. I put on my pj's and wrapped up in my pink fleece robe that had blue stars on it. I had made the robe myself after find most simply not to my liking.

Ginsie prattled behind me. I loved hearing the familiar sounds of her tags banging against each other on her collar when nothing else was really familiar. It kept me grounded in this fictional world.

By the time I got back downstairs, the fire was going steady. It wasn't a big flame but it was warm and I loved the smell. I went to the kitchen to get a mug of hot tea when I saw an envelope on the kitchen counter addressed to me. Curiously, I opened it to find a credit card and a lot of money wrapped in a simple letter. Part of me was shocked but another part of me figured this was just like Carlisle or Esme.

I looked over the letter to figure out which one had done this.

_Dear Elizabeth,_

_I regret leaving in such haste but please know that we would have gladly had you come with us. I took the liberty of retrieving a few of your things earlier from your truck. My apologies. In doing so, I noticed the phones that you had in there, both of which were not working. One phone is one that I do not believe will even be available until next year. Given your story and the evidence of such that I have seen with my own eyes, including a newspaper article dated from 2009, I doubt that any of your own credit cards work or that you will have enough cash for very long. Please, accept this so that both Esme and myself will know that you are comfortable here. If you are in need of anything more, simply let us know. I understand the pains of starting a new life when one is thrust on you, please allow us to help._

_Cordially,_

_Carlisle_

I carefully wrapped up the credit card and the cash back into the letter and placed them delicately back on the counter. I hated using either since it wasn't something I could really repay. I had enough cash for now. I'd get a job or offer my computer expertise in the morning. As long as I had the house –one that I fully intended to keep as clean and neat as Esme currently had it- I'd be fine. I'd just hand the credit card back in a couple of weeks when which ever vampires came back for the cars came. Until then, I'd just leave it…and probably go to a pawn shop in the morning to get rid of some jewelry in exchange for cash in the morning as well.

In the morning, I'd have to start my new life. This one that had been thrust at me as Carlisle put it. I wasn't sure how I felt about it but I did know I felt free. For the first time in my life, I felt free.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I was going to jump into the future a bit but I figured I'd at least let everyone see what happens as the vampires leave. :-) I'm thinking maybe a chapter or two until the first major incident. Then from there, Elizabeth's new life will really become a whirlwind.


	8. Chapter 8

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really.

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **I am totally loving the reviews! Please, feel free to ask questions. I don't want to give too much away (I actually do have a plan for this story) but I will try to answer as best I can. I hope I get Elizabeth's confusion and conflicting emotions over in this chapter. She'll come to terms with everything pretty quickly but for now, she's struggling with a lot.

Also, I re-wrote this four times. I had five pages down when I decided I didn't like it and wrote an entirely different chapter. Five pages into that one, I decided the first one wasn't that bad but I liked a lot in the second one too. Eventually, I combined the two which is why you have a very long chapter this time. Sorry!

* * *

Chapter 8

"_Hi Liz and Liz!" I greeted Trekkie Liz and Rogue when I walked into the formally forbidden auxiliary computer room at our school. Both girls turned to look at me._

"_Hi, Estelle," Trekkie said before smiling and getting back to her work. Rogue blinked and looked slightly confused._

"_Hi. What are you doing here? I thought you were still sick…" Rogue stated. I wasn't too sick anymore. I had been allowed back at school now for the Spring Semester. It was Rogue's senior year. _

"_I'm coming back. I really want to try and get through the year and go back to band," I told her. Rogue nodded and then smiled._

"_I'm glad you're back. But don't let the teachers or librarians catch you in here," Rogue said with a whisper. "This is now the internet help desk room and well, Trekkie, Joxer, Will and I are the help desk kids. I mean, I guess you could sign up too…"_

_I quickly shook my head which made me a lot more dizzy than it should of. The dull ache in my ear returned but only for a second. "No, don't worry. I'll see you after school?" I told her. Rogue and Trekkie both nodded. _

"_Don't let them catch you, Estelle!" Rogue said with a laugh. As I left to go find Anna next on my list, I swore I saw a gleam in Rogue's eye that showed a hint of the dangerous side I knew existed in her. She didn't care if she got caught but it would be a bad thing to take anyone else down with her._

_-Estelle's POV __Destiny__ pg 488_

I awoke with a start on Tuesday. I had forgotten to set the alarm clock the night before and didn't know what time it was. I was supposed to go to work today or was I supposed to help Jackie? My brain finally caught up with me when I saw beige curtains and a beige bedspread rather than the purple one I had on my bed…or the Havasu blue walls that typically greeted me. I was still in the past, still in the Twilight universe.

There was no FBI that I had to go to or Jackie that was expecting me. They both might still exist –the FBI definitely still existed- but neither knew of me. I was fiction here and vampires were the reality. Well, that and werewolves. Heck, maybe they were the reality in my strange world too but I didn't recall coming across any.

I pulled myself from the crisp cotton sheets and managed to get up. I pet Miss Ginsie who happily wagged her tail as the world became more in focus. A part of me wondered how long it would take before I accepted where I was. Would I be like the guy in Groundhog's Day? Waking up every morning, hoping, praying something would be different, that I wasn't repeating the past?

My situation was different though. Not only was I in the past –I've already had one March 2006- but I was in a different universe. Or so my head told me but I wasn't sure I believed that. Some small part of me believed that I had finally just gone to the crazy side like so many of my friends and loved ones before me. If this was going crazy, it wasn't half bad actually.

When I managed to get dressed and make my way down the stairs, I finally got to look out the front windows to see a fresh layer of snow on the ground. It wasn't much, just an inch or two but I loved the look of freshly fallen snow. The white covered the trees and the meadow like lawn of the Cullen home, causing the world around the house to be just dabs of color under the blanket of white. It looked beautiful.

I felt rather bad when, a couple of hours after waking up, I trudged through the snow in my black hiking boots to get to the truck. It felt like a sin to destroy something so perfect by just walking through it. But, I knew what I had to do today and that was to get to the pawn shop, get rid of some of my jewelry, and then get food. Unfortunately, the Cullens only had a few apples and the hot tea I've been drinking down like crazy. Not exactly enough to keep me fed for any length of time.

I took Miss Ginsie with me on my errands. I got a few hundred for the gold jewelry I decided to pawn. I was amazed that I actually found and brought with me my bracelet that an ex-boyfriend bought for me years ago. I quickly decided that needed to be pawned. Even though it was a diamond tennis bracelet, I only got a $150 for it. Still, combined with the rest of the gold, it was enough. I didn't get rid of anything I couldn't live without although the pawn shop owner inquired about my grandmother's ring on my right hand. There was no way on God's green earth I would ever part with that. Ever.

I left there, went to the store, paid with my newly found cash, and found a community bulletin board. I decided to put up an ad for my computer services –since without a valid social no real business would probably hire me- tomorrow…once I created an ad to put up there.

Five grocery bags and a couple of bottles of sparkling apple juice later, I came back to the Cullens home to put all the various items away. My first day of my new life consisted, so far, of errands. So much for trying something different.

The rest of the day went on normally. I sat around, skimmed through a couple of books, watched TV, and really managed to contemplate what the HECK I was going to do. I half felt like I'd still wake up from this but I wasn't sure if I wanted to. Did I really want to go back to 2009 and live in my tiny townhouse with my tiny yard? Did I want to deal with all the issues I had in 2009? Or did I want to stay here where those issues just didn't exist?

I had nothing. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. Having nothing meant no bills, no one dependent upon me, upon my work, no access to money…no family. The last thing was what got me. I could do anything, be anything here but…was it worth it when no one knew who I was? If they suspected who I was, they'd think I was crazy. I'd be locked up and studied. Assuming this wasn't a dream and I wasn't already crazy. After all, how many people can say they've gotten to meet their actual favorite fictional characters?

Yeap, crazy. That's what I had to be. After all, how many people did I know that ended up in the shrink's office? Too many. Way too many. It was just a matter of time before I went off to la la land too. At least it's a good ride.

On Wednesday, I decided to create an ad for the community bulletin board I saw at the grocery store. When I turned on the computer to make the ad, my automatic reaction to check my gmail account was a shock to my system. I didn't have a gmail account anymore. In fact, I didn't have any of my five or six email accounts anymore. I sat there for a few minutes and looked at the browser window. I didn't exist so my blog didn't exist, my email didn't exist, my friends didn't exist, nothing existed. Well, not really. I was a fictional character. Thinking on that, I wondered what was out there on me. I decided to let my curiosity take over today.

I typed in my name to see what would pop up. It was terrifying and amusing at the same time. I don't think I could describe all the emotions that were in me at seeing wiki pages all about me. All the important details of my life splayed out in a matter of a few paragraphs was horrifying and yet gratifying. To have a wiki page about me, Elizabeth French, meant that people actually had some curiosity about me, that at least some group of people knew my name.

Based on the message board comments about me on the Destiny fan webpage…a few people didn't like me but a lot of people did. I read each one over carefully. Comments like "I can't believe how Ms. Rodgers has turned Elizabeth in such a crass person! How could Elizabeth come out and say things like 'Who cares, Estelle?' when Estelle was trying to unload all those issues she had been dealing with for the past three years to her? What happened to the Elizabeth that use to actually help Estelle work through her problems?" made me finally push myself from the computer and shake my head. This was getting to be too much. I remember that conversation. I'd have to read the book but I knew Estelle was making a far bigger deal of things that was necessary at the time. Estelle's version of events –from the time she left the mental hospital, on- were vastly different from reality.

I looked around me at that thought. Vastly different from reality was pretty much where I was living right now. A part of me knew I should be breaking down and crying right now but, instead, I felt a smile tug at the corners of my lips. It was like when the doctors told me over ten years ago that they couldn't tell if the tumors were cancerous or not in my throat, but they'd have to take most of the thyroid out; I wanted to smile rather than cry and be upset that I might have cancer. The reason was simple; finally, there was a plan. If I had cancer at the time, they had a plan of action. If it wasn't, there was a plan of action for that too. There wasn't going to be any of this nonsense of going back and forth, conduct test after test for months at a time only to find nothing or something that was simple and easy to fix after months of torture and waiting. There was no waiting and that made me happy.

Here, I was no longer waiting either. There was no longer waiting for the next pay check to pay the bills. There was no waiting to get to work or waiting on someone else so I could go to the next event or movie or do anything. There was me and Miss Ginsie. No more waiting unless I wanted it.

Getting back on the computer, I tried to think up an email address. All the ones I normally had like "RogueMarie" and "LizKateFrench" were taken. I half wanted to email those people and yell at them for daring to take my name and pretend that they were me but they'd just think I was crazy. So, I thought about what I really wanted my new email to be and giggled. "twilightgirl" sounded very teenager-y but it's not like anyone in this universe would get the joke. I typed that in as my new name, my new life, and grinned.

It was all of an hour, right after I finished adding my email address to make a new cute little poster for the community bulletin board, that I got my first real email. I hadn't even gotten a chance to sign up for anything else –like my own webpage- so I was surprised to see anything more than the generic welcome email in the inbox.

Dear Elizabeth,

I'm not sure why the email is so funny. You'll have to explain that to me later. Jasper and Emmett will be heading down next weekend, I think. There is a twenty percent chance it will be the weekend after but they'll be there soon. I'm trying to convince Carlisle to let me go as well and just fly back. I really want to meet you in person. Thank you for staying with my family when I couldn't. You helped them a lot more than you know, especially Jasper. Thank you.

Love,

Alice

My heart immediately warmed at reading Alice's email. It might have been short but it was an email from Alice Cullen. I tried hard not to squeal like my inner thirteen year old wanted to and behave, at least some what, like the adult I'm told I was. I thought on her email and figured that my confidence in my knowledge helped the emotional turmoil that Jasper had to have been going through. Since I was calm, he managed to stay calm. Well, calmish. I don't think I was ever really calm. Overly excited squealing school girl trapped inside a crazy woman who was desperately trying to make sense of her surroundings was a heck of a lot more like it. Calm was just the face I tried to portray.

After thinking it over, and keeping the inner squealing school girl in check, I managed to draft up a reply to Alice.

Hi Alice!

I can't wait until you all come back. Either weekend, of course, is fine. I'll be here, I think. You have my phone, right?

Love,

Elizabeth

I hit send and went to grab my coat and strawberry scarf so I could go out to the store again. I wanted to put up the new bulletin up at the grocery store so I could attempt to make some money on my own. When Ginsie and I got home, I had another email from Alice.

Dear Elizabeth,

Yes, I have your phone. I would call but I think emailing is better for sending pictures. Can you send me one of you and one of Miss Ginsie too? I want them for a project of mine.

Love,

Alice

Pictures seemed innocent enough. I got out my turquoise blue digital camera and snapped a couple of me and a couple of the pup…in her garb. I couldn't help myself and dressed the poor puppy up in one of her capes. She just kept coming closer to me and wagging her tail, clearly not getting the idea of a photo. After sending the pictures I liked to Alice, I fixed dinner and went to bed. As I dosed off, I remembered I hadn't really taken a full tour of the house yet.

Thursday started with me exploring. I went and opened Emmett's and Rosalie's room only to find it looking like some sort of rather typical designer bedroom. It could have been off the cover of Good Housekeeping by the looks of the interior. It was pretty but not much personality. It just didn't seem like Rose and Emmett's room. Maybe it was because they were away most of the time the Cullens were living here? I didn't know.

I had seen Edward's room. It had the feeling of a cold cell and, although the bathroom was nice, I didn't want to step foot in his room again unless I needed something out of it. Carlisle's study was pretty lacking too. Very picturesque but nothing that said much of the owner. Jasper and Alice's room was the only one that had anything that remotely suggested that this house was more than just a model home; their walls were the exact same color as mine were for most of my life in Maryland. It was a color turquoise that I loved when I was in High School and kept until I moved out of my parents' house. I guess it was just girlish enough for Alice and, being blue, it was an acceptable color for Jasper.

Friday was the first of a long line of rather amusing phone calls. The phone rang through out the home while I was lying on the floor, Ginsie at my side, reading over the first book in _my_ saga. It was really, truly, weird. It was also extremely hard to get through since it was all from Estelle's point of view and it was hard to read through some of the stuff I knew she had been through.

I hopped up and went over to the phone, trying to decide on whether to answer it or not. I hadn't given this number out on the bulletin so I knew it wasn't about the computer help. The caller ID read _unavailable_ which meant it could be any number of people or those stupid robotic calls. I thought I had managed to call everyone to tell them that the Cullens had to relocate immediately due to a family crisis –which was true- but I might have missed one or two.

"Hello?" I said into the receiver. I was answered with a loud, high pitched squeal.

"Oh! I'm so glad you answered! You were really messing up the future there for a bit," I heard the voice say. Although I had never, ever, heard it before in my life, I knew exactly who it was. I smiled broadly.

"I'm terribly sorry about that, Alice. I promise not to fog the future up to badly next time," I stated. I heard her giggle on the other side of the line and it really did sound like bells. It was a sound that belonged to the world of make believe and not of my reality. I was glad to hear it, though.

"You better not. You aren't exactly the easiest to see to begin with," Alice complained. I think I heard someone in the background mutter an "Alice!" but I wasn't sure who. I just laughed in response.

"I'll work on that," I stated lightly.

"Why aren't you using the money Carlisle and Esme left for you?" she suddenly asked. I was a bit shocked but tried to keep in mind this was Alice. From what I knew through the books, Alice was nothing if not direct in her questioning.

"They've already given me so much. It just doesn't feel right," I tried to explain.

"So?" she asked.

I sighed. Based on her questions and the time difference between New York and Washington State, I could guess Carlisle was not home. I doubted Esme was either. After all, would she let them know, right in front of them, like this? Also, I swore I heard the sounds of an oven beeping the background which meant that Alice was home and in the kitchen. If they were cooking something, it must before Bella. Hopefully.

"Carlisle's at work and Esme's on an errand, aren't they?" I asked. That stopped her.

"How did you..nevermind. You didn't answer my question," she stated. I think I heard a couple of people laughing in the background.

"So I take it you didn't talk to them about this yet?" I asked for clarification. I could practically feel Alice's eyes narrowing as she spoke next. I picked up a picture of the entire family from one of the many end tables Esme had about. They look almost nothing like the actors in the movie. The real Cullens are far more beautiful.

"You are avoiding the question, Elizabeth," Alice muttered.

"So are you, Mary Alice," I informed her.

I heard a couple of voices in the background – one of which I think was Jasper but I wasn't sure- talking to Alice. I could just make out Alice saying "if you think it's so funny, why don't you talk to her?". I could just picture Alice sticking out her tongue as she said it. I then heard a different voice say "Alice, no I…" before becoming a lot clearer.

"Ummm, Alice?" I asked over the phone.

"No," the voice answered smoothly. The very sound of smooth velvet with the latent hint of a turn of the century Chicago accent that I recognized from my Granddad's old Victorola record collection could only belong to one person. And that made my heart stop. Thank God he couldn't hear my thoughts over the phone or else I'd be in huge trouble.

"Hello, Edward," I managed to say. I actually spoke to Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. Yeap, crazy.

"Hello, Elizabeth. Please excuse me while I go to tear a limb or two off of my _little_ sister," he said with a great deal of annoyance. I knew he was just being facetious though.

"You don't want to do that. It will only cause a mess and do you really want to have to put Alice back together again?" I stated quickly. I could hear Jasper laughing in the background. At least I think it was Jasper.

"Not particularly," Edward admitted.

"Good, no tearing apart Alice. Besides, I'm pretty sure she'd find a way to make you really regret it," I told him.

"Unfortunately, quite true," he stated. I heard him say "Ow" followed by some "Alice!" and a slight scuffle.

"Uh, Edward? Alice?" I called through the phone. There was nothing but the sounds of a scuffle for a couple of seconds.

"That's enough!" I heard Alice say in the background before picking the phone back up. "Now, why aren't you using the money?" she asked again.

"I take it Jasper hasn't killed Edward? I think Bella might be upset about that if he has. Not to mention you won't get your yellow Porsche," I mentioned to her.

Alice was quiet for a second. Actually, the entire other side of the line was quiet for a second which was terribly unnerving. Just as I was about to call out their names, again, Alice answered.

"No, Edward and Jasper are fine," she said quietly. I was worried about using the word "killed" in reference to Edward and realized what a mistake that was. Just as I was about to apologize, Alice spoke again.

"No, that's not the problem," Alice said suddenly. "It's that you are human and yet you know a lot more than you should," she told me.

The reference immediately brought to mind the Volturi. Here I was, a human, knowing more than she should. I was wondering about asking her in regards to them –a sour subject right now, I'm sure – or making light of it without giving too much away. I choose the latter.

"I'm a temporally displaced human that knows exactly what she should," I augmented. Again, nothing for a second. Luckily, this time, it was only for a second. Laughter quickly followed.

"And one that is very good at avoiding questions too!" Alice chimed.

I sighed. "Because I already told you, it doesn't feel right," I informed her.

"Stubborn," Alice muttered.

"Of course! I was born on the most stubborn day in the most stubborn sign during the most stubborn year," I teased. It was true. Well, sort of. I was born under the bull-headed sign in the year of the horse. It was hard to have the stars more against you then I had them when it came to being stubborn.

"Oh! That means your birthday is coming up and you can just say the money Carlisle left is for your present!" Alice informed me happily.

"Alice," I groaned. "My birthday isn't for a good month and, given that I'm temporally displaced, I'm not even sure how old I am," I told her.

"So?" she asked again. I answered with a groan.

"Hmmm," Alice muttered. I could almost see her looking through the future. "I think you will be coming our way around the time of your birthday but I can't really see yet," she said. My ears perked up at that. Ginsie noticed my sudden change in mood too and cocked her head to look at me. I pet the pup's head to let her know everything was alright.

"So I'm…staying here? I'm not going back?" I asked. My voice sounded sad even to my own ears.

"I don't think so, no. It looks like you'll be here but your future is very muddled. Sorry," Alice told me sadly.

I sighed. I sort of figured as much. So I was stuck in my little dream world or this alternate reality or whatever this was. Whatever it was, it wasn't 2009 and it wasn't my reality. According to Alice, I was staying. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about that. Free, yes, but at what cost?

"Ugh! You are so hard to see!" Alice grumbled. A giggle escaped my lips.

"Would it be easier if ya came back to east and actually met me properly to see my future?" I asked her.

"Yes, probably," Alice said frustratedly. "Maybe I'll come back with Jasper and Emmett to pick up the cars next week," she began to muse. I felt a smile growing on my face. I would get to meet Alice Cullen in person! "Of course, I probably shouldn't miss school…" I think I heard Edward mumble something in the background.

"I heard that, Edward," I teased easily now. I really hoped Alice would come with the boys. I'd love to have all the Cullens plus Bella here but I knew I had to go there to really meet up with everyone…and hand over the books to Bella and Edward. That will be…interesting.

It was right about then that my other phone rang. I sighed and managed to drag it out of my jeans pocket. Before I could say anything to Alice, she spoke.

"You'll probably want to get that," she told me.

"Sorry," I muttered as the phone rang again. "I'll talk to you again later?" I more asked then stated.

"Yeap! Don't worry, we'll call you or you can call us," Alice said in a chirpy voice before hanging up. With one hand, I hung up the receiver on the Cullens phone and pressed the button to answer my phone with the other.

Turns out, the phone call to my phone was my first phone call asking for computer help to come in. I spent most of the rest of the day helping a group of little old ladies set up their new router and make sure all their computers were connected to the network. Once I was sure they could all at least open a browser window and check on email from their grandkids, I left. They offered me all sorts of food and things like that as I was leaving. They were really a sweet group of ladies and probably about as old as Emmett and Rosalie.

Saturday was much of the same. I was surprised how well the whole bulletin board concept worked. Granted, it was all older people calling to ask for help but that was fine by me. I was getting cash so I could, at least in some way, pay back the Cullens for their help. I'd send maybe a couple hundred back with Jasper or Emmett to give to Carlisle for the electric and water bills. That should help.

Sunday started with church. I was still going for my need of some normalcy and a familiar patterns given that I was, admittedly, disoriented by being here. To me, nothing was more familiar than the sounds of church on a Sunday morning. Mass was pretty quick and I felt better simply knowing that there was something routine, normal, in this world that I could hold on to. The fact I was still waking up in the Twilight verse was slowly sinking in and I was starting to find it hard to ignore that I might not ever get "home". This wasn't a dream.

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. I got a couple of more phone calls, including one from Esme and Carlisle. That had been interesting. They were just checking up on the temporally displaced human. For the most part though, I sat around and…waited. I hadn't the slightest idea of what I waiting for and it frustrated me to no end. I didn't have to wait anymore. There was nothing to wait for but yet here I was doing…nothing. I sat around, read books, watched TV, played Civ 4 on the computer but it was like I had put myself on my own personal house arrest and I didn't know why. Was I simply a creature of habit or was there something more to this that I just couldn't see?

By the time Friday rolled around, I was undergoing a serious case of cabin fever. I decided that, sometime soon, probably after the Cullens came and picked up the cars, I had to go to New York City. It wasn't a matter of anything more than getting out of the house for a couple of days, enjoying being a tourist, and shopping with what little money I had. I could probably board Ginsie for a night or two at the vets office. I didn't want to chance taking her into the city with me since I doubt she'd be allowed in most of the places I wanted to go.

I tried to think back and realized the last time I was in New York City was November 2006. Kit and I had started a tradition in 2001 to go to New York City for Christmas shopping. After the 9/11 attacks, the city was hurting not only emotionally –as we all were- but financially. We decided to do our part and check out the shopping as well as visit the site. It was surreal to say the least.

Bowing my head in thought over that awful day, I could just make out the sounds of a car coming up the road. For some reason, I thought to get up and check it out although they were probably just going to the falls since that was just a mile down the road or so. I looked down at Ginsie as I started to head to the front of the house and smiled. "Ya wanna go out, girl?" I asked. I didn't really wait for any sort of response and opened the door.

It was warm out today. Unlike the cool and snowy days we had when I first got here two weeks ago, it was now maybe in the high 60, low 70s. I tried to think of what day it was –beyond Friday- and realized exactly what day it was when the big red jeep pulled up near the garage. It was April 1st and Emmett was here in Ithaca NY. Never before was I scared of this day but right now, I was really really worried.

Ginsie growled and barked at the vampires –Jasper and Emmett- as they got out of the jeep. I didn't even get a chance to yell at the pup when I suddenly felt two small cool arms encircle my waist and saw a mass of black spiky hair when I looked down. I smiled and all the fear of Emmett and April Fools day faded. "Hello to ya too, Alice," I said as I hugged her back. Not exactly your typical greeting between two people who had only a few emails between each other and a phone call or two but it worked. I knew Alice from the books and Alice knew me from her visions. It didn't matter that this was the first time we've met.

* * *

**Author's Note:** And the Cullens are back…sort of. Next chapter will be them and then maybe, finally, I'll get to that chapter I've been talking about that will change things drastically. I have no idea right now. I'll warn you in the AN when that chapter finally appears.

I also hope this chapter made sense. I re-read over it a couple of times and it made sense to me but that doesn't mean much. So if you see anything, please tell me.


	9. Chapter 9

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really. She wanted there to be at least one good dog in the story other than Seth. ;-)

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **I'm rather amazed that people actually like this story. Really, I am. The reviews really, truly, help me and are getting me to write much more quickly. I'm really loving each and every review. Please, feel free to ask questions because I will answer them. :-) I should warn everyone about this chapter…it's very fluffy sorta and the whole girly "OMG! Squee!" side of Elizabeth comes out a bit. I think we need some silliness before the next couple of chapters. Oh! And it's long. I can do short chapters, honest! I hope y'all like it.

* * *

Chapter 9

_I was shopping with Rogue at Tysons for a couple of hours when she went from the florally soft dresses at April Cornell to the leather jacket store next door. For some reason, I didn't see our nearly goth Gibson girl as someone who went for leather. I held up a jacket after a couple of minutes of looking around._

"_Do you like this stuff?" I asked curiously. She stopped dead and looked at me with an eyebrow raised._

"_Would I be here if I didn't?" she asked incredulously before checking the tag on a jacket that looked more like something for a biker than our romantic girl._

"_No," I smiled. "I guess not."_

_-Estelle __Fate_

There was something about Alice Cullen that was infectious. Her bubbly personality matched so beautifully with her pixie like appearance that it made everything about her just adorable. The fact I got to sit in the same room with her along with her husband and her brother, all members of my favorite fictional vampire family/coven made a part of me go all giggly. I was trying hard to suffocate that part of me since I didn't want Jasper to feel it –not that it would help much at this point- but I also knew I needed to keep what little bit of my sanity I had left with me.

If I wasn't crazy, if this was real, then I needed to get some fairly serious answers and analyze this situation down to its very core. Acting like a 13 year old on a dream date with her favorite actor wasn't going to help the situation. If I was crazy, then acting sane for a bit wouldn't exactly hurt either. It might even help me regain my sanity and find myself in a nice padded room with a straight jacket. I'm really hoping for the former but preparing for the latter. Either way, being giddy wasn't a good idea so I thought about things to keep me calm like snow castles and the transformation of women's dress in the 19th century. Things that wouldn't make me giddy but would keep me pleasantly happy and thoughtful.

"Oh! And I know Esme won't mind if you change some things. Maybe we should go shopping tomorrow," Alice told me. She had been talking, almost non-stop for the past five minutes since the vampires came back. I laughed at her suggestion.

"Shopping? With Alice Cullen? How ever will I survive?," I teased, looking down at my pup. Ginsie had become my constant protector. She was currently lying on the floor at my feet while I sat in one of the oversized chairs in the living room. I turned my thoughts to her, hoping that the giddiness I felt building inside me would go away, soon. Maybe Jasper was playing with me and doing this to me on purpose? I doubt it though. Every fiber of my being wanted to jump up and hug the vampires, tell them all my little secrets, and ask them a thousand questions…but I couldn't. I needed to get the books to Edward and Bella first. To just come out and say "Hey! Y'all are in my favorite book series and did you know that there is a war between the Twilight Fans and the Harry Potter Fans and that there are countless sites on the web about y'all? Oh, you didn't know you were fiction? That's okay because I'm fiction here!" would get me labeled crazy and sent to the nearest asylum as quickly as possible.

Even if I managed to get Alice, Jasper, and Emmett to read the books, that too felt wrong. They were Edward's and Bella's private thoughts. If a chapter or two were written from any of the three vampires before me's points of view, I'd consider it but to have them read into their sister or brother's head was like letting someone read their brother or sister's diary. It wasn't right. Until I could give the books to the people they sort of rightfully belonged to, I had to keep as much as I could under wraps and keep my giddiness at bay. Once Edward and Bella knew though, all Hell would break loose and I will so be demanding to know if Carlisle ever wore bits of lace and silk brocades while drooling over Esme's jewelry collection and bug Jasper about random facts from the Civil War. Okay, so I probably could do most of that now without any of the vampires batting an eyelash but it was the principal of the matter. Edward and Bella first and then everyone else.

Alice looked at the pup and then to me with a roll of her eyes. "We'll only go to a few stores. You need to get some shoes and you'll need some more clothes soon," she told me. I smiled timidly. It wasn't that I was scared of shopping with Alice, just the opposite. My more fantastiful daydreams included Alice and shopping. I just don't think she could handle all my rather sarcastic comments about the fashions of 2006. I mean, really, even in 2009, do designers even have any new ideas? I swear I saw a suit that my grandmother would have worn in the 1960's on sale at the mall before I came here. And the whole footless tights? So middle school to me.

"Yeah, I know," I muttered as I thought on my clothing situation. At my tiny town home, I had, technically, three bedrooms. I'm pretty sure one of the bedrooms was the size of most people's walk in closets and the other became destined to be my sewing room but I had three bedrooms. In my room, I had –or will have- three dressers over filled with clothing plus two tubberware body containers of clothing and a closet filled of dresses, sweaters, and shoes. In the other bedroom, I had most of antique extant clothes that I used to study for making my own remakes of the clothing as well as all my replicas and re-enactment clothing. The sewing room was filled with fabric. Lots of fabric. Six of those often-found-at-crime-scenes containers. Don't even get me started on the clothing I had on the floor…

So, to have only a couple suitcases of clothing to me was almost a nightmare, really. I had been doing well since I had packed for a week with contingency clothing as well as my sewing machine but I'd do well for maybe another week before needing something new. I had a thing for clothes…

"So," Alice said with a smile, sitting down in the chair right next to me. "We'll go to the mall this weekend. I would like to go to the Garment district in New York but I don't think we'll have time," she trailed off. I looked up at her a noticed the far away look. She was probably checking the future. As she came out of it, she grimaced. "No, we won't have time. It's really too bad too because they have the cutest little," Alice started.

"Alice," Jasper warned. She only rolled her eyes at her husband. I don't think he saw it but I knew he felt her annoyance at him. Jasper and Emmett had been playing some sort of violent video game on the TV since they got in. It wasn't one I recognized but I was so use to the Wii anymore.

"Fine, the mall," she said assuredly. I nodded.

"Okay, but can we stop at Goth Gap? Do they have a Charlotte Rouse up here? Oh, and what about Anthropologie?" I asked. I saw Alice's eyes go wide. I could hear the game stop and the background and curiously looked over to the two boys. Jasper was smiling and Emmett just looked confused. Before I could register anything else, Alice knocked the wind out of me with a hug.

This, of course, startled Miss Ginsie who started growling. I glared at the pup and hugged Alice back, curious as to why I got such a reaction out of her. As she stepped back, she smiled. "Oh this will be so much fun!" Alice said with a squeal of delight.

"Granted, Oakdale isn't exactly the most glamorous mall, but I guess it will do if you want to go to Charlotte Rouse," she said, thinking.

I shrugged. "It's okay if it's not a Tyson's Galleria. I'm fine if it has Goth Gap and Charlotte Rouse," I told her.

"You shop at Tyson's Galleria?" Alice asked.

I shrugged again. "I've been in there a few times," I muttered while looking down. Although I lived in Maryland, I was always over in Virginia. The Galleria has everything from Needless Markups to Burberry to the Cheesecake Factory. The last was the reason I went. That and Anthropologie.

"When you come out to the West Coast, we will have a girl's shopping weekend. You, Rose, Bella, Esme, and myself all need to go shopping. Maybe you can teach Bella how to shop like a regular human," Alice grumbled the last part. I smiled at that. I seriously doubt I could do any such thing although I had a feeling Bella might help me make some rather interesting sarcastic commentary on the various clothing choices. With Alice and Rose, shopping would be an Olympic sport and that did need narration….

"Are you ready?" Alice asked, her hands on her hips as she looked at me quizzingly.  
I blinked. "What? You mean now?" I asked.

"Yeap!" Alice grinned. I looked down at Miss Ginsie and then to then boys and then to Alice.

"Well, umm, let me let her out and then I'll lock her up in the kitchen where she can't cause much trouble," I thought out loud as I stood up. Some part of me, a very small part, was scared that Ginsie might become a snack. I was also more worried about Ginsie deciding that the boys were intruders and not letting them leave the confines of the sofa they were now occupying without a lot of barking and growling.

Alice let me take the pup outside. Ginsie walked around for a while, not entirely getting the idea that I was going to leave soon. She seemed to think that I was taking her away from the vampires and yet here I was entrusting her with those very people. She had run up to the truck and looked at me expectantly. I shook my head and pointed to the yard. "No, Ginsie. Go," I ordered her. I was slightly worried about the smell and how that would affect the vampires but I figured it wouldn't be too bad, hopefully.

After a few minutes of lolling around, I ordered the pup back in and started to take her to the kitchen. Just as I was looking about for something to bar the doorway with so Miss Ginsie would stay out of the vampires' way, Jasper put his hand on my shoulder. I turned, confused, to look at his golden eyes. "Don't worry, I won't let Emmett eat her," he said with a small smile.

"Hey!" Emmett shouted from the sofa, causing me to giggle.

"Okay," I said, letting the white and ginger colored fur ball go. She went immediately to her bed near the door where I also kept the couple of toys we brought with us. Squirrelly was her favorite followed by Teddy Bear. "Um, if she has a seizure, there's Gatorade in the fridge. Just give her some of that," I started, thinking over all the issues my pup had. Was there anything in my life that didn't have issues? My pup had been badly abused, giving her epilepsy and a broken rib that never healed right. I managed to coax Miss Ginsie into the Princess she was today but when I first got her, she had a few minor behavioral issues. It took her a while but she learned that I wouldn't leave her and I wouldn't hurt her.

"Seizures?" Jasper had asked. I looked up at the tall blond vampire, Emmett suddenly at his side. Both looked serious which was rather scary, really. Not in the vampire scary way more of the didn't fit with the personalities way.

"Um, yeah. She was abused," I said quickly. "She shouldn't have one. I gave her her meds this mornin'," I informed them. Both boys nodded at me, almost like I was giving orders. I felt a small tug of a smile at the corners of my lips. "Her toys are over there," I explained before looking at Emmett. "She likes teddy bear but Squirrelly is her favorite," I stated, remember the conversation from Twilight _Grizzly is Emmett's favorite_. I tried not to smile and keep my emotions in check. If it was this hard not to become unbalanced around the non-mind reading vampires, then how poorly would I do around Edward?

"Squirrel over Bear? Really, pup, I need to teach you which is better," Emmett said matter of factly to the white furball.

"Please don't. I have a feeling she might take it seriously…and I don't need the furball going after bear cubs next," I muttered. "Dead squirrels, rats, birds, frogs, and other small creatures are bad enough."

"She'll hunt?" Emmett asked, curious. Before I could answer, Alice began to a bit too harshly tug on my arm.

"We need to get going if we want to get there before any of the rush hour traffic sets in," Alice stated, while glaring at her brother.

I sighed and turned to go get my coat. I had my wallet in it along with my truck keys. As I slipped my coat on, my hand automatically went for my keychain…and the many keys and keychains that were on it.

"You won't need your truck. I think we need to take something else," Alice said with a slightly evil smile. I could feel my eyes narrow but was also curious as to what Cullen car I'd actually get to ride in. The Mercedes, perhaps? It survived the James incident and is rather lovely to look at. Not as pretty as the Aston Martin, but who am I to complain? All I have is a Ford Escape!

Before I could ask what, I heard Jasper. "If he finds out, he'll kill you," he said. I looked over to see Emmett grinning and Jasper shaking his head while laughing. I couldn't see why Carlisle would be upset about the Mercedes. Alice borrowed it all the time in the books without any problems…

"No, he won't," Alice chimed. "Come on, Elizabeth," she said and with that, we said goodbye to the guys and the pup to head out to the garage. I was confused until Alice threw me the keys she had been holding and I saw the logo on it. It was a pair of wings…the Aston Martin symbol. I felt my eyes go wide as Alice moved to the passenger side of Edward's car.

"Wait, you are going to let me, the human, drive the Vanquish?" I asked, my voice rising towards the end more than I intended. This seemed…odd.

Alice shrugged. "Only to the mall. I'll drive it back. I know you want to drive it and it's better than attempting circles in the church parking lot," she stated. I tried hard not to blush. I had thought about maybe just taking the pretty lovely 007 car up to the church and re-enact at least the scene where Pierce Brosnan gets the remote start Aston Martin and plays with it better than Q…. But I didn't want Edward to try and kill me before I got a chance to explain everything I needed to explain.

Slowly, I opened the door and immediately loved the car. Granted, it had no ability to tow or any real cargo capacity what so ever so it sucked for my daily needs but as far as beauty and speed, it was perfection. And I got to drive it. The agents at the office would be turning green with jealousy if they knew their little analyst got to play with the pretty car.

As I sat down and actually started the car, I couldn't help but let my giddiness get to me. I just prayed I was far enough away from Jasper that he wasn't overwhelmed and start asking questions via the phone. Here I was, in Edward's Aston Martin, with Alice in the passenger seat, going on a shopping trip. Yes, life does not get any better than this. I don't care if I am crazy; this is way too much fun!

I drove out on to West King and the car drove like a dream. No silly hesitation as it shifted gears like my truck sometimes did. I can still hear my Dad telling me that my truck was not a Ferrari given the way I drive. I easily put the pedal to the metal and drove as carefully but as quickly as a human could in this. To say that driving this car was a dream come true would put this to shame. This was far better than any dream I ever had.

Alice gave me directions, seemingly content with my 80+mph self-imposed speed limit. I hoped she'd tell me if there were any cops up ahead. I was not getting another ticket. I got enough of those in 2009.

At one point, I really wished I had brought my Ipod docking station with me so we could listen to that rather than the pretty bad stations they had around here. Didn't the vampires have XM radio or something? You'd think Edward would given his love of music…

I must have sighed because Alice looked over at me and asked, "What?"

"It's silly," I answered quickly with a smile. Here I was with Alice, in the Vanquish, and I was complaining about the music? I should be perfectly happy with my current situation. Who cares if the music is bad when I get to drive something this beautiful with permission…sort of.

"It can't be anything too ridiculous," she stated happily. I sighed again.

"It's just that…well, I don't like the music. And I was wishing I had thought to bring my Ipod docking station or maybe a cd or three," I mumbled. Not that either probably would be a good idea. I had just downloaded a whole bunch of new songs like from Ida Maria and Vampire Weekend before getting here. I smirked at that thought. What would the vampires think of music in the next three years with names like "Wolfmother" "Incubus" and "Vampire Weekend"? Heck, even "Coldplay" could take on new meanings with the _cold ones_ around. And given my current cd's were the soundtrack from Twilight, the soundtrack from Lord of the Rings, and the soundtrack from Interview with a Vampire, I don't think two of those would go over as well as the middle one. I mean, yeah, I have a feeling that Alice would like Muse but what about when I start giggling over vampire baseball?

Alice's lips formed a thin line as she played with the dials. "We need to remember that for next time," she stated.

"Next time?" I asked. Alice wanted there to be a next time. Granted, she mentioned something about all the girls going on a trip but I figured she was just joking.

Alice nodded until she found a half way decent station. I honestly hadn't listened to regular radio in months. I always had my XM radio –which unfortunately didn't work anymore thanks to stupid interdimentional time-traveling hallucinations-, my cd's, or my IPod. To not have those with me really threw me….back. It was like being without a cell phone. What did we do if you broke down fifteen years ago and you didn't have a cell phone? I honestly couldn't remember.

"Maybe we can install the IPod into the Mercedes for the weekend," Alice mused as she leaned back easily. I gently applied the breaks as I noticed I was going 90mph now. I loved speed but I hated paying for it…in the form of tickets.

I heard a giggle and took a quick glance of Alice before returning my eyes to the road. "What?" I asked this time.

"We need to put the IPod in the Mercedes. Jasper will love it!" Alice exclaimed followed by her tinkling laugh. I rolled my eyes and drove.

When we reached the mall, I managed to park out in front of Macy's per Alice's instructions. Luckily with a psychic, you never have to worry about parking all the way in the back. As I got out of the beautiful, lovely, most comfortable car ever, I felt a sense of loss. I looked at it as we locked it up. Alice rolled her eyes at me and grabbed my arm to drag me into the store.

Once inside, I couldn't believe how…old everything looked. The colorful scarves and patchwork dresses I've come to love along with my broomstick skirts and babydoll tops were next to non-existent. I found a few items but most of it was just…stuff. Of course, there was the occasional necessary shrug that I found. I had a thing for shrugs.

Alice began to go through the store, piling things in my arms before I knew what to do. I looked at the clothing she was handing me only to gag slightly when I saw a pair of bellbottoms. Never in my life had I worn those evil things –boot cut, yes, but only out of necessity- and I certainly didn't plan on it now.

"Those better be for you, Alice," I grumbled but I saw the size and knew they weren't for her petite figure.

"You have to try them on, Elizabeth," she said as she went through another clothing rack.

"No," I said simply. I then saw Alice narrow her golden eyes at me.

"No?" she questioned. I shook my head. She took the offensive jeans back, grumbling something about "as bad as Bella". I smirked slightly.

"I'm not quite as bad as her. I just know what I like and what looks good on me. Bell bottoms belong in the 1970's and should have never, ever thought of coming back," I told her. Alice looked at me like my hair had turned green.

I sighed. "Alice, I look terrible in them. They make my calves look big," I said, almost in defeat.

"Hmm…," Alice thought. "I guess you're right. So do you own anything other than jeans and t-shirts?" she asked. I nodded happily. We spent the next hour discussing fashion. She knew the designers; I knew the seam lines and construction.

I saw one pretty sheer print shirt that I rather liked only to be instantly repulsed when I touched it. Alice giggled. "You look like the shirt hurt you," she teased.

"It did. The seams are pretty as well as the pattern, but polyester? Ugh," I told her with a half smile. Alice began to look at me strangely again. "What?" I asked. I swear that was my new favorite question.

"How did you know it was polyester?" she asked curiously. I shrugged.

"I work with fabric all the time, Alice. I know polyester when I feel it," I told her truthfully. After a decade plus experience of sewing my own stuff, it didn't take much to figure out if something was poly or not. Of course, a burn test now and then helped a lot too.

We made our way to the cash register. I had only a couple of items, both well under $20 so I could afford them, while Alice had a ton of stuff for herself. I had been making some pretty decent money with the computer help business. Not a lot, but enough I could spend some on something as necessary as clothing. As I waited with Alice for the cashier to ring up everything, I spotted a dress Alice knew I had been eyeing…and it was in my size.

"That's not what I think it is, is it?" I asked.

"Just hush up and enjoy it," Alice ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," I stated as I planned on trying to figure out how to repay her. It had been too expensive for me to get now but I guess I could send cash through the mail…not that that wasn't dangerous or anything.

"And none of that either," Alice stated as she grabbed her couple of bags and lead me out to the main part of the mall.

"Alice, I can't let you or your family spend so much on me. It's not right," I told her deflatedly.

Alice stepped in front of me quickly. The barely five foot spiky haired girl glaring up at me. I'm sure it was comical from the outside but I knew that Alice could easily overpower me and instantly became still. "You listen to me, Elizabeth. You aren't letting us do anything. We _want_ to help. We can't rightfully let you to wander around without a home, food, and clothing. You are in our time and came to our house. You really have no idea how much you helped that day, do you?" she asked me at the end, her anger disappearing.

I lowered my eyes so I didn't look at hers. "I couldn't let your family be there not knowing what was going on. It wasn't right," I mumbled.

"Exactly!" Alice said happily. "And neither is it right to not help you out either," she told me matter of factly before retaking my arm and leading me down the enclosed hallways of the mall. I kept my sigh to myself this time realizing this would be a no-win argument for now.

I could almost feel the pull of Goth gap before we got there. I needed to go in. It was instinctual. Plus, the look on Alice's face when she saw the store was completely priceless.

"Hot Topic? Really?" Alice asked, skeptical. I smiled a bit. A vampire scared of a store that is known for the wanna be vampires. It really was too amusing.

"I promise, Alice. It's not nearly as scary as it looks," I teased before heading in. I heard Alice mumble something behind me but I didn't pay attention. I was too drawn in by the Amy Brown t-shirts and other pretty things. I had to try and remember which shirts I brought with me and which ones I didn't. This could take a while.

As I pulled a couple of shirts that I liked off the racks, I heard Alice behind me. I saw her holding up some sort of red plaid mini flare skirt with buckles and chains on it. "Hmm, it has potential," she said. I just shook my head and started towards the back of the store but only got another step.

"Really? They are thinking of Katie Holmes to play Elizabeth? And who are they getting to play Estelle?" one girl asked. It wasn't so much the question –although that bothered me a lot- it was what she was holding. She had the Whitman Viking t-shirt in her hands, very similar to the one I had in 2009 lying in my dresser at home. I recognized that instantly.

"I don't know. Some girl that I had never heard of but she looks a lot older too," the second girl replied.

"That just won't work. Elizabeth is supposed to look younger than she really is! And she supposed to look like a teenage cross between Lucy Lawless and Drew Barrymore," the first girl said. She looked up, I guess, when she saw me staring at the item in her hands. She turned back to the second girl. "Now, she could almost play Elizabeth," she muttered. The second girl looked at me as I hurriedly went around the display to head to the back of the store like I had planned. I had to ignore this. I had to.

"Wow, yeah! She totally could," I heard the second girl say before I managed to hide amongst the clearance stuff. In an effort to calm myself down, I began to pick through the folded t-shirts and fingerless gloves. I wasn't sure how long I had been there, looking through the same pile over and over again until I felt Alice's cool hand on top of mine .

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. I wanted to tell her. I wanted so badly to explain that, not only was I from the future, but I was also from a fictional novel and she was part of a fictional novel in my universe. But I couldn't. I had to wait. I hate waiting.

"Just remembering stuff from the future," I muttered and offered a weak smile. Alice's face twisted like she wanted to say something but she kept quiet for a few seconds.

"I know you can't go back but we are here; just as you were here for my family when I couldn't be," she said softly. I decided to try and lighten the mood.

"Because of your idiot brother?" I teased.

"Exactly!" she grinned. After that, I bought a few more things, keeping a mental checklist of how much money I was spending and was honestly disappointed when the mall started to close. I was having way too much fun shopping with Alice Cullen. Of course, my thoughts quickly turned from disappointment that the mall was closing to the wonderful ride home in that beautiful vehicle. I think I'd be okay.

Alice ran me into one more store to grab something and bought yet something else. By the time we managed to make our way out of the mall, it had gotten dark and cold. So much for the warmer temperatures from earlier. I could feel that tomorrow would be another cold day and we'd still have winter around for a bit more in April. I shivered as I handed the keys back to Alice.

She opened the doors and we stuffed our shopping finds in to the car. I had only two bags, Alice had eleven. She hopped into the driver's side and I went to the passengers. It was a lot different going back than it was coming here. Not only was it dark, but I didn't get to drive this most beautiful car. Not that I minded really. I enjoyed just being able to touch it. It was so choice to quote Ferris Buller.

By the time we got home, it was ten at night and I was starting to get tired. As Alice pulled back into the garage, I yawned. "Sleep time for the human," Alice said with a tinkling laugh. I smiled a bit and went to grab my bag. I headed to the house with Alice dancing next to me and her eleven bags.

The scene I saw inside made me laugh. Jasper was reading in one of the chairs but Emmett was seated on the floor with a lot more dog toys than I remember bringing surrounding him. Ginsie was tugging with all her might against one of Teddy Bear's legs while Emmett held one of Teddy Bear's arms. "That's it girl! Get that bear!" he encouraged her.

At the sound of my laugh, Ginsie turned her head, dropped her half of the bear, and pranced over to me, tail wagging. I dropped my bags and bent down to her level to hug my precious pup. "Well, I see you made a new friend," I teased. I wasn't entirely sure whom I was teasing though; Emmett or Ginsie.

"I got her new toys but she only likes the stuffed animal ones," Emmett told me. I looked up at him and nodded.

"Thank you," I told him sincerely. I knew Ginsie wasn't one for balls or pieces of rope; she wanted her "babies". Ginsie had a stuffed animal collection at home that would rival any small child's. I wish I had thought to bring more along but I was glad that Emmett played with the furball.

Yawning again, I looked at the clock; 10:05. "I should probably head up. I'll see y'all in the morning," I told the assembled crew. Alice hugged me while the two boys grinned and mumbled their good nights. Well, Jasper mumbled; Emmett nearly shouted.

I took my bags and my pup upstairs and crashed almost instantly. One of my impossible dreams had just come true; I went shopping with Alice Cullen. At a mall. Not only that, I got to drive Edward's Vanquish. Life did not get better than that!

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**Author's Note: **Bad? Good? Indifferent? I hope it wasn't too long….


	10. Chapter 10

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. However, the whole Estelle/Sissy/and rest of that crew are. Ginsie really is my pup by the way. She wanted to be in the story. No, really. She wanted there to be at least one good dog in the story other than Seth. ;-)

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **My brain is too wired to this story now. I had to write this chapter before I went back to Sick. So if any of you are reading that one too, sorry. I'm doing research for Sick so that the next chapter might have…content? I know, scary. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter. For those that want to know what the heck is on Elizabeth's Ipod, I made a playlist up on youtube. I think you can just search for "JubileeL" and find it under the playlists I made there. If not, the address is http colon slash slash www dot youtube dot com slash view_play_list?p=3DC541FC2BBB12B2 (it won't let me do links!) The playlist is uh…interesting.

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Chapter 10

I heard the annoying ring tone of my Tracfone and wanted nothing more than to roll over and pull the pillow down over my head. Not that that would help any, really. I hated waking up early on a Saturday. My legs hit the furball known as Ginsie as I tried to right myself and grab the phone. I muttered an apology to the startled dog before answering.

It was just another call from a group of older ladies that needed some computer help. I took down their information and looked at the clock before scheduling an appointment. I was surprised that it was already nine. I must have been really out of it. I was even more surprised that one of the vampires didn't decide I had slept enough. Maybe Alice foresaw the consequences of a grumpy Elizabeth and realized it wasn't that great an idea? I know my brain does not function when I haven't gotten enough sleep. 18 months on the night shift proved that point. Once the FBI shifted me to the day shift, I was a much more agreeable person…sorta.

After hanging up on the little old ladies, I discovered I had four other messages, some dating from yesterday while I was the mall. I groaned and called everyone back, setting up appointments, and realizing I would not be able to spend as much time with the vampires as I wanted. I needed money, after all, and I wanted it to be money I earned in some way, shape, or form.

Sliding out from bed, I made all the calls and set up everything. Once that was done, I figured I'd get dressed and head downstairs. Walking downstairs right now in my PJ's and robe just didn't appeal to me with Emmett and Jasper here. Looking in the mirror, I groaned at the dark circles under my eyes. Maybe I was getting sick or there was some stupid pollen in the air. Either way, there was little I could do about it right now.

Instead, I took a quick shower, threw on a pair of embroidered jeans and a long black sweater with pink embroidery over a pink tank top. I wasn't sure, but it felt like it would be cool outside. I could always change later.

Hopping down the stairs, Miss Ginsie at my heels, I found myself toe to toe with someone who was much bigger and much taller than me and grinning wildly. "Alright, the human is up!" Emmett almost shouted. I looked up at the grinning vampire and glared. I glared with all my might. I was thirty years old, awoken early on a Saturday by a work-related phone call, and I had yet to have anything resembling sugar enter my system. Apparently, the glaring worked because Emmett actually backed up and the smile fell from his face. He looked like he was about to say something else when I heard Jasper chuckle not to far away. I immediately turned my head to glare in his direction.

As I was glaring at Jasper, I felt something cool and round enter one of my hands. I looked down to see Alice handing me a glass of orange juice. The glare immediately vanished and I felt bad for being so grumpy this morning. "Thanks," I muttered before taking a sip.

As the vitamin c and massive amounts of sugar finally entered my system, I was able to see that Ginsie, my fierce protector, has already become a traitor. She was sitting inbetween myself and Emmett, wagging her tail back and forth, staring up at him. When she noticed I was looking at her, Ginsie jumped up on to Emmett briefly, getting another grin out of the vampire. "You want to play, little girl?" Emmett asked the pup.

"She needs to go out first and eat," I managed to say. I saw the grin starting to fall from Emmett's face again. "Then she can play," I quickly added before taking another sip of the orange juice.

Emmett's face was similar to a young boy being told he can go out and play if he gets his chores done quickly. He immediately looked down at the pup again and kept his joyful expression. "Come on, girl. Let's take you outside," he said, leading the way. I was surprised when Ginsie actually followed him. Looks like someone bonded with the vampires yesterday.

I shook my head, with a half smile, as I watched the giant vampire lead the petite puppy dog, before turning my attention to the comfy chair in the living room. I half thought of warning him that Ginsie has a tendency to run away if she doesn't have her leash on –not far, just chasing after God knows what- and ends up being next to impossible to find later even though she never goes more than maybe a hundred yards from you, but I kept in mind Emmett was a vampire. If Ginsie ran, not only would he be able to find the furball easily, he'd be able to out run her. Maybe her new found friendship was self preservation…

Flopping myself down in the oversized chair, I carefully sipped my orange juice, ignoring the fact that I was the only one in the house that would need to eat. The morning passed by slowly. I found out the vampires thought I was only 21 or so. It certainly explained why I got carded all the time. I didn't tell them my real age simply because I'd have to show them my driver's license –I was sure- to prove it and that would cause problems of its own. After all, I had a feeling Alice or maybe even one of the boys knew exactly who "Elizabeth Catherine French" was. There were too many questions implied in that that I just couldn't answer right now.

After waking up thanks to the orange juice, I explained that I'd be back in the afternoon but I had to work. They all seemed to understand and Emmett promised to keep an eye on the pup for me. Jasper promised to keep an eye on Emmett.

The morning was filled with me driving from house to house, using only a map and my print outs of directions to guide me. I really wish my lovely FBI issued Blackberry still worked. The mapping feature on it was great and I could always tell if I was close to my destination or not. Relying on paper print outs again was just…old school. The map was even worse. But, I got to the various homes of mostly older people –one family did call me and I went to help them out- but it was mostly people in the 65+ age bracket.

I made sure to get everyone to sign a piece of paper that said they understood how much I charged and the price quotes. It didn't matter that what I was doing wasn't exactly above board; I wanted it to look very legal at the least. The first house was just a simple re-installation. The second was a guy that forgot his password (thank God he was using Windows!). The third house needed to connect to their new wireless network that their fifteen year old son tried to put up. The forth was helping a group of older gentlemen understand their new computer. It seems they weren't use to having a PC. The fifth was an easy reconnection of the wires. Still, I lost the entire morning and a chunk of the afternoon. At least I made a couple of hundred dollars in the process.

By the time I made my way back home –which was an odd way of looking at a house full of vampires, but that's what it was- I was very much awake and just wanted to get out of the house again. The idea of sitting around in front of anything remotely resembling a computer screen just did not appeal to me. It was Saturday; I should be out hiking or at the mall or hanging out with my friends at some event. The last thought made me remember too much that I didn't want to think on right now. I had to think of the here and now –what ever that may be- and not dwell on the past. I could do that later; once the emotional feeling/future reading/all hearing vampires were gone.

I hoped out of my car and saw Ginsie running straight towards me. I petted her, smiling, and gave her a kiss before making my way to the front door. Emmett was there with Jasper.

"Alright, we get happy Lizzie back," Emmett grinned when he saw me. I smirked. I was not exactly a happy person; more of a I'm-bored-I-want-to-oh-look-butterfly type person.

Alice came outside then too. "Finally," she said as she grabbed my arm and spun me around to head back towards the cars.

"Wait, Alice, where are we going?" I asked curiously.

Alice stopped and looked at me, smiling. "We are going antiquing!" she said with a squeal. My eyes must have betrayed me because she started giggling at me.

"Let me get a bottle of water out of the fridge and I'll meet you back out here," I said. I managed to take one step when Jasper thrust the bottle of ice cold water in my hands. I looked up at him curiously and he shrugged.

"She's dragging all of us," he said simply.

I looked to Emmett who had already put Ginsie on her leash. I guess if we weren't too long in any one place, the pup could come. Leaving her in the car wouldn't be that bad given that it was maybe 50 degrees out. Maybe.

"Are you sure it's okay if she comes?" I asked Alice who rolled her eyes at me and muttered something under her breath before dragging me towards the Mercedes.

"Oh!" Alice started before opening the passenger door. Apparently, Emmett, Ginsie, and I were to fit in the back. This should be an interesting car trip. I hope Carlisle doesn't mind dog hair in the back of his car. Or rather, I guess he should get use to it with Jacob and the pack hanging around more soon…

"We'll need your Ipod," Alice told me seriously. I echoed her "Oh!" and quickly as I could, got the IPod and the connectors for the radio out. Normally, I hooked it up through my XM radio –which no longer worked- but I still kept all the other stuff in the truck with me. Grabbing everything, I handed it to Alice who quickly set it up to work in the Mercedes. By the time I slid into the back seat, behind Jasper so Emmett would have some leg room, Alice had it hooked up.

I tried to ignore the feelings I had, sitting in the back seat of the Mercedes. This is where Bella was during the James incident. This was the car that was supposed to show up in New Moon. And here I was, with three of the vampires themselves…going antiquing. This truly was a dream come true which meant I had to be dreaming. Or crazy. Either worked really.

As we pulled out, I smiled. My IPod was playing my songs on the radio. Of course, the vampires might be totally confused by a few…or more. I loved the looks they were giving each other as my IPod switched from Cage the Elephant to Medieval Babes to Nickelback. I tried to look like I was watching the world outside but it was more to keep from smiling to broadly or accidentally singing along.

"What is this?" Emmett asked when the Medieval Babes came on.

"Fourteenth century English," I stated automatically. I turned to find two of the three sets of vampire eyes upon me. "What?" I asked innocently.

"This from that?" Alice asked. I tried to think of what she meant and shrugged.

"I can't help it if the IPod is on shuffle," I told her.

"Fourteenth century? That's older than Carlisle!" Emmett stated. I smiled and shrugged again.

"I think about a good ten percent of the songs I have on that thing are older than Carlisle," I mentioned. As he looked down, apparently disgruntled by my interesting music taste, I had to tease him further. "Actually, I think at least twenty percent of the songs on that thing are older than you, Emmett," I continued. I saw Jasper's shoulders shake as he tried –and failed- to hold in a laugh.

"You are one weird human, Elizabeth," Emmett told me after a moment.

"Thank you," I said, smiling. Alice's tickling laugh could be heard through the car as Nickleback's _Rockstar_ started.

"Now, you see, this is more like it. When does this come out?" Alice asked me. I rolled my eyes.

"There is nothing wrong with the Medieval Baebes either, Alice. And I think this comes out in 2008 but I'm not sure. Maybe 2007," I told her.

"Hmmm," Alice mused.

It was another ten minutes before we got to the antiques store Alice wanted to go to. Unfortunately for me, Weezer's the Greatest Man that ever lived came on before that. Emmett, of course, loved it and wanted a copy to send to Carlisle and Edward when they got home. I tried to explain that I liked it because the different genre's in the song reminded me of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody but totally failed at getting that point across. Totally.

I told Ginsie to guard the car while we were inside. The pup sat there, looking longingly at me for her to join us but I'm pretty sure only creatures that weren't hairy and could walk on two feet were allowed into a store like this. So, with a sigh, I headed inside with the vampires to go antiquing.

The antique store was one of those nearly endless antique malls with booth after booth. The lady at the register took a look at us as we walked in and smiled broadly. "Welcome!" she announced and I was glad we didn't have Edward with us, yet again. Seeing Jasper cringe slightly was bad enough. I nodded, politely, and followed my way towards some lovely vintage clothing racks.

I saw some stuff from the 70's and 80's that probably would be better served as fuel during the winter than being worn ever again but there did seem to be some neat true vintage stuff from the 50's buried in the booth I had walked over to. Alice, of course, was right behind me while the boys seemed to disappear elsewhere.

Looking over a couple of dresses, I wondered about a club in New York City I had heard about where everyone wears vintage clothing and it's nothing but swing dancing all night. I'd love to go –if it does exist in this universe- and one of these dresses would be perfect. Assuming they had my size. I was always curious as to why only the dresses with either way too big waists or way too small survived. I guess it was because the dresses with normal waists actually got worn and ended up as rags.

"Hmmm, not the blue for you," Alice said as she fingered a pretty blue and white print but very 1967 dress. I smirked.

"Pink, red, or black. Much preferably pink or red," I told her, seriously. I learned a long time ago I looked sallow in blue. I tended to look much better in pinks and reds. Black was okay if I wore a lot of pink or red accessories.

Alice and I had been looking through the vintage clothing for what seemed like a good ten minutes before she pulled out a pretty pink swing dress with black patterning on it. I immediately loved it. "Please tell me that is in my size," I told her.

"It is," she said happily. I reached to check the price tag but she yanked the dress back and hid it.

"Alice," I warned. I knew what she was trying to do. Her answer was to ignore me and pull me to another part of the store.

We both wandered, looking and playing with various things. There were some items none of us could identify; a few only Jasper could given he was the oldest. There was actually an item or two I could identify, like the awls and other random sewing related objects.

Of course, when the boys started acting like…well…boys, Alice and I declared it time to leave. I really wish I had a camera to take a picture of Emmett in that hat though. It was priceless to see the look on his face when Jasper put it on him – to tease Alice and me about our critiques of fashion accessories we were handing each other.

I stood behind Alice in line, only to give me a look while the cashier rang up her purchases, which included my dress. "What?" I asked.

"You know what, Elizabeth," Alice said authoritatively. "Now, put those on the counter too," she told me.

My instinctual reaction was to listen to the petite girl but just as I was about to dump my basket out on to the counter, I pulled back. "No, Alice," I said defiantly.

Alice looked at me critically for a moment and then to her husband with pleading eyes. I followed her gaze and the second I felt the slightest hint of Jasper playing with my emotions, I tried to glare at him. "Don't you even think about it, Jasper," I told him with a lot less force than I really wanted. He shrugged and continued to play with my feelings to make me more complacent. That with Alice's puppy eyes was too much of an unstoppable force. I heard Emmett laughing as I handed my basket over.

Once outside, I glared at the two vampires who double teamed me. I tried not to think about how I'd get them back since, if I thought about it and made it a concrete decision, Alice would see it and stop me. It was hard but, luckily, Emmett and Ginsie easily distracted me.

I got more comments about my music as we went to the next store. This time, Incubus came on followed by Vampire Weekend. I couldn't stop my blushing and could almost hear echos of my supervisor at work teasing me over how my face was turning as pink as my earrings. It didn't help that Emmett found this hilarious and wondered if he could get more humans to blush if he was around them more given me and Bella.

Still, Alice loved Vampire Weekend and wanted me to download that one for her so she could put it on the computer at home. "We need to get Incubus too, Alice, so we can have a collection of vampire songs," Emmett said, laughing. Both Alice and I rolled our eyes.

By the time we got to the next store, Emmett had gotten…worse. He had gone from teasing me about my musical tastes to teasing me about my blushing. If I thought hitting him would help, I'd so do so. But I knew I was just a weak human and tried glaring at him but that did little to deter him right now.

"Alice?" I asked her after Emmett teased me about having Adam Ant on my IPod.

"Yes?" she asked, giggling. She knew what I was going to ask.

"Remind me to find a crowbar when we get to the next store," I said, glaring at Emmett. This sent Alice in spirals of laughter. Jasper quickly joined in.

"Aw, come on, Little Lizzie," Emmett said, still smiling.

"A big sharp crowbar," I stated glaring at him.

He sighed and mumbled something about grumpy Lizzie being back. I humphed and went back to looking out the window as Feist came on.

The next store we stopped at seemed to cater more to furnishings but there were some interesting knick knacks about. Alice picked up some things for Esme to put in the house. While she was paying for them, I went back outside and walked the pup around. Just as my mind started to wander to well, everything from my current situation to Emmett's teasing to my own brother's teasing me, Emmett came outside with me…and handed me a frying pan.

"Jasper said it wasn't fair to tease you without giving you some sort of weaponry and Alice couldn't find a crowbar," Emmett told me. I looked to the heavy iron thing and tried to bite back a laugh…failing.

Emmett began to smile and I shook my head. "Promise not to tease me too much more on the way back to the house?" I asked him, offering my fist for him to pound. He did so, solemnly.

"I promise," he said. We didn't have to wait long before Jasper dragged his wife out of the store. I smiled at them before heading back to the Mercedes.

"But it would go so well and there won't be another available in Washington for three months!" Alice told her husband.

"Alice, you said yourself, you weren't sure if Esme would like it or not. You can wait three months," Jasper told her. I bit back a laugh. Alice glared at me before getting in the car to which I let one small giggle slip. I found out later they were talking about some sort of entry way cabinet from the mid 19th century.

When the car started up this time, the Andrew Sisters came on to which all the vampires just shook their heads at me in laughter. I had to bite down from singing along.

"You know, I remember when this first came on the radio," Emmett told me.

"Did you gather around the radio to listen to it?" I teased.

"More for the talk radio programs," he told me truthfully.

"I don't think Orphan Annie counts as talk radio, Emmett," I stated.

"Hey!" he shouted a bit too loudly, causing Ginsie to jump from her sleeping position between me and the big vampire. "Sorry, pup," he told me while Alice giggled.

We talked about past radio programs –the vampires seemed slightly confused that I knew about a lot of the comic book related radio program that broadcasted in the 40's- and about the transition from radio to tv. Of course, the modern transition of tv to the internet was applicable to the change of the 40's and 50's. I wonder if we'll have another 1960's? Dear God, I hope not. Once was bad enough. Day glo daisies just aren't right. Ever.

By the time we got home again, it was dark and I was ready to turn in after a light supper of a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water. It was hilarious coming home though, with Mute Math blasting Spotlight out from the radio. I struggled with keeping my emotions in check while listening to that song with Alice, Jasper, and Emmett in the Mercedes. It was just so wrong. Of course, none knew that I wasn't laughing because of Alice bopping along with the tune but because of it's association with _them_…and I hoped to keep it that way for a bit longer. Until I could deliver the books.

The next morning, the vampires had to leave. Jasper and Emmett had rented a truck to haul all the cars clear across the USA. I really couldn't wait to do that myself; just travel across the states and see everything there is to see but something told me not yet. Part of it was just because I was still pretty sure I was crazy and seeing things. Another part of me just needed the normalcy of the east coast for a while longer. Maybe I'll take big old dip through the South and then up the I-5 all the way up the West Coast when I go so I'll be on familiar roads most of the way. Familiar wasn't a bad thing.

Jasper shook my hand before leaving; making me promise to head out there way soon so his wife would stop bugging him about it. Emmett tousled my hair, or tried too. I had it all back in a bun and nothing more than a couple of shorter strands from the campfire incident a couple of years ago came loose. One of the joys of long hair.

Alice, of course, gave me a big hug and made me promise, again, that I would head out their way soon. I was sad to see them go but knew that Jasper wouldn't survive another long car trip with a blood bag like me near him for the entire week. At least Alice got to fly home so she could be back in class with Bella and Edward tomorrow. Remembering that it was the third of April, I tried to think of when Jacob pulls his motorcycle stunt on Bella. I think it would still be another few days before that but I should still email Alice and warn her to warn Bella and keep an eye out the idiot werewolf. It might not be much but keeping Bella under the less restrictive grounding was probably a good idea.

When I turned with the pup back into the house, the first thing I thought to do was to look up that retro club on the internet. I wanted to head over there this next weekend if I could. Pink and Black 1950's party dress and all. Part of my wondered if I would even recognize New York; if it had changed any between the two universes, the other part of me prayed that the familiar sites would either trigger an end to my hallucination –as good as it was- or give me some sense that this was for real and not a dream.

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**Author's Note:** I hope the next chapter will be up later today. Tell me what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **Yes, two chapters in one day! After this, I will really have to work on my other story but I had to get this part out of my head. It's been bugging me since about Chapter three and begging to be written. Yes, this is the chapter that will change things. :-) And yes, it's a lot shorter than the others. Sorry!

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Chapter 11

It took me forever on Google. I searched every day at the beginning of the week for the club I remembered hearing about but couldn't remember the name of. Finally, I found it. It did exist. It wasn't too far from Rockefeller Center either. And they played swing music. And people dressed up like the 40's and 50's. It looked like heaven to me.

I had made an appointment with a vet to keep Ginsie there overnight. I hated to do it but I also knew I couldn't leave her alone for the entire day either while I spent almost seven hours in a car to go play. Esme would kill me if Ginsie ruined her floors.

I dressed early on Saturday in the dress Alice had gotten me. I also did my hair a bit. My hair waved down to just past my hips so I couldn't do much more than maybe a Veronica Lake hairstyle but still, I wanted to try. In trying, this required copious amounts of hairspray. I never normally used the stuff since I didn't want to damage my hair anymore than I had last year with the play-do red streaks through it but it couldn't hurt for one night. Just to be on the safe side, I decided to take the can with me. After all, I didn't want my hair to fall.

I was anxious to see the familiar buildings and sounds of New York. I hadn't ever lived there but I knew it from my many visits while living in Maryland and Virginia. Weekend trips to New York City –heck, day trips to NYC- were common for most people in the DC area. It was something I knew well enough to _know_ but not well enough to accidentally trigger a memory and make me a sobbing mess in public. The second was why I hadn't turned around and tried to go "home" yet. I'd realize how stuck I was here in my strange fantasy world and cry my eyes out. Not because I didn't like being stuck in my favorite series of novels but because being here meant I was crazy. Or at least that I didn't have my family and friends around me.

I grabbed a purse, the car keys and the leash for the dog. I had been doing pretty well with my computer help desk business. I found out that the little old ladies had been handing out my phone number at church and telling all their friends about me. It worked. It also explained why I got a whole bunch of senior citizens asking me questions when I went to church after the vampires left.

The Cullens leaving –again- made the house feel empty. It helped when one of them called but it still felt like too big a house for one little human and her pup. It was one of the many reasons I wanted to get out and go to NYC for a day.

I dropped Ginsie off with a kiss to her head the second the vet opened. I'd pick her up on Monday, when the vet opened again. They weren't open on Sundays. Handing over her meds and making sure Ginsie was comfortable as could be, I took off in my truck to NYC.

The traffic was a nightmare. In a way, it comforted me because this was a familiar hassle. I understood traffic snarls and jams. DC, NYC, and LA were always in competition for the worst traffic. Atlanta sometimes popped up on the radar too but that was only every other couple of years. Being stuck behind the same car for a half hour and going about a mile was frustrating but it was something I knew. It helped me to forget my present situation.

When I finally found a parking garage, it was already after lunch. Four and a half hours in the car despite my many attempts to laugh off the speed limit. I was not pleased.

Figuring I needed to stretch my legs, I walked over to the Rockefeller Center and looked around. It was too cold to stay outside for long yet so I quickly ushered myself across the street into Saint Patrick's cathedral. Besides, without the tree or the other holiday lights I'm use to around Christmas, it looked positively bare. I, of course, ignored that it was practically Easter.

My afternoon consisted of gazing over the stained glass windows of the cathedral, going back outside to find a Subway or something to grab a sandwich, and then heading to FAO Swartz because it seemed wrong to be in NYC and not go there. Of course, trying to play with all the toys by yourself wasn't nearly as much fun as dragging your friends with you and having tea parties with the stuffed animals. That had been a fun day in college.

Still, it was interesting and I just had to get the Italian Renaissance Barbie because I didn't have one _here_. I was also tempted by the Queen Elizabeth I Barbie but I could not justify spending a couple of hundred on the doll even though I knew she'd be worth three times that in my time. I needed food and gas money to get home.

After fooling around in downtown NYC for a few hours, I made my way over to the club. I had called for reservations –as per the website instructions- and was prepared to order dinner when I got there. By the time I got there, my feet hurt so much from so much walking, I doubted I'd be able to dance much at all. I was bummed considering I did see a couple of cute guys signing up for lessons. Unfortunately, it looked like they were signing up with their girlfriends or wives. Figures.

The club, itself was beautiful. The seating was amazing even if I did have to pay an extra fifteen bucks to sit on the main floor where the dancing was. I loved watching as people moved on the floor, attempting to dance. I got asked to the floor a couple of times; both by rather creepy guys. I tried to politely decline but the second guy didn't seem to get it and sat. down. At. My. Table. I immediately glared at him.

"So you just taking in the scene, huh baby girl?" he asked. I could practically feel the disease and vileness flowing off of him.

Thank God a waiter was passing by and I motioned to him. "Excuse me, but is there another table I can go to? This individual seems to think this one belongs to him," I told the waiter. The poor guy couldn't have been more than 20 but he immediately got the message and turned to the creepy guy who sat down.

"Sir, if you would please move," the waiter asked. The creepy guy turned to look at me incrediously like how could something like me dare to turn him down. I was worried he was going to say something but, instead he got up and left. However, It wasn't before giving me a vile look.

That seemed to be my problem most of my life. I knew that looks had little to do with dating but I always seemed to attract decrepit old men. Given that I look a lot younger than I am, I could only gather that they thought I was some young thang that would love the attention (and money) of an older man. I didn't. I hated it because those types typically were greasy, womanizing, freaks that I wouldn't ever think of associating with. The guys I liked? They were taken or never gave me another look.

I suddenly wished for the Cullens to be here. One look at Emmett or Jasper and that guy wouldn't have even thought to come over. Heck, I'd love to have all the Cullens -even Alice can be scary when she wants to me and Rose probably would have ripped the guy's head off. Not because of me, but just for principle. Carlisle would have looked the other way too while Rose got rid of him and Esme would destract me.

"Wait here," the waiter told me and I nodded. I watched him as he went off to another table and seemed to be taking another order or something. I looked to the drink in my hand and the food on my plate but had completely lost my appetite so I tried to watch the dancing and listen to the amazing swing music instead.

"Ma'am?" I heard the waiter say after a couple of minutes of me trying to relax. I turned and smiled at him, indicating I had heard him.

"If you like, one of our regular groups is right over there," he said, indicating the table he had gone to. "They wouldn't mind at all if you joined them," he continued. I bit my lip. I hated crashing someone else's party but I also didn't want anymore freaks to come up and bug me again. The people at the table the waiter indicated at least looked normal and I liked the dress one of the ladies was wearing.

"You sure?" I asked. The waiter grinned and nodded leading me over to the table with the "regulars".

I took in the table before me. Most of them were probably older than me, but not creepy. They reminded me of my parents and their friends at one of my parents wine dinner parties. I wonder if they have a Mrs. Bell in their group. Imelda Bell was always entertaining at the parties with her non-nosense talk. The more alcohol in her system the more she had to say and it was alway fun. I loved happy drunks. "Hi," I said to the assembled group.

The guy with the receding hair line spoke first although all of them smiled at me. "Was there someone bothering you?" he asked. I nodded, somewhat ashamed that my blow off to the creepy guy didn't work right off the bat. I had tried to tell him no way politely but he wouldn't listen.

"Why don't you sit with us, sweetheart?" one of the ladies said kindly. I nodded and sat down as another lady moved over. Over the course of the rest of the night, my fears about the creepy guy fizzled away and I learned all about the regulars. Most of them had lived in NYC for years and loved the Big Band music as much, if not more, than I did.

At various times, the couples would get up and dance but none of the older couples made me feel like the strange fifth wheel I was. I found out that one of the couples at the table had a daughter who they said "was probably about my age". The proceeded to tell me all about her to which I was grateful. It made me feel like I belonged to their group as they engaged me conversation.

Around nine thirty I had my last mint chocolate martini. As much as I love those things –they were delicious- I did have to drive home tonight. With food, my system would even out pretty quickly, not that I ever got drunk, mind you. I just didn't want to get pulled over and do a breathalyzer.

A couple of the husbands offered to dance with me but I declined. As fun as it would be, I was still a bit too creeped out and enjoyed watching the show more than participating anyway. I got to play purse holder instead which was a decent enough job for me.

At ten, I said my goodbyes. They all offered to walk me out to my car but I knew I was fine now. One of the ladies hugged me and told me to come back and sit with them at any time. I told her I would whenever I managed to get back in town but something was nagging me, telling me I wouldn't be back here for a while.

The streets were still pretty busy and there were still people coming and going. After all, this was NYC and I was in the Theater district. I walked along, feeling better after having sat with all the older couples and listened to the really great Big Band music. I still felt bad though because I had to wonder what was wrong with me that I always attracted the creeps. Was I not as pretty as I thought? I knew I wasn't beautiful like Rosalie but I didn't think I looked creepy. Well, outside the normal goth girl creepiness. Even then, I didn't dress goth every day and I certainly wasn't dressed that way now. So what was wrong with me that these types came to me in droves and yet the types I wanted to hang out with were typically repelled?

I looked up at one point in my thought process and realized I had taken the wrong street and I was one street up from where I needed to be. I turned down the next street only to find it unpopulated and rather dark. Despite that, my instincts actually told me to take it rather than to ignore it. I didn't like ignoring my instincts.

Everything seemed okay until I got about one building and a street away from the parking garage. I heard a noise to my right and saw a small figure almost hovering over what I assumed to be a man curled up in pain or fear. It didn't click as to why until I saw a pale, bony white arm jut out from beneath the small figure's black coat. The way the skin almost glowed in the limited light singled one thing and one thing only: Vampire.

My inner analyst went to work quickly. Given that the Cullens were all in Washington right now and that this vampire, at least from the back, looked nothing like any of them, and given that the Denali's rarely left Alaska –and I'm pretty sure Carlisle or Esme would have one of their cousins check up on me or warn me that they were coming- I doubted I was dealing with a vegetarian vampire. Just as the petite, brown haired vampire looked like he or she was going to pounce on their prey, I decided I had to do something.

Even though I was only human too, I had to do something. I couldn't let an innocent man die because of a vampire. I didn't even think really. I just grabbed my can of barely used hairspray and a lighter I kept in my purse for campfires…and aimed.

What happened next I wasn't entirely sure of. I don't think the petite vampire even realized that he or she was on fire for a couple more seconds. By that time, the man had righted himself and I recognized the signs to see that he was a vampire too. The man was a vampire. He had been crumbled on the pavement before this petite, brown haired…oh fraking way…

I looked at the petite vampire as she lunged for me while she was on fire. Before I could get a good look at her, the other one, for whatever reason, pushed me out of the way and I skidded back on my bum out on to the sidewalk. Great. So much for this dress ever being remotely clean again.

Looking back up, I saw the petite vampire running wildly, screaming. The other vampire just stood out of her way and watched with cool black eyes. After maybe a minute, the screaming stopped and the petite vampire's body fell to the concrete in a puddle as it burned away in a thick purple smoke. As I gazed at the tall male vampire, I realized one thing: Jane was dead and I, a human, killed her.

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**Author's Note:** ….when you recover your jaws (hopefully), I'll be over writing the chapter for my other story. :-) …I do hope you liked it at least….


	12. Chapter 12

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **Wow. I am really astonished by the reviews for this story. Honest. Yes, our Elizabeth is in trouble. Big trouble. I managed to add a link to her playlist for her IPod up on my profile page. It might be easier to get to from there for some of you. I'm going to add a few songs (since she has a lot more than just 30 songs on her IPod) with each new chapter. Hope y'all like this chapter!

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Chapter 12

_Elizabeth had insisted on wearing outfits to the premier. I had no objections to putting on a dress if other people were too. Anna seemed to revel in the idea. So, as those two became excited at the idea of dressing up as elves for Lord of the Rings, I became even more excited. It had been four years since High School for me but I had to drop out of college. I just wasn't able to keep up with my studies due to my illness._

_I tried but I couldn't. Elizabeth had graduated college this summer and now had a career-like job at a local museum. She was doing what she loved for once but still, there was something that told me it wasn't her passion. When I questioned her about it, she'd only say that not many people get to do what they want. I guess she's right in that. Everyone has something that draws them back from what they really would want to do. I just didn't understand what it was for the girl who seemed so strong willed to me. I couldn't see the wall that she said was there and she didn't like to talk about it._

_Instead, the only time I really got to see the Elizabeth I remember from High School was in moments like these. She'd put on her dress; one that she made and dress up everyone else around her if she could. We got to enter her world for a moment where I almost felt anything was possible. I just couldn't see her wall._

_-Estelle __Fate_

Jane was dead. Jane freaking mind witch of the bloody Volturi was dead. And I killed her. With hairspray. Yeah, there is not a vampire around that had an unpleasant run in with the little harpy that wouldn't find the humor in this situation. Well, except maybe the vampire about ten feet away from me, looking at her burning remains as they turned into a big pile of ashes. His jaw was clenched and his fists tight at his sides as he looked at what was left of her with his pitch black eyes.

I was still sitting there, on the sidewalk, in my dress, in a less than graceful or lady-like position. After he closed his eyes, I realized I was still on the ground and pushed myself up quickly. I tried, unsuccessfully to brush the dirt off my skirt and knew I'd just have to wash the thing thirty times in the machine if I ever wanted to wear it again. Ucky New York and their lack of cleanliness.

When I looked up at the vampire again, I saw the flames cast a flickering light on to his face. He was handsome. Drop dead gorgeous, make your knees weak, handsome. His dark mahogany hair came down to his shoulders in waves and he must have been my age or slightly older when he was turned. Of course, he was also probably a human blood drinker and I was a walking blood donation waiting to happen right now.

"Sorry," I blurted out for no particular reason. I guess I was sorry. Sorry that I was most likely the reason his jaw was so tight right now and that his fists were clenched at his sides. For that, I was sorry. I slowly took a step back knowing that the vampire before me could easily over take me in a matter of a half second.

Instead, he smirked. "Name?" he asked me quickly. I could tell he was trying not to breathe.

"Elizabeth," I whispered to him, curious about this vampire. He was quiet again for a few seconds, but before I took another step backwards, he looked at me. His face was stoic as he tried so hard to rebel against his bloodlust, I imagined. I tried to figure out why he wasn't automatically coming after me and I guessed it was because I had gotten rid of Jane who looked like she was about to get rid of him.

"Do you know?" he asked, pointing to the now dimming flames and ashes that once made up Jane, the crown jewel of the Volturi guard. I nodded to him.

"Jane?" I more asked than stated. He raised an eyebrow at me but nodded once, confirming that I had in fact gotten rid of Aro's precious pet. My only thought could be summed up into one word: damn. Not only was part of me proud of myself for getting rid of vile vampire –after all, who actually liked her for anymore than the villain she was in the books?- but another part of me, a far greater part in some ways, was down right terrified. I had majorly screwed up the ending to Eclipse and a good junk of Breaking Dawn. Jane was dead. The Volturi had gotten a significant blow to their guard because of me. Great. Aro would probably be waffling between hiring me and killing me. Caius would totally want me dead. Of course, this was all assuming that the vampire before me didn't kill me first and that the Volturi found out about my disposal of their precious jewel. Yeap, damn.

About then, around five minutes into those whole I killed Jane scenario I know found myself in, I realized my phone was ringing. Actually, I realized it had been ringing every thirty seconds or so since I decided on the flame thrower of Vampire death and I knew who it was. Shaking, my hand went to my purse to pull out the phone. Just as I did so, I felt and saw a pale hand cover my own. I looked up, shocked, to see the dark haired vampire standing over me. He lowered his head towards mine since he was about six two or so and I was only five eight. I thought this was it and briefly wondered if I'd wake up at my little town home tomorrow if I died in this dream. Instead, I felt his lips press against my forehead. "Thank you," he whispered before speeding off into the night. When the phone stopped ringing, I was brought out of my shock.

Quickly, I opened it to start dialing the Cullens only to have it ring again. This time, I answered. "Hello?" my voice cracked. I shook my head and tried to pull myself back into thinking logically.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth, are you alright?" Alice asked me in a worried tone. In all honestly, I hadn't the slightest idea. Physically, I was fine. The black eyed vampire didn't eat me so I was okay in that respect but as I felt the tears prick at the corners of my eyes I knew I was not okay. Not only was I in the Twilight universe, not only were none of my friends and family around, not only was there a good chuck of possibility that I was completely and totally insane, I now could add homicidal vampires to the lists of problems. I wasn't sure, but even if the black eyed gorgeous vampire said nothing, how long would it be before Aro extracted it out of him? I mean, I'm pretty sure Jane wasn't here alone and …

"Elizabeth? Please, I just saw…" Alice started in a beseeching tone.

"Sorry, Alice. I'm here," I managed to get out as the tears started down my cheeks. No, I couldn't cry here. I couldn't turn into a sobbing mess in the middle of NYC. I had to get to Ithaca at least. I had to get home and then I could cry my eyes out.

"What happened?" Alice asked me. I tried to take in a deep breath, pushing the emotions in me away for the time being, but, instead, I got a shallow breath and I realized I was hyperventilating. Damn.

The last time I hyperventilated, I ended up with too much oxygen in my system and it took the doctors a week to figure out the excess oxygen was interfering with my nervous system. I couldn't even walk. It had been hell until my system evened out. I had to calm down. I didn't have a choice.

"I…I don't know. I saw..." I started to blabber. I got to the parking garage and into my car. There, I felt a sense of relief since I was encased in a couple tons of steel and leather. All I wanted to do was get home.

"Okay, Elizabeth. I'm going to put Carlisle on the phone, alright?" Alice asked. A part of me just nodded but by the time I realized I had only made a physical response and not a verbal, Alice had already handed the phone off.

"Elizabeth, it's Carlisle. Alice has given us all a basic description of what has occurred. Where are you right now?" he asked. I looked around, my eyes still watery with tears that I was trying hard to stop.

"In my truck," I answered softly. What had I done? What if Alec comes looking for his sister? What if Jane was here with Felix and Demetri as well? At the end of Eclipse, wasn't it four figures in the smoke? Or was it Jane plus four figures? I couldn't remember.

"Alright, Elizabeth. I want you to listen to me carefully, understand?" Carlisle said gently. My natural inclination was to simply nod but I managed to realize I was on the phone and muttered out a "Yes."

"When you feel that it is safe for you to drive, I want you to return to the house. Either myself or Esme will be there a few hours after you. We will make sure that everything you have gets transported to Washington but I would like for you to come here until," Carlisle started to tell me. Washington? They were going to transport everything to Washington? Esme and/or Carlisle were coming back to Ithaca? My brain started to scream at me and I quickly interrupted Carlisle.

"No!" I said a little louder than I intended. Carlisle immediately fell silent. "I'm sorry, Carlisle. I can't let you do that. You can't get involved. Aro is looking for any excuse right now. Ah need ta jus' get away. Ah need ta make sure nothin' tracks back ta y'all," I said, my accent getting extremely thick. I was worried. I didn't want Aro to somehow track Jane's death to me and then track me back to the Cullens. I needed to run and run quickly. Thank God I had money this time.

"Elizabeth, I'm sure that this can be resolved peacefully if Aro does discover any connection between yourself and Jane's death," Carlisle informed me. I accidentally let out a small sob but quickly covered. Unfortunately, it wasn't quickly enough. "Please, just return to the house and we will discuss this further there," he said softly, almost pleading. Even though Carlisle's voice and tone were nothing like my father's, something in me snapped for a couple of seconds and welled up with a different kind of fear. Those words "we will discuss this" reminded me of a different time and a very different place. A time back before my father figured out he had children and not sailors…

I think Carlisle tried to speak again, but I didn't hear him. Instead, I heard Esme's sweet tones on the phone. "Elizabeth, dear? Are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of worry.

"Sorry," I muttered into the phone, managing to calm myself back down.

"It's alright, sweetheart. I don't think any of us would be doing quiet as well as you are given the situation," Esme told me. I shook my head, trying not to hear the motherly tones in her voice. It didn't matter that Esme, physically, was four years younger than me. Technically, she was old enough to be my great-grandmother. Actually, come to think about it, I think Great-Granny was born around the 1896.

Esme's voice again brought me out of my train of thought. "You need to get back to the house, dear. If for no other reason than you need to pick up Ginsie on Monday, correct?" she asked. Damn. Part of me thought that Ginsie was still just at the house. I'd grab her and run but breaking into the vet's office would be hard. And I couldn't leave her. Just the thought of leaving my pup was far too painful; more so than anything else right now. So yes, the Cullens had me. I'd have to return to the house just to get Miss Ginsie. However, that didn't mean they had to come here.

Of course, it would be too late to protect them. They knew I'd be at the vet's on Monday to pick up the furball. It wasn't exactly hard to stage a stake out if I didn't return home. Aro would be extremely curious as to why the Cullens didn't just pick me up then if they knew where the vampire killer was going to be. Maybe I should change my name to Van Helsing. …but no matter what, I realized in that moment, that if Aro did find out, I was the one that would bring the Volturi against the Cullens.

"Yes," I cracked out from Esme's earlier question.

"We could only find one seat open on the next plane out. It leaves Port Angeles soon so I have to go right now. I will call you the moment I land in Ithaca, alright Elizabeth?" Esme asked. I managed to barely mutter out a coherent "Yes, ma'am" to her.

I think I heard her mention that she was handing me back over to Carlisle but I wasn't sure until I heard his voice again a moment later. "Please, Elizabeth, do not worry right now. Just get home safely and Esme will be there in a few hours. We will all see you later this week," he told me. I continued to fight back the tears. As much as I wanted to see all of them, including Edward and Bella finally, I hadn't wanted it to be like this.

How come my life was so screwed up? Nothing ever happened the way I wanted it. If I wanted something, it always came to me in such a distorted and twisted manner that I no longer recognized it as anything I could have possibly wanted. Yes, I had playfully dreamed of meeting the Cullens, but not at the price of never seeing my family and friends again, or at the price of my own sanity. Yes, I had wanted to kill Jane, but who didn't? Yes, I wanted to see my favorite vampire family again, but not with this threat looming before us. I didn't want to drag them into the confrontation before it's time….and yet here I was, screwing things up. Because my life was screwed up.

"Ah'll…Ah'll wait for Esme," I whispered before we said our goodbyes. Once I closed the phone, I allowed myself to just sit there in the driver's side of my truck and cry. I knew I couldn't keep it all in on the drive back so I had to let at least some of it out now.

As I thought on the night's events, all I could do, really, is pray that the oh-so-handsome vampire I helped to save wouldn't breathe a word of this to anyone…and that the rest of the guard didn't recognize his scent.

Once I held on to that hope, I managed to calm myself enough to pull out of the parking garage and head home. A few tears escaped on the way home. I cursed my IPod and my lack of XM radio because the former liked to play nothing but soft, slow, sad songs despite it being on shuffle and the latter didn't work. If it did, I would do nothing but listen to the comedy stations all the way home. Right now, listening to various songs from the Phantom of the Opera was not helping. At all.

Of course, turning the IPod off altogether wasn't going to be a good idea either so I just became quite good and pressing next and skipping over songs that I just couldn't handle hearing right now, like Under the Bridge. I needed silly songs, ridiculousness, right now. When Brian Setzer came on, it helped a lot. Of course, I could also just press for my CD's and listen to the Twilight soundtrack or Big Bad Voodoo Daddy over and over again.

The drive seemed to stretch on endlessly the closer I got to home. Home. Whether for good or ill, that's what this was to me now. My townhome in Greenbelt never really was a home. It was were I lived and kept my stuff. My parents' house in Bethesda was more of home to me. I could just smell the sugar ham and the green beans that my Mom was probably going to make for Easter next week. In 2006, Easter fell on the 16th, next Sunday. In 2009, it was going to be on the 12th. Today was the 7th..or 8th given it was now past midnight. I bet she had bought all the chocolate bunnies already and that her dog, Shiloh, had eaten at least one. He did have a way of getting into such things.

Slowly, I pulled into the driveway of the Cullens home and barely managed to get my driver's side door open. I felt the tears pull at my eyes as I almost blindly made it to the house. I closed and locked the door behind me before pulling myself to the living room. Once there, I felt the floodgates open and collapsed into a heap in the middle of the floor.

I wasn't upset about killing Jane and that, in itself, upset me. I had destroyed someone utterly and yet I couldn't bring myself to feel anything other than…joy over their death. That made me sick. How could I possibly feel joy over killing another person? She may have been a sadistic mind witch that had hurt my family and would try to hurt them again in the future but she was still a person..or vampire at least. She had family and now I've destroyed her.

What I was more upset about, and the reason I had turned into nothing more than a bundle of shaking frayed nerves in the middle of Esme's beautiful living room was that I was worried I had made things worse for my vampire family. Granted, they weren't _my _family but they were my favorite vampire family.

I had changed the books. Making small changes wasn't that big a deal but changing it in this drastic a manner? Jane wouldn't be there to destroy Bree after Victoria's army descends upon the Cullens and the werewolves. The other four cloaked figures –or was it three?- were still out there. They would find Jane's ashes and immediately set to tracking down who ever killed her. My only hope was that Demetri's powers worked like Edward had stated in the books – he caught the aura of a persons mind and found them that way. If he didn't know the scent, hopefully, he couldn't catch the unknown mind. That was all I could pray for right now.

I heard the front door open with a key so I knew it was someone who belonged here. In my current state, I don't think I had the strength to get up from my curled up position on the floor. I had stopped sobbing a while ago and was more or less staring blankly at the coffee table and beyond. Two cool arms surrounded me and held me close to her.

"Oh, Elizabeth, we'll figure this out," Esme told me as she held me to her side. She had rushed in and came straight towards me after opening the door.

"Ah'm sorry, Esme," I whispered as I sat there, still curled up.

"Shh…it will be alright, dear. We will figure this out," she told me, brushing my hair from my face. Gently, she moved my head to look at her. "Now, why don't you go get a hot shower, get into more comfortable clothes, and Alice mentioned to me something about watching the Princess Bride and the Holy Grail for the rest of the night?" she stated with a smile. I couldn't help but smile back at her suggestion. The Princess Bride had been one of my favorite movies since I was eight or nine and the Holy Grail couldn't help but make me laugh.

Helping me up, Esme gently squeezed my hand and lead me to her and Carlisle's bathroom. "When you are finished, we'll watch the movies and I'll make you popcorn, alright?" she asked. I nodded.

"Extra butter, please," I said absent mindedly as I turned the hot water on. Esme broke into another smile.

"Extra butter it is," she said almost happily before leaving me relax in the constant beat of the hot water.

The warmth that enveloped me in the form of the shower's spray helped to take away all the worry, sadness, and depression I was feeling. I became resigned if anything. So what if this was a very screwed up hallucination or dream? There was little, it seemed, that I could do about it after three weeks of being here. I then felt determined. If Aro and his henchmen did try to extract revenge on me because of my destruction of Jane, then I'd be prepared. I mentally tabulated a list of ingredients for things like homemade napalm and other bomb making equipment. Yes, a knife or a gun might not do anything to a vampire but pretty much anything that started a nasty fire clearly did. And I was good with fire. Way too much time hanging around the agents at work and other firearms professionals. Not to mention every single youtube video I had to watch about making bombs to see if there were any threats implied in them. Although, the homemade rocket launcher was totally awesome…

When the only thing I still felt bad about was not feeling bad about killing Jane, I shut off the water, got my PJs, my pink robe with blue stars and even my Strawberry Shortcake slippers before heading downstairs. Seeing Esme already on the sofa in the living room with the popcorn and a can of ginger ale made me smile a bit. She immediately came up to me, smiling still, and wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

"Now, we can watch whatever you want to watch," she told me as she lead me over to the sofa. I shook my head.

"The Princess Bride sounds great, Esme," I told her. Giving my shoulders a slight squeeze, she pulled away only to let me sit down and for her to grab the remote to start the movie.

The familiar sounds of the old 8-bit Nintendo system came over the state-of-the-art speaker system and it made me relax. This was old, familiar. I loved it. Gently, Esme pushed the popcorn between us and the ginger ale into my hand.

"You need to drink, sweetheart. I don't want you to get dehydrated," she told me. Granted, that probably would be a problem given how much I've cried to night. I felt ashamed for causing such a mess and for crying so much. I should be stronger than that. I should take this head on and not be such a …baby about it. Sighing, I popped open the can and in a less than lady like fashion gulped down the soda a bit too quickly. Before I could apologize for being rude and gulping, I found the empty can gone and a new, cold, ginger ale in its place. I looked at Esme.

"Just watch the movie, dear," she told me. I smirked slightly and turned back to see the "As you wish" scene. I really needed to make a surcote like Buttercup's at some point….

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**Author's Note:** So...ummm..Mr. Blackeyes? Don't worry, he'll be back. :-) …as I'm thinking up what to do with him, I'm really starting to like him.


	13. Chapter 13

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **I'm really trying to get to a point where most of this is out of my head. :-) That's why the multiple updates. I'll be on vacation next week too (Pennsic! Here I come!) so there will be at least a ten day pause starting on the 30th.

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Chapter 13

_I wasn't sure what to expect. I was told to wait in the stark white room with the horrible plastic uncomfortable chairs until we were all given permission to go back. I didn't want to talk to the boy I didn't know or Sara, who I thought should be in here instead. Looking for Anna, I waited, nodding blindly to anything Sara said. _

"_I hope she still has my paints," Sara told us. "I gave her my paint set the other day, before they moved her here. She said she wanted to paint and color," the strange chubby girl with curly golden brown hair continued. I remembered in High School how svelte she had been. Of course, no after school sports anymore meant that we had all started to gain weight. I wasn't exactly a tiny 27" waist anymore either._

_I sighed, while we waited. When Anna came in, I did smile and got up to greet her. I saw her eyes and knew she felt the same way I did; uncomfortable. We were the only two sane ones in the asylum outside of the doctors it seemed. This boy that came along didn't seem anymore _there_ than Sara did. All either one of us wanted was for Estelle to get better but how was that possible with so much illness around her? When the doctors themselves admitted to not know exactly what was wrong?_

_As the nurse lead us back to the locked off part of the hospital, I prepared myself for the worse. How could our Estelle with her constant smiling face possibly be put behind locked doors? The nurse warned us not to look anyone in the eyes or to do anything but follow her back to the room. I bit down my nerves and decided to do exactly what she asked. Unfortunately, Sara didn't._

_One of the patients that was freely walking around the hallway in nothing more than hospital issued PJ's and slippers, came up to Sara when she must have raised her head. "Do you have oreos? I love oreos! Give me all your oreos!" the person said to her. I don't think the nurse noticed as she turned down another hallway._

"_I uh..," Sara stuttered, rolling her shoulders forward and trying to back up. She was heading to a wall where I could see another not so sane person starting to stand up. She was trapped and I knew Sara would not be bright enough –or rather logical enough- to talk her way out of this._

_I grabbed Sara by the arm and made sure not look the cookie loving crazy in the eye. "There are oreos at the nurses station. Go get them," I ordered and quickly pulled Sara away, causing her to stumble._

"_Thanks," she muttered after a few seconds. I glared at her. Did she not know that we weren't dealing with the gentle mentally ill here? Did she not see the locked off doors? Rather than say anything, I just huffed and went down the hallway the nurse had gone down a few seconds before. I saw her, starting to head this way, and motioned for Sara to join me. _

_Slowly, I built up hope in myself but also prepared myself for the worst. I didn't know what was to come but either way, I knew something was going to happen. So, I took a deep breath and stepped inside the plain white room to see Estelle for the first time since she was declared insane._

_-Elizabeth's POV __Kismet_

I woke up with a start. Glancing around the room, I realized I was back in Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, where I had been sleeping for the past three weeks. Sighing, I collapsed back. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was the clucking of coconuts. Esme must have carried me upstairs. It seemed funny that a woman, who, physically, was younger and smaller than me in every way, could pick up all 155 pounds of me and plop me down in bed without waking me up once.

The dream I had last night was again in this city I go to sometimes when I sleep. It's not really a reoccurring dream as much as a reoccurring place. I could tell you everything you ever wanted to know about it; from the stores at the mall to the various neighborhoods. Sometimes it was located on the west coast and sometimes the east, but it was always there that I found myself.

Last night, I was down at the beach, near the Oceanside college that was in this city. I was being careful, building a bonfire around me but being careful not to burn myself. I just wanted to see the flames around me and protect me from Demetri. I didn't ever see his face but I knew that it was him. He would try to get to me but either the fire would scorch him or he would otherwise miss me.

When he gave up and left, I let the fires burn down enough for me to leave quickly. I ran all the way to Forks which, mysteriously, was right next door to my city. As I approached the nice white house the Cullens owned - that looked nothing like the house in the movie- I felt someone lurking in the shadows. Rather than run into the home and get the Cullens involved, I just kept running…into a mall. It was there I accidently bumped back into the black eyed vampire I had saved.

It was right about then I woke up. Part of me wanted to go back to sleep but another part of me desperately wanted to get ready and go to church. I needed all the prayers I could get right now and God might listen a bit more if I bothered to give him an hour out of my week.

I flipped my legs over the edge of the bed and instantly missed Miss Ginsie. I really wish I could go pick her up today but with the vet being closed, there was little I could do. I'd just pick her up first thing Monday morning and cover her with kisses. I wanted my puppy, darn it.

Getting ready for the day, I put on a simple broomstick skirt and sweater. Looking outside, I groaned. It was raining. It was cold and it was raining. Why couldn't it snow if it was going to be cold? At least snow you could play with or brush off; rain wasn't that kind.

I hopped down the stairs and smelt the most delicious breakfast I had smelt in a long while. I closed my eyes and let the smell of eggs, bacon, and maybe pancakes? assail my senses. As I opened my eyes, I saw Esme come out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and looking very domestic. I smiled at her.

"Oh good, I was just about to wake you. I hope you are hungry, Elizabeth," she told me. I nodded and came down the last step.

Esme wrapped an arm around my shoulder again and guided me to the kitchen. "I wasn't sure what you liked for breakfast so I made a little bit of almost everything, dear," she told me, giving me that worried Mom look. I looked over the entire island in the kitchen and knew there was no way I could eat everything. Not only was there scrambled eggs, bacon, and waffles; there was also real hash browns, sausages, and even chipped beef and gravy. I had no idea what I wanted more. I think I even saw grits on the stove. This was breakfast food heaven.

"Esme, this is too much! It looks all so delicious, I don't know what to try first," I told her truthfully.

Esme laughed at me gently as she moved to hand me a plate. "Well, what are your favorites normally?" she asked me, curious.

I bit my lip and thought. Really, I didn't have a favorite. I loved my Mom's cooking. Anything that didn't have something I was allergic to in it was my favorite. I looked over to Esme as I sat down at the counter. "Everything?" I more asked than stated. She laughed again.

"Well, why don't you try everything first and then, if you don't like it, we can throw it away. If you do like it, I think some of this will keep until tomorrow," she said, furrowing her brow in thought as she looked over all the food she made. I nodded.

"You don't mind if we save some of this for later?" I asked her.

"Of course not, dear. Now, eat up. We need to pack up your things so we can be ready to get on the road tomorrow after we pick up your Ginsie," she said gently. I nodded again and dug into the waffles…chocolate chip waffles at that with strawberries on the side. Yes, this was breakfast food heaven. If my stomach never got full I don't think I could ever stop eating because it all tasted divine.

After my second bite of hash browns –which tasted exactly like how my Mom made them- I looked at the clock. I had about a half hour before church.

"Esme?" I asked.

"Yes?" she replied, turning to face me. She had been cleaning up the kitchen; not that it was dirty. I had cleaned it just yesterday.

"Do you mind if I head out for church? I don't want to miss Mass," I told her.

"Would you like me to come?" she asked, sincerely. It would be funny if I took a vampire to church. Part of me wanted to see that nothing would happen for myself; although how anything good could possibly even think to harm Esme…well, nothing good could. Esme was too kind to be anything but good herself.

I nodded once. Really, I did want her to come. Not just for the humor but more so because I wanted someone else with me. There was still some irrational fear in me that something would happen. I knew that having or not having Esme with me wouldn't make that much of a difference but having the mothering vampire next to me did seem to help calm me down. "But you don't have to if you don't want to," I told her.

Gently, she took my hand and squeezed it. "I'd love to come," she told me. It wasn't too much longer before I found myself driving with Esme to the Immaculate Conception church in the middle of Ithaca. It was a pretty old stone church with a lovely rose window. I tended to drift in and out of listening to the priest and admiring the stained glass. Of course, I did that at most churches so that wasn't too much of a big deal. Well, I knew I should listen but it was hard when I, half the time, had a better grasp on the gospel than the priest did. Part of the problem of having translated the entire New Testament from Ancient Greek into English, courtesy of Sister Mary Teresa in college.

I didn't remember much of the Greek anymore, I was always better with the Latin, but I still remembered the translations. Still, it gave me a better respect for what was written nearly two thousand years ago and how to adapt it into the modern world. I was just bad at it. Had I broken pretty much all the commandments now or does killing sadistic vampires not count?

I guess it might go under self defense sort of. I was killing her to protect another; well, many other really. Not only would she no longer be able to kill the vampire I saw last night with the gorgeous mahogany hair, but she was not able to kill any other humans ever again either. Still, "Thou shalt not kill" was one of the commandments. I think the only ones I had left not to break were the "Thou shalt not worship false gods" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery". I don't think I've coveted anyone's wife so I was good on that one too. The rest, I was pretty screwed.

We sat in the middle of church but towards the outer end to the pew. I only listened half heartedly to the homily the priest gave. Rather than paying attention, I thought on the vampire I saw last night and prayed that the rest of the Volturi guard wouldn't know him so they couldn't find him. I didn't want the life I saved to be forfeit just a few hours later. I also didn't want the guard to find me but I had a feeling I could take care of myself. Maybe it was that dream last night.

I smiled slightly as I watched Esme take her cues from me as to when to sit, kneel, or stand. To me, this was all second nature. To her, this was probably entirely new. If Carlisle had been Anglican, maybe Esme had been Presbyterian? Some of this may be familiar then unless she had not gone to church at all since becoming a vampire and had no human memories of Sunday service.

I whispered for her to wait during communion. Given that I had just killed the night before, I stayed with her. I had committed a pretty grave sin even if it was for a decent reason. I knew we wouldn't have time for penance –something I hadn't been to in years- so I hoped that maybe I could either talk to the priest right after mass or maybe just wait until we were in Forks. It may seem silly to most people anymore, but right now my faith was one of the few things keeping anything resembling sanity.

After mass, I managed to get as far as the back of the church before one of the little old ladies and a couple of her friends stopped me. "Elizabeth!" she said welcomingly. "How are you, sweetheart?" the grandmother before me asked. She leaned on her cane for support. "And who is this you have with you?" she asked again as she took in Esme.

"Umm, this is my sister, Esme," I stated, praying again. This time it was that Esme would play along. Right now saying she was my sister made as much sense as anything else.

"Oh! How do you do, Esme? You're sister here is quite talented around electronics," the older looking woman stated. I'm pretty sure I blushed a bit. I saw the priest, out of the corner of my eye, shaking hands with everyone as they left. I had some time.

"We had heard that she was doing well with her computer business," Esme beamed. It was amazing to hear the amount of…pride? in her voice for someone I had really only known for a few weeks. It didn't help with my blush any, I'm sure.

"Oh, I'm sure. I have never scene anything like her in all my years. Tell me, do you live around here?" the woman asked Esme.

"I use to but I've moved to the west coast with my husband and children," Esme told her truthfully. She put an arm around my shoulder and gave me a slight squeeze. "I didn't like living out there and having my sister by herself back here so I've come to take her home with me," she continued. I looked down when the older woman's face fell.

"Oh, really? We will miss her greatly. It's so rare to find a young person nowadays that is so polite and willing to come to church on their own," the older woman bemoaned.

I offered a half smile to the woman as she gently reached for and squeezed my hand. "At least you will be with your family. There is nothing more important in this world then the loving arms of the ones that know you best, dear," the grandmother stated. I managed, barely, to hide the pain from my eyes. Here, I was an unknown, for now. I still had to figure out a way to give Edward and Bella the books. That seemed so…secondary now with Jane dead. At least the first two would be what has already occurred. Now with Jane gone though, how would the story re-write itself?

"It was lovely to meet you too, dear. Please, take care of your lovely sister," the grandmother told Esme.

"It was nice to meet you as well. I promise to look after her," Esme told her. As the little old lady left, Esme turned to me and smiled. "Are you ready to go home?" she asked. I nodded.

"Do mind if I speak with the priest quickly, though?" I asked. If she did, I'd wait until Forks. There had to be a Catholic Church somewhere there…

"Of course not, dear. Do you want me to wait here?" she asked. I looked around the almost empty church.

"If you want. I don't think I'll be too long," I told her. Esme gave my hand another squeeze and went to admire the stained glass windows up close. I quickly went to the back of the church and looked for the priest. He was just retreating back to the rectory, I suppose, when I saw him. Figuring I couldn't exactly embarrass myself too badly given that I wouldn't even been here next week, I called out, "Father?"

The priest turned to me and smiled. I easily caught up with the older man. Standing in front of him, I bit my lip. I hated asking favors from anyone but I knew it would be better for my conscious if I just went through confession. "How are you?" he asked in greeting. It always struck me as an odd greeting between strangers. What are you going to say? My cat died, my grandmother ran off to Vegas, and she went with my boyfriend but I'm peachy? No one really wants to know how you are.

"Do you have time for confession?" I asked, hopefully. I saw the priest's face become concerned and I looked down. "I'm leaving tomorrow on a road trip of sorts and I don't know when I'll have the time again," I told him as truthfully as I could. I didn't want to lie to a priest.

"Of course, child," he said, guiding me back into the church and into one of the tiny confessional rooms. Although the option for the screen was still there like in the days prior to Vatican two, the face to face was also available. Since he already saw me, I didn't see the point of the screen and sat across from the priest.

"Forgive me, father, for I have sinned. It has been way too long since my last confession," I told him. Technically, it probably was only two days from now given that it was right before Easter and 2006 but he didn't need to know that part. I think I heard the priest choke down a laugh at the admission. When I looked up, I saw him smiling.

"What have you done that you believed you have sinned, child?" he asked me gently.

As a force of habit, I bit my lip again and looked down at my hands. I wove my fingers together. "I have killed," I whispered. The priest's voice lost all traces of humor when he spoke again.

"Killing is a grave sin, my dear. May I understand the circumstances involving this death?" he asked. I nodded.

"I saw only a girl, young, but she was hovering over a man who looked like he was in pain. I couldn't see her face but I could see she was posed to kill him so…I killed her," I got out. A tear escaped from my eye and fell on to my folded hands.

"Then you killed her to protect the man she was going to kill?" he asked. I nodded.

"I know that killing is a sin but I could not stand by and let her hurt another," I said.

"And the man you saved?" he asked curiously.

"He was able to get up and walk away when I saw him last," I told him. I didn't want to mention that either were vampires and that it was just Jane using her powers that caused him to crumble like that.

"Killing is a sin but saving a life is the greatest gift we can truly give to one another," he started. I looked up at him to see the older priest smiling softly again. "What you did was not murder, dear. You saved a life. It would have been better to have found a way to not take one in it's place but such are the facts as they may lay," he told me. "Have you spoken with the police, yet?" he asked. I shook my head. No police would believe me since there was no body to dispose of. The fire had taken care of that.

"Hmm, if you need support, please, let me come with you to the station. I take it this did not happen here?" he asked. I shook my head again.

"My sister will go with me," I whispered. I hated lying to the priest but what choice did I have? Hopefully God will forgive me for this small white lie. Those I didn't mind so much.

"Alright then, child. What I want you to do is go the station and admit to the death. Although taking another life is never a good thing, I believe, in this case, you maybe justified since it was taken in saving another. Please, find the man that you saved and see if he is willing come with you to help your case before the police," he told me. I blankly nodded.

"I know you are scared, child. You are very brave to confess to anyone. But now that you have confessed to me so that God might see you are truly sorry for your actions, I ask that you confess to the police so that all might know the truth of what happened, okay?" he asked. I looked up and nodded again, tears flowing down my face. He silently offered me a tissue which I gratefully took.

"Now, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, do I absolve you of your sins. Go in peace, child," he told me as he got up.

"Thanks be to God," I said automatically after making the sign of the cross. I hurried out of the confessional and went immediately to Esme's side. Her face fell when she saw I had been crying again. I really was being too weak over this.

"Oh, Elizabeth, dear," she said before pulling me into a hug. I immediately started to cry again. Too weak. Too human.

"Why don't I drive home and make you some hot tea?" Esme asked as she pulled back. I nodded again, not wanting to speak. Slowly, Esme guided me to my truck and let me get in. She took my keys and drove the way home.

When we got to the house and went inside, there was only one thought on my mind. "I want Ginsie," I muttered noticing the surprising lack of tail-wagging when we came in.

Esme laughed lightly. "We'll get her tomorrow when we start out on our road trip," she told me as she busied herself in the kitchen with all the making of hot tea. I sighed and slumped myself down on one of the barstools, resting my head on the counter. I was still full from breakfast earlier.

After sipping at my tea, Esme and I sat down to watch yet another movie. This time Die Hard was on. I needed something with lots of explosions. Although seeing all the fire and dead people probably should make me sad, there was just something about it that made me feel slightly more normal. I definitely identified better with the movie now. I was an ex-FBI analyst now, the main character was a cop. He knew how to deal with terrorists, I knew how to deal the vampire terrorists. He felt bad about dragging his family into the mess, and so did I.

After that, we packed up my things, loaded up my car, and made sure I hadn't forgotten anything more than my clothing for tomorrow, my pink overnight bag, and my bag of necessary bling plus my toothbrush. I called it a night sometime after Extreme Makeover: Home Addition. I wasn't surprised Esme liked that show too. We both commented on which themes we liked and which we didn't…and why. It was almost as good as critiquing bad costuming in a Hollywood "Renaissance" film. Almost.

Before I put my head to the pillow, I tried to think of yet another way out of this. Bring the Volturi down on the Cullens pre-maturely –and in these circumstances- wouldn't help anything. I needed to find a way out and I needed it now.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I *think* Mr. Blackeyes will be back in the next chapter. This means I'm going to actually have to name him. Darn. Anyone got a particular country of origin they like so I can figure out what book to go dig through for an appropriate period name? I'm thinking Gabriel for now….


	14. Chapter 14

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **Ummm…remember the whole "trying to get this out of my head" thing? Yeah. Still doing that. I'm really trying to get to one scene in particular and then I'll stop. Maybe. Elizabeth just keeps talking and talking…for someone who is normally rather quiet she really is loquacious.

* * *

Chapter 14

_I had been arguing with Elizabeth's dad over some politics. I didn't even notice how pale Elizabeth turned and how weak her voice sounded until she asked me if I wanted to go upstairs instead. When I looked at her, she wasn't the strong, defiant woman I knew. She looked…scared. _

_I followed her eyes to her father who was smirking and shaking his head. It didn't seem like an unreasonable reaction to me for someone who disagreed but Elizabeth's eyes weren't their normal green. They looked almost gray in the living room's dim light. _

"_Please?" she begged of me, stealing glances at her father. I nodded and followed. I wasn't sure as to why, but our Rogue was clearly terrified of the man she called Dad._

_-Estelle __Fate_

I was happy when I woke up. Well, maybe happy wasn't the right word but there was something joyous about waking up on a Monday and realizing you don't have to go to work. Ever. I guess I was only 30 years old and retired. This would be totally awesome if it were for the things like a group of human killing vampires possibly on your tail and not having millions of dollars of assets at your disposal. Okay, so, technically I did have the latter; there was just no way I was going to let the Cullens take care of me like that. I needed to show that I could take care of myself, no matter what.

After pulling my hair back in a braid and getting dressed in my jeans and layers of t-shirts and a sweatshirt, I hopped down the stairs to greet Esme this morning. She smiled at me when I saw her. She was busy taking down information –for what, I didn't know- and talking on the phone. Quickly, I mouthed the words that I was going to pick up Ginsie and be right back. She nodded solemnly.

When I stepped closer, I noticed she was taking down hotel information. Based on the map she had up on the computer and the list of cities, it looked like we were traveling almost in a straightish line from here to Washington. Seeing as we were passing through Idaho, a part of me wondered if we could head through the southern part and see if my old house was there from when I was small. We only lived there for a couple of years but I still remembered the big yellow house with the playhouse outback and my "horse" who was nothing more than a pony. I wanted to see if it was there or if it too didn't exist.

Esme offered me a smile and placed a hand over the receiver. "Be careful, dear. I should have everything booked when you get back," she told me. I nodded. It seemed odd that someone who never slept was booking hotel rooms but I didn't argue. It would be nice to at least get out of the car every night and sleep in a real bed. I'd just try to be quicker than Esme and pay for the rooms since they were for my benefit anyway. Hopefully, none of them were too expensive.

I nodded and grabbed my keys to the truck along with my wallet. We had packed up everything yesterday. Thinking about that, I ran back up the stairs and brought down my overnight bag filled with my bag of bling. I held it up as way of explanation for Esme. She smiled and waved goodbye to me as I went outside.

I opened the back door first and made sure there was enough room for Miss Ginsie before throwing the overnight bag in. It looked like I had left plenty of room. She had her little bed and I kept her travel bowl in the center consul so she should be okay. I think Esme would be driving, mostly, and I'd be in the passenger side. Everything looked okay as far as packing went but I couldn't help but feel something nagging me like something else was out there or I forgot something.

I sighed. It wasn't like I wasn't coming back in a few minutes so forgetting something wasn't that big a deal. I got into the driver's side and started the truck, ready to head on my way to pick up the pup when I heard the passenger side door open. I turned my head curiously and my breath caught. It was not Esme who got in but the mysterious vampire I had saved in New York only days ago.

"Drive," he ordered. How had he found me? He looked behind us and ordered me again. "Drive!" Automatically, I did what he said. After all, he was a vampire and I didn't exactly have easy access to flame throwing materials in my car right now. At least not to any that wouldn't hurt me as well.

As I pealed out of the Cullens driveway, I swore I saw Esme on the front porch, looking on in horror. The long, dark-haired vampire turned around and grimaced. I was slightly surprised that Esme didn't follow the truck but running after me might give way the secret.

"Turn here," he ordered again. I clenched my teeth.

"No," I answered, knowing that upsetting a non-vegetarian vampire wasn't the brightest of ideas but I be damned if I wasn't going to go pick up my pup, just like I said.

"No?" he asked, confused.

"No," I answered again. I waited a couple of seconds before saying anything else, his eyes on me the entire time. "I am going to pick up my dog, just like I told Esme. You do not just barge in and demand me to drive like that. I don't care what you are, I am not your driver," I told him as my anger built. I did NOT like seeing Esme in pain whatsoever.

He smirked lightly, his drop dead gorgeous pale face returning to the windshield. "Esme, hm?" he asked. I nodded once, my lips tight together as my anger continued to build. How dare he try something like this! What did he want with me anyway? If he just wanted to talk, I'd have been more than happy to invite him in…after picking up my pup.

"Is she how you know of our existence?" he asked me lightly, almost playfully. I shot him a quick glare, noticing that his eyes were now bright red and not pitch black.

"I fail to see how that is any of your concern right now," I told him as I returned my gaze to the road in front of me. I turned down another street, about halfway to the vet's office.

"It is greatly my concern, and yours as well, when the rest of the Volturi guard are after me," he stated. My face must have paled because he spoke again. "Ah, yes, so you do know of them. You know a great deal more than you should, cara mia. They won't take kindly to that," he said, playing with one my CD cases now.

"Stop that," I swatted at him which got me a half hearted smile. It was quiet until I pulled up at the vet's. I parked, turned off the truck, and then shifted to look at this gorgeous but downright annoying vampire.

"Look," I started to which I immediately got his attention. I felt nervous, mainly because this is basically a vampire that just pretty much kidnapped me even though I doubted he'd hurt me. He could have done so easily by now. It wasn't like he couldn't survive a car crash.

Looking down, I continued. "I'm going inside to pick up my pup. Once she's in the car, we'll discuss this more," I said. I took a deep breath and looked back up at him. "If the guards are after you then they are probably going to come after me too. I don't want them to hurt Esme or any of the rest of her family, alright?" I asked softly. He nodded once.

"Go, retrieve your pet. I will wait," he told me. I nodded and got out of the car to go pay the vet and hug Miss Ginsie endlessly. I hated not having the one…well…creature around that knew who I was and loved me anyway. She may not really be sentient but she was my pup and she knew me.

The vet's office was filled with various dog and cat pictures and had the normal linoleum flooring that all vet's seemed to have. The girl at the counter looked at me and smiled. "Are you here to pick someone up?" she asked chipperly. She was way too happy for me right now. Of the many things I was at this moment, happy was not one of them.

"Yes, Miss Ginsie?" I said, resting my arms on the counter. The chipper girl typed away in the computer.

"Last name, please?" she asked, looking at the computer screen.

"Bruin," I stated. "B-R-U-I-N," I continued. It had been my mother's last name which made it easy to remember and nothing too suspicious.

She typed again into the computer and broke out into a smile. "Oh yes! The cute dog with white fur?" she said. I nodded. "Great!" she exclaimed and printed off a receipt. She circled the total for me and was ready to swipe a credit card but I handed her cash instead. "Oh," she said, looking disappointed. It was almost like she didn't know what to do with the green paper. Her lips formed a thin line as she actually typed the total into the cash register and handed me my change silently. "I'll go get Ginsie for you," she said, her early perky voice returning.

I looked behind me to the truck and saw the gorgeous but infuriating vampire still sitting there, waiting. He must be rather old if he can put up with a blood bag like me near him for any length of time. He was breathing on the way over and didn't seem to be in pain. Granted, he wasn't hungry anymore –which was not something I wanted to think about- but I doubt anything more than an older vampire could really deal with me. Just look at poor Jasper!

"Here you are!" the chipper girl gushed as she handed me the leash. I took it readily and bent down to hug my pup and give her a kiss. Ginsie wagged her entire body when she saw me.

"Hello, pup," I said to which she gave me a kiss. I laughed easily but could feel the tears forming in my eyes as I thought on all the events that had happened since I last saw her furry face. "I missed you too, sweetie," I told her as I picked her up and gave her another kiss.

"Thanks," I muttered before leaving the vet's office and heading back to the truck.

"Bye!" the chipper girl squeaked as I opened the door. I took a deep breath and went back out to my doom. A handsome man who just happened to have kidnapped me and also happened to be a vampire. Yeap, doom.

I opened the back door and put her in before climbing into the driver's side.

"Now that you have retrieved your zibellina, may we go some place other than your Esme's home to speak?" he asked with humor in his voice. I glared at him before starting the car.

"Ginsie is not a flea fur," I grumbled. He looked startled at this and stared at me.

I shot him another glare as I backed out of the space and took off towards the dog park I had been to three weeks ago when I first got here; before I knew I was in the Twilightverse.

"You know what zibellino means?" he asked incredulously. I nodded once.

"I'm human, not an idiot," I quickly countered. Of course, most American humans probably wouldn't have a clue as to what a zibellino was. I only knew because I wanted to make one to go with one of my 16th century gowns I had created.

"Of no offense was meant, tersorina," he said quietly. "I did not believe the term to still be in use and clearly not known to those whose tongue was English," he continued sadly. The way he spoke was also old fashioned. It was almost similar to the syntax that Carlisle used but not quite.

Everything was quiet, except for an occasional growl from Ginsie, as we sped towards the dog park. "So," I said after about four minutes or so, "talk."

"How much do you know of the Volturi guard and of the Volturi themselves?" he asked curiously. I grimaced. I didn't want to answer but I also knew if I didn't, he might not answer any of my questions.

"Enough," I stated.

"Enough?" he echoed. I nodded again in response.

"Hmm," he mused while the pretended to play with a long since absent beard. I was glad that it was gone because it would have hidden too much of his face.

"You knew of Jane's…ability?" he asked. I nodded again. Before even I knew what I was doing I snuck a glance at him.

"She could make you think you were on fire," I whispered in response. His eyes grew wide for a moment, or so it looked out of the corner of my own eye.

"Yes, she could," he told me, emotion betraying his voice.

He was quiet for about a minute before asking me the next question. "Then you know of Alec? And Demetri as well, I assume?" he asked. I nodded in response.

"Good," he said as he rested his head against the passenger seat. "Then this should not be as hard to explain as I had prepare," he told me. I pulled into the parking lot at the small dog park and shut the truck off before turning towards him expectantly.

He sighed and leaned back against the seat again, closing his eyes. "Do you mind rolling down the windows? It is getting rather…hard," he whispered. Immediately, I did as he requested. Even though it couldn't have been higher than maybe 35 out, I made sure all the windows were rolled down and even opened the sunroof. He opened one eye and smirked at me.

"You are not afraid that your…dog may escape?" he asked. I shook my head.

"She won't run," I told me. We both ignored Miss Ginsie's soft growls from the back seat as he continued.

"I have never heard of a human killing a vampire before," he said with a bit of a laugh. "At least not intentionally. Perhaps in a war with bombs and the like, but not in your manner," he stated. I rolled my eyes and shivered. It was freezing outside but it was either turning blue or risking the human-drinking vampire drinking me. I looked around and saw my blanket tucked away in the back. Before I could reach it, I saw it offered before me.

"Thank you," I whispered. He nodded and then continued on with his story as I wrapped myself tightly in the fleece.

"Sunday came and with it came Demetri," the vampire informed me. He peeked one eye open to gauge my reaction, I suppose, but I was too curious as to what brought him to kidnapping me to really be shocked.

"He had found me not far from one of the more crime ridden neighborhoods. How you humans cause such vile acts against your own kind is far behind my comprehension," he muttered. I simply gave him another glare before he continued. Not that I disagreed, really.

"He is use to having a great deal of back up but is quicker than many of the other guards. I knew I did not have long before either Felix or Alec came to help deal with me," the pale, mahogany haired vampire told me. "The only way I could think of to get away was to take what…remained of my meal and unfortunately throw a piece at him," he said. I bit back the bile that rose in my throat. That was not a mental image I needed no matter how lacking it was in description. He had killed a human and tore the remains. Not something I want to think about outside a horror movie.

"My apologies, tesorina," he whispered. Gently, he took my hand and kissed the top of it. "The man was not a good soul such as yours," he continued. I only shook my head slightly, trying to rid myself of the mental image.

"Continue," I said as he gave me my hand back. I clutched at my blanket more tightly. "Please," I added quickly.

"It distracted him. I was able to lose myself in the human maze of the subway system quickly. It was then I decided to try and find you, to warn you of them. For if they found me, I had little doubt they might find the human that saved my existence as well," he said with a slight smile.

I bit my lip in thought as I gazed blankly out the windshield. Demetri found him. Demetri might find me. At least with this vampire kidnapping me, Esme will have an excellent excuse as to why she didn't keep me for them. They should be able to smell this vampire around the Cullen residence. I sighed and leaned back against my own seat. "I can't go back. I don't want to put the Cullens in danger," I half whispered.

"The Cullens?" he asked as if the name held some meaning to him. I only nodded in response. "Hmmm, as in Edward and Carlisle Cullen?" he asked. My eyes shot open at that and stared at him.

He shrugged, unapologetically. "I knew Edward during the first years of the Great Depression upon this country. He was helpful in finding meals that were not innocent of any sins," he told me.

My eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" I asked, curiously. I didn't remember anything from the books that mentioned a lot about Edward's rebellious period but this vampire seemed to have at least known him during that time. I could still call the Cullens, I hoped, and get more answers. I'd call Esme in a few more minutes to help put her mind at ease. I didn't want her to worry about me.

"My name is Gabriel Caldola, Elizabetta. I was born 1485 in anno dominium, in a little village within the Kingdom of Naples. It was there that I was lived and died," he told me very matter of factly.

"Gabriel," I said out loud to myself as I thought. I didn't remember the name from the books but that didn't mean much. After all, he was probably supposed to me dead so he wouldn't have been at the final confrontation.

After a moment, I felt him gently release my hand from the grasp on my blanket. "You are correct. You cannot stay here if you wish no harm to come to the animal drinkers," he told me softly. "I think, with my demands upon you driving, that it should look as if I took you away without the Cullens permission. I do not believe the Volturi guard will harm them if they listen to your Esme's story," he said thoughtfully. I cringed slightly. I didn't want to think of what would happen if they didn't stop to listen.

Without a thought, I picked up the tracfone and dialed Esme's number immediately. "Elizabeth?" she picked up frantically after only one ring.

"Esme," I said, feeling the tears start. "I'm so sorry," I told her.

"Oh, Elizabeth, sweetheart. Are you alright? Where are you?" she asked me.

"I can't tell you right now. Please, Esme, you've got to go home. I think that Demetri might be after me. Please, Esme," I pleaded with her. I'd feel a lot better if she was with the rest of her family. The guards might think twice going against a coven the size of the Olympians. Olympians, he.

I heard her breath hitch before she spoke again. "Are you safe?" she asked me. I looked over to the red-eyed vampire and, despite his eyes, I knew he wouldn't hurt me. Maybe it was because I saved his life, he would spare mine.

"Yes, Esme. I'm fine. I have Ginsie," I started. I heard her breathe out her held breath. "I will try to see you again soon but I need to make sure that the guards do not come after you for what I did. Please, go back to Forks," I begged.

"Sweetheart, we'll figure something out. Please, come back and we'll go home together," she whispered. I hated to do it. It made every single muscle in me cringe but I knew I had to and I hated myself for it.

"I'm sorry, Esme. I can't. Goodbye," I said softly before hanging up. I bit back the sobs as tears began to flow down my face. It had only been twenty four hours and I already had a new sin to confess. I had been rude to the mother like vampire and it killed me. However, there was no way I was going to let Gabriel, the handsome but dangerous vampire see me break completely down. I grabbed a tissue from the center consol and wiped away my tears. I could cry later when it was just me and the pup. Ginsie didn't care if I cried all over her and into her fur.

When I moved to throw the tissue into the small garbage bag I had in the backseat, I felt a hand upon my shoulder. "I cannot believe that they will not forgive you for this," Gabriel whispered. I choked down another sob, trying my hardest to not cry in front of him.

He looked around the truck and then turned back to me. "We should go," he told me matter of factly.

"We?" I managed to ask. He nodded.

"I will not let my savior die at the hands of another vampire. And since the other vampires you know cannot protect you without placing themselves at risk, I shall keep my own watch upon you," he stated simply. My emotions went from complete depression and guilt to anger and curiosity. Jasper would be having a field day with me over the past seventy two hours or so.

"You?" I asked.

"There is no other choice. Now, would you prefer for me to drive or shall we be upon our way?" he asked. I grumbled. He did have a point. I knew that I wouldn't do well against the Volturi guards alone – I needed a plan- and he would be able to help if he could smell or hear them coming before they arrived. He would give me much needed time.

I started the car as a rather interesting idea crossed my brain. "Alright," I said with a hint of defiance in my voice. I pulled the truck out of the parking space and looked at him. "But you've got to become an animal drinker if you are sticking with me," I said, amused. I wonder if he'd take the challenge. With that, I sped off; a shocked look on Gabriel's face the entire time.

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**Author's Note:** I really hope I don't loose anyone because of this. I know how the OC only talking to OC stories can get and I really don't want this to turn into that. The guards will be mentioned a lot and the Cullens will still talk to Elizabeth via the phone. So, our beloved familiar characters are still very much apart of the story but our Elizabeth needed to get away to protect "her" family. Think of this as Elizabeth's New Moon period…sorta.


	15. Chapter 15

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **Everyone still here? Nobody too upset that she isn't with the Cullens right now, right? I promise, she'll make it to Forks…eventually. Elizabeth just needs to get a few things done first.

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Chapter 15

My phone beeped. I looked down at the tracfone and noticed I have seven missed calls. Sighing, I picked the phone up and it rang, again. I suppose it had been ringing almost non-stop from the house to the vet but I was a bit preoccupied given the kidnapping thing. I pressed the button to talk. I wasn't sure, but I don't think the whole no-talking-and-driving law had yet to pass.

"Hello?" I asked even though I probably had a 1 in 8 chance of guessing who it was. No matter what, it was probably one of the Cullens. My emotions were all over the place. We had pulled out of the dog park and Gabriel vehemently opposed the idea of drinking animal blood….until I pointed out it was highly unnatural for a human to protect a vampire too. He grudgingly agreed but pointed out he would slip up from time to time. I rolled my eyes and just hoped I wasn't the slip up.

"Elizabeth, can you please tell us where you are heading? Esme is very worried about you," Carlisle asked softly. I could hear the worry in his voice too and it only served to make me upset again. I hated worrying two of the nicest people I had ever met. My stomach began to tighten into knots at the thought of causing them any pain.

"Ah…Ah don't know," I answered truthfully. I didn't know at all. I was simply heading west down I-86. As soon as I realized my direction, I knew where I was going; home. Not to the Cullens, but to my Aunt Angie's. I could picture her face, the odd smell of burnt lasagna and old newspapers that made up her home and the uncomfortable little futon I'd sleep on when I was there. This is where I was supposed to go after helping out Jackie in Ithaca. This is where I should have been weeks ago in my own time. Now, I couldn't help but wonder if the old Victorian still stood and who lived in it now.

"It's becoming clearer. I think she's going to a…railroad house near Lake Erie?" I heard Alice say in the background of the phone. I managed to pull out a sad little chuckle.

"It's a hotel, or was in the 1920's," I said. I could hear Carlisle and Alice talking.

"A hotel?" Carlisle asked curiously. I pressed my lips together for a second, keeping the budding pain away just a bit longer. I was not about to break down in front of the vampire next to me.

"Ah…please, Carlisle, don't come lookin' for me," I begged. "Ah don't want ya or any of your family to get hurt," I told him. I thought about Esme and the state I was forced to leave in. "Did Esme…is she headin' home?" I asked quietly.

"Esme is on her way to the airport," Carlisle said gently. "We will see her again in a few hours."

I sighed in relief. They couldn't get to Esme in the air; not without exposing themselves for what they were. Esme was safe. I could deal with the rest of my problems as long as Esme was safe. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Elizabeth, I believe my entire family would be much relieved if you choose to come here as well. None of us find the idea of you traveling with a typical vampire very comforting," he informed me. I liked how Carlisle wasn't ordering me to do anything; he was simply expressing his wishes. It comforted me more than he would ever know to hear someone speak like that.

"I'm so sorry, Carlisle. I can't put your family in danger," I told him. "Ah just can't."

"I understand," Carlisle stated sadly. My gut clenched again at the thought of any emotional pain I was putting the Cullens through. I hated this. I hated the way my life took things and twisted them into nothing more than fear and panic. All I wanted was a chance to be happy for at least a little while and all I ever got was more destruction and pain.

"We will always be here for you, Elizabeth. If you change your mind, simply come home," he stated. I heard more whispering in the background and tried to strain my ears to hear it. I could tell it was Jasper by the tone of voice but I couldn't tell much more than that.

"Jasper would like to speak with you, if you do not mind," Carlisle told me. I blinked a bit. I liked Jasper but he didn't strike me as the phone conversation type.

"Umm, sure," I answered. There were the normal sounds of a phone being passed from one person to another until I heard Jasper's Texas accent come through the receiver.

"Elizabeth?" He asked.

"Hi, Jasper," I stated back, wondering what the heck he had to say to me. It's not like he could calm my frayed nerves over the phone, right?

"Elizabeth, is he keeping you hostage?" Jasper asked.

"No," I answered rather quickly. Of the many things Gabriel had done and was doing, holding me hostage was not one of them, I think. Unless this was some sick and twisted game to get the Cullens to come after him. However, given that I saved him from Jane and he did seem pretty serious about the Demetri issue, I doubted it. If he was, I'd just have to stop at the next gas station and find a nice old oil can and some matches….

"You are staying away of your own free will then?" Jasper asked with a hint of worry creeping into his voice. I'm not sure if he was really worried or Carlisle and Alice were rubbing off on him.

"I won't let the guards hurt y'all, Jasper. I know what they are capable of," I stated as determinedly as I could. I would not let myself be the catalyst for the Volturi descending upon the Cullens. It would happen like in Breaking Dawn or as close it as possible if I had any say in the matter. Personally, I'd like the Volturi to stay far away in Italy and not really leave Europe.

"Alright, Elizabeth. Would you please hand the phone to the one that kidnapped you?" he asked.

"Um, sure," I said, just lightly tossing the phone to the dangerous vampire I was in this mess with. Oh fun. I'm not sure if going at it alone was really all that bad.

"Pronto?" Gabriel said over the phone causing me to smirk. Of course he'd answer in Italian. Didn't matter that they didn't have anything resembling a phone when he was turned. I'd have to ask him when he came over to this side of the pond…and then find someway to use that against him.

I couldn't hear what Jasper was saying but I could guess at his words. The clueless sparklepire next to me looked like he was about to go into shock. His voice became uneasy as he promised Jasper that he would never consider doing such a thing. What ever they were talking about, I'm pretty sure it was about me.

"I swear upon my existence, if I dare to harm the one that did save me, you may do with me as you like. I will not take her life," Gabriel stated emphatically. I raised an eyebrow at him and noticed he was a bit paler than usual. I'd love to know what Jasper told him.

The truck became quiet except for Miss Ginsie's breathing. I had rolled up the windows, except his, as we drove. Given that heat rises, I closed the sunroof first and pulled the shade down over it. I hated to do that, since I loved seeing the clouds above my head and the rain when it hit the roof, but I was cold, darn it!

"Si, claro. I will burn myself before any harm comes to her," Gabriel said again. I blinked at that and looked at him questioningly before returning my eyes to the road. He handed the phone back.

"He would like to speak to you again," Gabriel stated, his voice holding some fear as he spoke. It was amazing that Jasper had that type of affect just over the phone. I'd love to see that in person. Maybe, once we get Demetri off our tail, we can head to the Cullens and I can ask Jasper to have a bit of fun with our red-eyed friend. Of course, Alec would also be a problem given his abilities…

"Jasper?" I asked as I retook the phone. Thanks to driving around the Beltway, I had mastered the single arm turn. It was all about using your knees to drive too. Yes, it was dangerous but so was being in a truck with a red-eyed vampire. I'm not exactly too afraid of a danger; I'm just afraid of screwing up.

"Elizabeth, if he hurts you or threatens to hurt you, I want you to come this way instantly. Try to get away from him. Do you understand?" Jasper asked me, sounding very serious and military like. I had to smile at bit.

"If he hurts me or threatens to hurt me, I'll just flame throw him," I said, half serious. Gabriel's lips twitched, threatening to smile at that.

"I'm not joking, Elizabeth," Jasper stated. I loved that they were all so worried about me in a way. Wasn't this everything fan of the Twilight's series dream? To have the vampires care for them? Of course, all it did in my case is bring the Volturi guard to the Cullens doorstep. And that, I hated.

"I know, Jasper. Please, just give your wife a hug and tell her we'll have that shopping trip soon. Try to keep everyone focused on Victoria for now, please? I promise I'll be okay. I hate the idea of anyone worrying in the slightest over me," I told him. Jasper was quiet for so long I thought about talking into the phone again just to see if the line didn't go dead.

"Alright, Elizabeth," he said softly.

"And, please, tell Emmett that Ginsie misses him. I have a feelin' he'll like that," I told the tall blond vampire.

"I'll tell him," Jasper said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Goodbye, Jasper," I whispered. The thoughts of not seeing my vampire family were finally catching up with me as I hung up the phone. I bit my lip and swallowed down the depression that was starting to bubble to the surface. I would not cry and I needed to drive.

It was about five minutes before the pale-olive skinned vampire spoke again. "You love them," he stated more than questioned. It took me a second to realize what he meant. I had been distracting myself with the road ahead and thinking about the weather as well as gas money. I had about $600 on me but that wouldn't last long if we planned on stopping anywhere. For gas money it would do if we had a permanent destination, but since we were on the run? I suppose I could go back to my idea I had when I first got here and buy a tent. It would be cheaper in the long run than trying to stay at hotels for me. Somehow, I doubted even the kidnapping, red-eyed, leech would want to just drive around in the car forever.

I nodded blankly at his question, never taking my eyes off the road. "They are all I have here besides Miss Ginsie," I said sadly. It was the truth. I had nothing but what was in this truck and the Cullens to call my friends. Everything else belonged to another dimension and another time. One that, whether through interdimensional temporal travel or my brain giving up and calling in a permanent vacation, I was starting to think I'd never see again.

The silence was palatable for a minute. "They love you too," Gabriel whispered. I shot a look at him; half in anger, half in question. He offered only a weak smile back that looked so beautiful but so sad, I had to turn away. I wanted to hold to my anger. I knew what to do with anger and how to react with it. Sadness only brought tears which would not help the situation at all right now.

"I think I can see why," he continued after staring at the side of my face for a while. "It most certainly is not everyday that a human kills a vampire only to save another," he stated.

"I didn't realize you were a vampire at the time," I grumbled.

"Would it have made a difference in your judgment?" he asked, curious. My lips became a thin line again as I realized that it wouldn't have made a difference. I would have destroyed Jane one way or another simply because she was hurting someone out of malice.

"I did not think so," he said with a hint of triumph in his voice. I let the anger overtake me for a bit. I clenched the steering wheel as my gut also twisted in knots. I managed to keep my face impassive at best, angry at worst, as we drove but the pain was getting worse. I don't think I had any of my medication either since I hadn't needed it in years. However, being torn away from the people you love twice in a matter of a month only to find yourself going across southern New York because you are being chased by homicidal bloodsuckers tends to cause a bit of stress. Just a bit.

"I could have cared less who Jane was attempting to dispose of. To quote Texas: She needed some killin'," I told him through my teeth. I was angry and in pain. As Emmett would say, Grumpy Lizzie was back.

"To that, I think you would find little argument," the leech said easily. "Outside of Volterra, claro," he modified.

I nodded once, in agreement. I knew some of the things Jane had done to her own kind and not just to mine. She was a sadistic little witch and I still couldn't find it in myself to feel anything but good that she was dead.

For the next couple of hours, I followed the directions I had written down in 2009 blindly. Most of the time, thank goodness, Gabriel stayed quiet; only raising a questioning eyebrow here and there as my IPod skipped to another song. I tried not to pay attention to him.

It was lunch time, for me anyway, when I pulled over for gas and to let the pup out. I grabbed her leash and my wallet before getting out. The day was cold still so I shivered involuntarily as the cold air wrapped around me. My mind cringed as I realized I didn't have a credit card to swipe, I'd have to go in and pre-pay. It was just such an automatic response for me to get out my wallet, swipe my card, and fill up the truck. I sighed and started to hurry in when I saw nothing but ribbed cream cotton before me. I looked up and saw Gabriel looking down at me.

"I will take care of this," he said, pulling out his own wallet. I looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant. He flashed a credit card at me and I was immediately shocked. A nomad? With a credit card?

He laughed slightly. "Che cos'è, tesorina? You look surprised," he told me.

I immediately looked down at my feet. "I just…Ah didn't think a nomad would exactly be able to have a credit card," I mumbled. I think I heard him smirk.

"The luxury of living in such a city as one the size of New York is that you may easily get lost in the daily shuffle without a single second glance your way. The modern facilities of internet cafés and PO Boxes also help to keep a low profile but gather what I need to keep that lifestyle," he informed me. I looked up at him curiously.

"But how do you pay for it?" I asked, exasperated.

"Money is not a hard thing to come by. Given the electronic age, most of it is more an idea than actual currency anymore," he started. I glared.

"Stock market," he said simply with a sigh.

"Oh," I said lamely back before looking back at my feet. It was only a few seconds before I saw some cash being handed to me. I looked up at him wondering what he was thinking.

"Go inside. Gather whatever food or other things that you are in need off. I shall pay my part for the rather unorthodox rental of your vehicle," he said with a swipe of the card. I grumbled. I hated that he was paying for the gas and I totally ignored the money he offered for food. I can buy my own gummy worms, darn it!

Angrily, I opened the back door to put Miss Ginsie on her leash and take her for a quick walk. My anger evaporated when I saw her smiling furry face and wagging tail.

"You do not like people buying things for you, do you?" Gabriel asked. I put the leash on Ginsie and motioned for her to hop out.

"I don't like other people thinking they need to take care of me. I have no problem with people buying things for me," I explained.

"Then think of this as a business arrangement, cara mia," Gabriel stated. "I have need of someone who can dispatch of…unwanted creatures in surprising ways and you have need of gas money," he said with a hint of teasing. I scowled at him before gently tugging on Miss Ginsie's leash to walk her over near a thin strip of woods.

I huddled in my coat that I had pulled out of the truck before walking over to the few sparse trees. The air was already starting to smell and feel familiar. I knew we were close to Dunkirk; a city that, at least in my dimension, if you knew where it was, you were related. Unfortunately, I found out how true that statement was on more than one occasion. I wondered if I would recognize anyone when we got there. A part of me wanted to but another part of me didn't. I was too scared of my own reaction to really want to think about it too much.

Once Miss Ginsie was done, I took her back to the truck –she growled at Gabriel when she saw him- and put her back in the backseat. "Good girl," I told her followed by a kiss on the head before closing the door. The gas clicked off right then and I debated about going in and making Mr. Red-eyes wait or just taking off so we could get there sooner.

Gabriel nodded towards the tiny convenience store. "Go," he said. "I'll wait."

I rushed in, eager to get out of the cold and into the heated building. I perused the aisles, gathering up enough snacks to last me a few days. Between the slim jims, gummy worms, fireballs, and reeses pieces, I'd have a lovely calorie overload. I also got iced tea for me and water for Ginsie. They didn't exactly sell blood at the store so I couldn't get anything for the stupid leech.

When I came back out, Gabriel was in my seat. I glared at him and opened the passenger side door but didn't get in. I just dumped the bag of food. "What do you think you are doing?" I asked.

Gabriel's eyes flashed down to the white plastic bag of snacks. "You eat that?" he asked. My eyes narrowed further.

"Why are you in my seat?" I asked him, my patients wearing thin.

"You stated earlier that you are not my driver. So, rather than allowing you to drive the entire way, I believe it to be better if I took the wheel from now on. It is only what is right, after all," he told me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Is this a critique on my driving skills?" I grumbled.

"No, not at all. I love the thrill of feeling nearly mortal when I see you using your knees to drive a two ton vehicle," he obnoxiously stated. "Now, get in and we can be on our way," he told me. Still glaring at him, I huffed but got in the truck.

"If you get one scratch on my baby I will turn you into charcoal and use your ashes for soap, is that clear?" I stated, arms crossed.

"It is rather odd that, despite your being human, I believe that may be an actual threat," he told me lightly but his eyebrows knitted together in something else than the nonchalant attitude he was attempting to portray.

Once we got back on the road, I looked at him again. His brow was still furrowed and he was looking straight ahead. His chiseled jaw was a bit tight and I wondered if he was in pain again. "Do I need to roll the windows down again?" I grumbled from my half curled up position in the passenger seat.

"No," he stated. "As long as I have the window next to me rolled partly down and the heat is blowing your scent away from me, I am well."

I looked at him again and noticed no change in his furrowed brow. "Then what is it?" I asked.

"What is what?" he asked curiously as he looked at me.

"Eyes on the road, please," I said to which he smirked but obeyed. "You looked in pain," I said. Before he could take that as worry over him, I added, "And I don't want my steering wheel to take the brunt of anything."

He smiled slightly but shook his head. "No, tesorina. I was but planning out how to deal with the guards and I am unsure of any way to do so," he told me.

"Oh," I said again, looking back down at my hands. For some reason, my brain kept going to bombs and explosives. Of course, meeting them head on would not be a good idea but maybe if I got them to come to us….

The phone rang. I sighed and picked it up only to hear a squeal of delight. "It will work! But you need to be careful and then you can come out here and come home," Alice told me.

"Hello to you too, Alice," I said amused but warily. I was tired and depressed but I had to admit, hearing the familiar sounds of Alice's voice did help a bit.

"I can't see when you will do it exactly. It looks like it still might be a month away," she told me with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But it will work and it will be the only way that I see everyone being okay," she continued.

"Everyone?" I asked. I doubt the Volturi guard would be okay if my plan worked. Unless turning to ashes was a new "okay".

"You know what I mean. Carlisle won't like it but he won't mind too much if it means getting you back in one piece," she said. I felt a pain of regret that I couldn't live up to Carlisle's standards, even as a human but I also felt loved that the Cullens would worry like this over me.

"And what about the Volturi themselves?" I asked, curiously.

"I don't know yet but I don't think anything too bad will come out of this. Your future is shaping up more and more now, Elizabeth," Alice stated.

"Great, so you can tell me when I get to win the lotto and live somewhere up in the mountains in a big house with stained glass windows?" I teased lightly.

"I'm not going to tell you because you'll just mess it up. But I will tell you that you will be happy someday, Elizabeth. I promise you that much," she almost whispered.

All the lightheartedness I felt just seconds before was replaced with hope. Hope that my life really would change and not be this twisted mess. I wouldn't constantly be crawling up a steep hill that was fraught with briars and sharp stones. The last time my life was anything good was when I was still a child. After my parents moved from Virginia Beach, heck, even before that, I'd get what I wanted only to have another problem explode in its place. This current situation was case in point. But if Alice said I'll be happy…maybe my luck would finally change. "Thank you," I whispered back.

We hung up shortly after that. I noticed we were getting close to Dunkirk and heading down the familiar road of I-90. I had been up and down this road every Christmas with my Mom and Dad. My brothers and I would tease our cousins endlessly in the back while braving the frozen temperatures outside to see the ice covered falls and the multi-colored lights reflecting off them. I knew where I was and my stomach began to twist again.

"Am I to follow the directions here?" Gabriel asked as he held up my little notebook. I had been grabbing one of the bottles of iced tea out of the bag and some chips to help settle my stomach. I nodded after taking a sip of the tea.

"Yeah, it should lead you to what was my Aunt Angie's, I think," I told him. As I thought on the old Victorian I knew that I had to see Aunt Mary's instead. Something told me that, no matter what, the quaint Victorian home would be there; maybe painted differently, but it would be there. Aunt Mary's, the old hotel I told Carlisle about might not be so lucky. It had been in the family since the 1930's, I think…

"Actually, let's just head up Central Ave instead," I stated. Gabriel looked at me confused.

"I just want to see if something is still there," I muttered before sipping my iced tea again.

"Still there? How long has it been since you have visited your relatives? And do you not care if the guards descend upon them as well?" he asked me incredulously.

Damn. How was I to explain this one? It was easy enough to explain the Cullens but somehow I doubted the red-eyed leech next to me would be nearly as willing to accept my story. I sighed and Gabriel waited.

"I'm not even sure if they are there," I whispered as I turned my attention out the window.

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. "Do you mind asking me what occurred?" he asked almost gently. His hand grasped my upper arm but not in a jarring way. It was almost like he was trying to…comfort me.

I shook my head in answer to his question. "On March 19th I found myself suddenly _here_," I started. "It had been March 19th 2009 when I left my house in Maryland. When I got to Ithaca, it was 2006," I whispered without looking at him.

Gabriel was silent for a while. "2009?" he asked like I was crazy. Maybe I was. I shrugged without looking at him.

"Do you have any proof of this claim?" he asked. I turned, not looking at him, and dug out my Blackberry. I only looked up when I handed it to him.

"This doesn't exist yet," I told him. He looked at it curiously.

"It's a Blackberry. They are new, but they exist," he stated. I shook my head.

"No, the world edition doesn't exist. It also doesn't work and neither does my other phone…or the XM radio," I told him. I listened as Handlebars came on my IPod. "And I'm not sure how much you listen to the radio but I'm sure you've noticed a lot my songs aren't ones you've heard before," I told him.

I saw Gabriel grimace slightly. "Look up the lyrics on the internet if you still don't believe me. You won't find probably half the songs that have been playing," I continued.

"Alright, assuming you are telling the truth, then would it not be dangerous to see those from your past?" he asked me. I shook my head.

"There have been…other things that make me think that I'm not only back in time but not in the same…timeline I guess, that I came from," I stated. I hadn't even mentioned that much to the Cullens yet. I wanted to tell them so badly but I knew they'd demand more information and, for now, I needed to wait.

Gabriel was silent for a while, again, but then let out a small smirk. I looked over at him and noticed, suddenly, where we were. We were heading on to the exit ramp. Immediately, I went to take out the change for the toll. Thinking on the toll booth, I remembered being in the car with my Great Aunts and cousins only to find out the toll booth operator was one of my cousins as well. Like I said, if you knew where Dunkirk was, you were related to me.

I felt my breathing hitch as we went down the road. Rather than the familiar stores I knew by heart, I saw empty lots and only a building or two. There was no Sears or Mister Donut, it was just…grass and trees with a gas station or two. This was not the Dunkirk I knew but still, I held out hope. If the hotel was still there…

"Turn right," I said when the street ended. Gabriel did so without saying a word. I don't think he was even breathing really.

I looked behind me at Miss Ginsie. Ginsie was looking out the window but looked back at me as if she was confused. She knew this place as well as I did. I had brought her up before. Maybe it smelled the same but she knew it was off? I wasn't sure. Maybe I was just seeing things.

As we got closer to the center of town, the familiar Victorians and other homes started to appear. I was about to relax when I noticed quite a few of them were not in good repair. What had happened to this town?

When I saw the bridge for the railway, it took me a second to recognize it. "Stop!" I shouted. Gabriel slammed on the brakes, causing Ginsie to tumble a bit. I looked at her to make sure she was alright and then looked at Gabriel. He smiled slightly sheepishly at me.

"Left. Turn left," I said, straining to see above the weeds on the hill to see if the hotel was still there. He did so and I pointed to a sadly under used driveway. I didn't even wait for him to shut the car off when I hopped out and ran around the concrete building that was in the way of my view.

I ran around the rusted fence and stopped when I saw it. My eyes went wide and filled with tears. I felt my knees start to falter. Before me was not the familiar green and grey 1920's styled home but nothing more than a fallen in roof and a pile of wood that once made up the place I spent so much of childhood holidays.

The small garden with the clothing line didn't exist. The licorice bush my cousins and I would break sticks off of and chew on didn't look to be half way up the hill to the rail road tracks. The familiar columns that held up the second story were fallen and laid in ruins on their sides. It didn't exist. I didn't exist.

Just as I felt myself falling, I felt two strong but cold arms hold me up. I realized I was crying and I hated it. I should have known. I should have figured it out. I didn't exist. My family didn't exist. How far back did it go that none of my relatives were even around? The great family, all eighteen children that survived, never existed, I bet. Did my great-grandfather just never come over to the USA or did he not exist either? I wasn't sure I even wanted to know right now.

"Shh," Gabriel whispered as he held me up. He wasn't holding me too him, just making sure I didn't collapse. "Let's go back to the truck and I'll drive you anywhere you want, cara mia," he told me. "This place is not good for you. You do not need to see this, tesorina," he said kindly. I only blankly nodded and let him guide me to the only things I had left; my truck and my dog. It was all I had left of my life.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I kinda think this is the saddest chapter yet. Tell me what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note: **So…would you believe I actually hung out with my family, talked to my friends, worked on two different sewing projects, and wrote all of that this weekend? No, really. For those of you who didn't get a chance to check your computer over the weekend….sorry.

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Chapter 16

_Rogue had been in the hospital for three days when I found out she was there. All her parents would say is that she had some sort of neurological problem. I tried to go through the different types she might have but no one was very forthcoming with answers._

_Anna and I went to the hospital to see her. I hadn't been in John Hopkins before but it was supposed to be a good hospital so I wasn't worried about her care. At least, not until I saw her. _

_Her movements were disjointed. She slurred her words and I could tell she hated being like that. It was almost like she was suffering from a stroke but that couldn't be right, could it? She was only 20. _

_-Estelle __Fate_

It's a weird feeling to be that numb and yet be that sad at the same time. I don't think I could adequately describe it no matter how much I would like to. I stayed lost in my head for a while. I wasn't sure how long, but it was hours. It was dark before I came out of my reverie, and the only reason I noticed was I could no longer trace the trees along the side of the highway with my finger.

I had been thinking about everything. I had been thinking about the plays my cousins put on in front of the house when we were all little. We'd take a bed sheet and clip it to the now non-existent clothing line. Our aunts and uncles would dutifully get out their lawn chairs and eat popcorn while we put on our little shows.

I thought about the bottle rocks I had set off in the driveway one Fourth of July and how mad one of the girls got because we didn't wait for her. The Volcano had been spectacular. I still remember the pretty purple sparks coming out of it and my Dad warning me to stay back. I always had a thing for fire.

If most of Dunkirk didn't exist, then what else didn't exist? If my family here wasn't _here_ then my Mom, the petite lady who worried constantly over me, didn't exist. I thought about her shoulder length wavy brown hair and her latest glasses. I remember the smell of her perfume and how comforted I felt when she came over just to hug her strange little daughter.

Now, I didn't have anyone. Just Miss Ginsie. Yes, the Cullens were there for me but how could I ever really be a part of that perfect family? Or even consider myself to be part? They were kind and I loved them for it but I doubt they saw me as anything more than a strange little human despite what the six foot two leech said earlier.  
I sat up and leaned back against the seat, unfurling myself in the process. I looked at the road ahead and decided to actually read the signs we were passing to try and figure out where we were. I hadn't paid the slightest attention to what direction Gabriel had taken off in.

As the various road signs flashed by, I began to curse the lack of GPS navigation in my car. I really wish at least my stupid Blackberry would work! Then I could just pin point myself via Google maps. I was about to ask Gabriel where the heck we were when I saw a familiar sign. We had headed south. We were going towards Maryland.  
I wasn't sure how I felt about that. The state I had called home for on and off the past fifteen plus years wasn't home anymore. A part of me believed home was now in Washington State; a place I had never been. But was that really home? I suppose. If nothing else, there were people I loved there.

A very small part of me wanted to go through Maryland just to see what was still there. And then it clicked…I knew Maryland and Virginia. I had lived in one state or the other for the majority of my life. Even if a few things had changed, it wouldn't be as drastic as the changes up in Dunkirk, I didn't think. I knew this place. I knew my way around. I knew a lot of the secrets. Here, we could stand off against the Volturi because they would be on unfamiliar ground.

"Stay on 76," I said.

Gabriel looked over at me and smiled slightly. "You have a destination in mind?" he asked. I nodded.

"Even if it's…changed. I know Maryland. I know Virginia. I know the roads, the museums, and all the various buildings and secrets they hold. I know where things are here, or where they are supposed to be," I told him.

"Are you positive that going there will be for good?" he asked me, his jaw tight again.

"Yes, and don't break my steering wheel," I told him as I saw his knuckles straining against the wheel. That seemed to force him to relax a bit.

"You should not be at a place that causes you to question so many of your memories," he said softly. I shook my head in response.

"I _know_ these places. It's okay if they aren't the same. I don't expect it now. Well, other than the pie place. I'll be horribly disappointed if we get off at exit three in Maryland and there isn't any pie place but that's totally different," I rambled at bit. I think I heard Gabriel smirk so I shot him a glare.

"I want to stay south of the Mason-Dixon line. It just always did feel more like…home there. Besides, the guard will be out of their element. I know my way around this place, but do they?" I more told than asked.

"It would not take them long to learn, cara mia. But if you have plan…" he offered.

I nodded. "I'm still formulating parts of it but I think we need to let them come to us," I told him truthfully. He raised a questioning eyebrow at me.

"We'll need someplace to hide out in. Maybe an old hotel or something because we'll need someplace we can flood with water easily, I think…" I began. My plan was rather simple. It was something I learned years ago, even before I joined the FBI. You take a light bulb, a small drill that you can use to make a tiny hole in it, fill the bulb up with gasoline and BOOM! Instant napalm. Of course, it helps that there was a Darwin Award about this when two guys decided it would be a brilliant idea to take florescent light bulbs, fill them with gasoline to give the lights a soft electric "glow" so they'd look like lightsabers. Yeah, didn't work out too well for them. Gasoline and Electricity rarely worked well together.

What I wanted to do is place the light bulb in a room. I could easily hide in maybe a bathtub filled with water so it wouldn't burn. Or so I wouldn't burn either. Once any of the guards flipped the light on, they'd be instant bonfires. Of course, that's assuming any the guards did flip the light on. Alice did see she saw this working….

"Water does not harm us, tesorina," he told me with a slight hint of humor. I shook my head.

"I know water doesn't harm you. It doesn't hurt me either unless I try to breathe it in. With what I'm planning, we'll need water so we don't burn too," I said. As I thought about it, I wondered how to do this. Maybe a bathroom with both a tub and a shower stall? Maybe hazmat suits? Just…something. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to keep the door closed to the bathroom and push those fire retardant blankets under and above the door…soaked in water. It should work….

The red eyed blood sucking over grown mosquito raised an eyebrow at me. "And how do you plan to burn them without burning us? They will not be as…easily distracted as Jane was," he told me.

"I don't think we need to distract them. If they think we are in the same room," I started before turning to him. "When you walk in a room, do you automatically look to turn on a light even though you can see perfectly fine in the dark?" I asked curiously.

Gabriel looked at my again with his eyebrow raised. "Sometimes. perché?" he asked. I turned away from him again and returned to looking out the window, the side of my forehead pressed up against the cold surface. It felt good considering I felt another migraine coming on.

"I think I might know a way to get all of them in one simple flick of the switch," I stated quietly.

"A bomb?" he asked.

"Sorta," I answered, sounding like I had little interest in the subject.

The mosquito – I think I like that name for him, annoying human blood-sucking creature that he was despite the fact he was absolutely gorgeous to behold- became thoughtful for a moment. "What about a remote detonator?" he asked, seriously.

I pulled myself up to look at him quizzingly. Of course, the sudden loss of contact with the chilled glass of the window brought the pain of my migraine to the forefront of my thoughts. This one was not going to be a fun hallucination free-for-all but, instead, a painful reminder that I didn't have access to the prescription strength Tylenol right now.

"We would not need to rely on the chance of them turning or not turning on a light. We could easily create a remote trigger to ensure any destruction," he told me. I thought about it. I think I could figure out how to create a remote trigger via the internet. It should be that hard using nothing more than radio controls. Of course, the stupid trigger couldn't get wet….

"Do you think, if we tell them the place is rigged, they might stop and listen?" I asked. A part of me really wanted to try and live up to Carlisle's standards. However how do you negotiate with someone who only wants to drain you dry?

Gabriel smirked. "I do not know, tesorina," he said softly. "I suppose we could try but the guard is not known for negotiating," he informed me. I grimaced which only made my head hurt worse. Leaning against the cool window, I saw we had another hour or so until exit 3. I also saw, unfortunately, that it was past six so no chance of getting pies.

After maybe another ten minutes, Gabriel gently touched my shoulder. I sat up quickly since I was half asleep. I hadn't closed my eyes but I wasn't really aware of the world around me either. He jerked his hand back. "My apologies, cara mia," he said softly.

I stretched a bit in the limited space I had and could still feel my head pounding against my skull. "Is there something wrong?" I asked, pressing my hand against the side of my forehead.

"I was going to ask you that very question. You seem…ill?" he asked me. His face twisted as he looked at me, an almost worried like expression coming across his perfectly chiseled features. I smirked slightly, which was not a good idea. It only made the pain worse.

"No, it's just my head. I get mi…" I started to say when I swore I saw someone in the middle of the road. The man in the road looked to have a bicycle that he was riding across the freakin' highway. I immediately stiffened, hoping that Gabriel saw him too.

The mosquito followed my gaze and then looked back at my curiously. I turned to him, shocked he didn't see the man there and was just about to raise my hand to point out the obvious and noticed…he was gone. Furrowing my brow and squinting into the dimming light, I searched the edges of the road to see where the man had gone. I couldn't see anything.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel asked concerned as I returned to my position, curled up against the cool glass.

"Nothing. It was nothing. I sometimes get hallucinations with my migraines. That's all," I muttered. Stupid hallucinations. Given that I doubted it was possible to get hallucinations while you were in one, this place, this universe was feeling all the more "real" to me. The problem now was how to get back. Did I even want to go back, really? Did I want to look up tips all day and grumble to the Agents? Did I want to go back to worrying about bills and watching as friend after friend ended up in a hospital or even died? Death held no meaning here. The few friends I had couldn't die. They wouldn't get cancer. They could crash their car and live. They wouldn't be sent to live in a home because no one could figure out the medication to give them. Vampires didn't change, humans did.

"What did you think you saw, tesorina?" he asked gently. I looked over at him, angry.

"Why do you care? Jasper won't get all over you for me getting a migraine so don't worry about it," I told him before folding me arms and turning to the dark outside. I thought of Miss Ginsie in the backseat and reached for my little furball with one arm.

"He may not, but he may not be contented with me if I do not attempt to help alleviate your pain either, Elizabetta," the vampire next to me told me very matter of factly. I couldn't argue with that.

"I'll be fine until we get to a hotel or something. I just need about twenty painkillers and a chainsaw for my head," I grumbled. Gabriel smirked.

"I do not think a chainsaw would do much good but I shall attempt to find painkillers once we stop. Is there anywhere in particular you wish to stay for the night? Is there a hotel or inn near this pie place of yours?" he asked. I tried to shoot him a glare but it came out as a grimace.

"I don't know. I think we'll be fine until Fredrick. There's a hotel there at the intersection of 270 and 70," I told him.

"Are you sure you will alright until then?" he asked, looking over at me again with concern. I snuggled up closer to the window.

"Migraines are just painful. Not deadly," I told him. He sighed but seemed to accept that. I thought. That was until he pulled off the interstate and stopped at another gas station. I looked over at the gauge and noticed we were a bit low but not that bad. I hope he wasn't like my mother and freaks out if it gets to less than half a tank.

"Wait here, cara mia," he told me. I was too much in pain to argue with him. Glancing in the back as he got out, he stopped and turned to me again. "Should I allow the dog a break as well?" he asked. I sat up, grimacing against the bright lights that beamed out from the convenience store and went to undo my seat belt. His cold hands stopped me.

I wasn't sure what it was this time. His red eyes looked…soft? I couldn't describe them if I tried and I wondered what color they had been when he was human. Quickly I looked away.

"I'll bring the …you said her name is Ginise? I will bring her right back," he said softly. I nodded as he pulled away from me and took Ginsie out. I smiled slightly as I heard the familiar growls of the furball sounding from the backseat.

"It's alright, Ginsie. Go with Gabriel," I told her. I heard an end to the growling and then heard the door close a couple of seconds later. My eyes closed involuntarily after that only to hear the driver's side door open a few minutes later. Shocked, I looked over and saw it was just Gabriel putting Miss Ginsie back in the truck. He smiled slightly.

"I thought you might wish for your pet to join you," he said quietly. Carefully, I reached for the slightly trembling pup and brought her closer to me. Ginsie easily walked over the consol and curled up half on my seat, half in my lap.

"Thank you," I whispered, petting my beloved pet. Gabriel nodded once before heading into the convenience store. Despite the pain, I tried to keep my eyes open, kissing and petting Miss Ginsie who was less than thrilled at the idea of being picked up by a vampire…again. Although, she hadn't seemed to mind the Cullens after a couple of days.

Gabriel came back a few minutes later with a bag and handed it over to me before starting the truck. I opened the bag, letting Ginsie sniff the contents a bit, to find Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, and three bottles of the iced tea I like. I smiled slightly. "Thank you," I said before ripped into the Tylenol box and taking four of them. It wasn't the best idea but my doctors in the past had told me it was okay as long as I didn't take more than eight a day. I just wanted the throbbing headache to go away. And the hallucinations with it.

It was another couple hours before we got close to Frederick. The pain of my migraine was nothing more than a dull roar at that point. My eyes tried to pierce through the blackness to see the familiar sights of the city I had watched grow and change over the years. Was the solar panel farm still there? What about the hotel I told Gabriel? Did it even exist?

I couldn't help the grin on my face when I saw the familiar signs for the Hampton Inn right off of 270. It was still here. Something familiar was still here. "Get off at 31 A," I told the red eyed bloodsucker.

"Si, donna mia," he teased to which I scowled.

It wasn't too long before we were in the parking lot. I wasn't sure on their animal policy but I knew I could sneak Ginsie in and it wasn't like she would start barking or anything. Happily, I pulled myself out of the truck and stretched. I hated being cooped up like that all day. It was odd to think that just this morning I had been planning on traveling cross-country with Esme and I now found myself in the company of the kidnapping red-eyed over grown mosquito I saved. I hoped Esme was alright.

Suddenly, with the hotel looming before us, I was curious how we were going to do this. It wasn't like he _needed_ a room, unlike me. Would we get one or two? Would the overly handsome bastard keep watch? It probably wasn't a bad idea but I didn't like the idea of him seeing me in my PJ's. Not that they weren't decent, it just didn't seem right. But the idea of a group of vindictive Italian mob-like vampires coming after me also didn't seem right.

"I'll see if they have room," Gabriel said, gently brushing by me as he went towards the front of the hotel. I nodded but then remembered the money issue.

"Umm, Gabriel? Wait," I said as I opened my wallet. I didn't even look up when his cool hand covered my own. I was surprised to feel him this close. It reminded me of the night I saved his sorry butt in a way; when I had reached for the phone..

"No, cara mia," he whispered. His voice almost sounded like one better suited for an opera house than the back alleys of New York. "We are both in need to recuperate from this day. You have saved my very existence. Allow me to make sure yours is little in the way of wants," he said gently.

"I thought this was a business arrangement," I managed to mutter out. It took me a second to realize what he was doing and my eyes went wide before narrowing. I took at step back.

"It is," he said proudly before looking very confused by my action.

"You were trying to dazzle me!" I shouted at him. So that's what that's like! Huh. Stupid annoy handsome with a gorgeous voice mosquito!

"Dazzle?" he asked, extremely confused.

"Yes, dazzle. You idiotic red-eyed…" I stated angrily, trying hard not to saying that would call him out. There were a couple of other people out and I didn't want to be responsible for more problems than I had right now. "Umph!" I said, frustrated.

Gabriel watched me for a minute and then started to laugh. I shot him a glare but all he did was laugh harder. When I started to head towards the doors of the hotel, he stopped me. "No, tesorina. 'Dazzle' or no, I was being serious. Now, do you want to really argue over this?" he teased with a gleaming smile.

I huffed. "I'll go get a new flame thrower," I muttered half heartedly. Gabriel laughed lightly once again and kissed the top of my hand before going in. Stupid dazzling sparklepires! Ugh! I seriously needed a flame cutter or something with all the vampires after me and the one that constantly seemed to love to make me mad.

While he was inside, my phone rang again. I quickly answered it to discover it was Esme. I was completely relieved to hear her voice. "Esme, I'm so sorry," I told her again. I hated that the last time I saw her was with that look of horror on her face in the rear view mirror.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Esme asked, almost frantic.

"I'm okay, Esme. Gabriel is just being annoying, nothing more," I said carefully. Saying "being a pain in the neck" took on a whole different meaning with vampires and I didn't want her to think that he'd bit me or anything like that. "Did you make it home?"

"Yes, I'm home. I really wish you'd reconsider and come out here too, sweetheart," she told me.

I sighed. "I know, but I can't have the guard hurting you or your family, Esme. I won't let that happen," I told her definitively. At that point, I saw Gabriel heading back out towards me. "I'll try and call you tomorrow morning, alright?" I asked quickly.

"Call whenever you can, Elizabeth. I want to hear from you at least once a day, please?" she asked with that motherly tone.

"I promise," I said before saying my goodbyes and hanging up. I turned to look at the red-eyed vampire, wondering if he got the room or not.

"They allow pets," Gabriel said with a smile, reaching for Miss Ginsie's leash. "We are on the first floor. I am sorry, but I believe for simplicity's sake and for my own sanity that it is better if we stayed in the same room. Seeing as I have no need of sleep, I will be able to ensure the guard do not catch us unaware," he told me. I nodded, having thought about the same thing. At least I have my robe. I went to the truck and grabbed out my overnight bag that I filled as much as I could with things I thought I'd need back when I thought I'd be traveling with Esme. It hurt me that I wasn't near the motherly figure right now.

I took Ginsie's leash from Gabriel as he lead us to the room. It was nothing more than your basic double queen room. I let Ginsie examine it to her specifications. The red-eyed mosquito seemed amused as he watched the furball take off and sniff the perimeter. I brushed by him. "She just needs to know where she is," I said.

"I see little wrong with that. It smells of cleaners, cotton, and a slight smoke residue to me," he told me before sitting down on the bed close to the door. I took the one near the window and threw my overnight bag down.

"I can smell the cleaners. But it's not too bad," I said as I watched Ginsie jump up on my bed. She seemed to think she needed to roll all around on top of the comforter. I sighed. "Ginsie, stop that. Just lay down," I told her. Of course, she listened for a hairs-breath of a second. I gave up after that.

"I should get you food," Gabriel said after a minute. I looked at him curiously as he got up.

"I'm not that hungry," I told him. I wasn't really. I filled up on gummy worms earlier.

"Still, your vampires reminded me that humans need to eat three times a day at least and not only once every couple of weeks or so," he said as he picked up the room key. "Prepare yourself for the night and I shall return shortly," he said.

I sighed and crashed against the bed. "Well, Ginsie," I said to the pup who decided to stand over me. "This is different, isn't it?" I asked her. The pup answered by licking my face, to which I smirked. "So, kidnapping vampires, Italian mafia style vampires after us, and the only friends we have here are…vampires. I think I'm starting to see a pattern in this universe and I'm not sure if I like it or not," I muttered before flipping on my side.

"Well, pup, at least we don't have to worry too much about running into anyone ugly. It's not like there is such a thing as a balding, overweight, vampire with greasy skin and a bad combover, right?" I said teasingly while petting the pup.

"No, I have yet to meet anyone that has that description," Gabriel smirked. I immediately flipped over and stood up as quick as I could. "Your dinner?" he asked, holding out the frozen dinner box carefully. I swore he looked like he was…scared?

"Thank you," I told him before taking it. Thank goodness it was one of the very few I could eat. Allergies to foods caused many of the frozen dinners to be completely inedible to me. Well, maybe inedible wasn't the right word but there wasn't a word that really described emergency room to go kits that the dinners could sometimes become.

The remaining couple of hours before I gave up and fell asleep were filled with TV. The news was rather boring –given that I had heard it all before three years ago- and the shows held little interest for me too. After eating the frozen meal, I curled up on the bed and probably fell asleep sometime after the ten o'clock news. My only thoughts before I closed my eyes were of how I was going to get out of this mess and how I was going to set it right.

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**Author's Note:** ::peeks out:: Everyone still here? Its okay to tell me if you don't like it, honest. Just tell me what you don't like about the story. I'm pretty good with creative criticism. Or are the slowing amount of reviews simply because I updated a few times over the weekend and only a few people had computer access?


	17. Chapter 17

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer**: As cool as it would be, I do not own the Twilightverse. Ginsie is very much my pup and very real. Elizabeth/Estelle/and the rest of the gang are mine.

**Summary**: What is someone from our universe met the vampires? What would she do? Say? Think? And what if our universe was the fictional one to them?

**Author's Note**: Woo! You are all still here! Sorry, I just saw the reviews go from 7 or 8 a chapter to…three. And as much as I treasure those three (thank you!) I wondered if it was because a) it was Sunday or b) a bunch of people didn't like it. I'm glad it was A.

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Chapter 17

_I laughed as I read over Rogue's email Even though she had gotten sick, she still found a way to make the entire thing sound hilarious. Christmas Break sounded rough for her with a fever on Christmas Eve followed by traveling two days later to visit her relatives in upstate New York. _

_You'd never think she had cousins up there with her accent but I guess family does live all over.  
I read about her latest collector's doll. She had a collection I was completely envious off. Of course, when you look like she does, it's hard to not find something to be envious of about her. The funniest part of her story was when she told about her younger brother shouting, on camera, "Mom! Just what I always wanted! Something from Victoria's Secret!" because her Mom had wrapped something of his in an old Victoria's Secret box. Just picturing that makes me laugh.  
_

_Despite her being ill, I loved how she could still rant on about how there is no year zero and so it was still the twentieth century. Of course, it didn't matter, she still signed her email declaring "Happy Y2k!" I shot her a quick email back and hoped to hear from her soon. I wasn't sure when I'd see her again since my parents were selling the house but I just wanted to see her soon.  
_

_-Estelle __Fate_

Gabriel insisted on driving. Gabriel insisted on paying for gas. Gabriel even insisted on buying me food. Although I was mad that he insisted on doing so much "for me", it was hilarious to see the mosquito in the grocery store. He kept picking up the tangerines and then the flowers and kept interchanging them and then looking all puzzled about whatever he smelled. After the fifth time I caught him playing with the tangerines, I glared at him.

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked him. Gabriel was too lost in whatever he was doing to really register my tone.

"The smell is off," he told me off handedly.

"What smell? Those tangerines?" I asked before turning back around to see if they had any good ripe sweet strawberries. I loved chocolate covered strawberries and I was going to have some, darn it! "Don't worry about them. I don't like tangerines anyway," I told him as I picked up a box of strawberries.

"No," he stated, now gazing back over at the floral department.

"No?" I asked, raising my eyebrow and placing the box of strawberries in the cart. I swear, bringing a fully grown five hundred plus year old vampire into a grocery store was worse than taking a three year old in before their nap!

I watched as he, again, went over to the floral display. This time he bypassed the 3 for $9.99 bouquets and went to the fridge where the single roses and other more expensive flowers were. I sighed and yanked the cart to follow him.

"We don't need flowers, Gabriel," I mumbled as I put my foot up on the bottom of the cart and crossed my arms on the handle. I wonder if I pushed it into him, hard, would it crumble? That would be interesting to see…and it's not like it would hurt me…

"I need to see if I can get the scent right," he told me. I sighed, exasperated. We had been in the store ten minutes and all I had gotten so far were a few apples and strawberries! I should have left him in the car with Ginsie. Heck, I should have left him in the car and brought Ginsie in. She was better behaved!

"What scent?" I asked, annoyed. He stopped and looked up at me and gave me one of his more handsome smiles. I automatically glared at him to prevent him from dazzling me again. Once, two days ago, was enough!

"Yours," he said simply before turning back to the roses. All the annoyance and frustration I felt towards him vanished.

"I smell like…roses and tangerines?" I asked softly. That didn't sound bad. Actually, that sounded rather good. I rather liked that combination; it would make a great candle.

Gabriel nodded, not taking his eyes off the various roses before him. He had the tangerine in his hand; passing it back and forth like a ball. "Yes, but the ones here are off. You smell sweeter than they do. This tangerine almost smells rotten compared to you. Sour," he stated before turning back to me with a sigh and quickly tossing the tangerine the twenty yards back to the table without causing the rest to spill. I glared at him for daring to almost cause a scene.

He shrugged. "No one else is anywhere near this aisle, cara mia. Do not worry. You are the only beating heart within sight," he told me in his operatic voice before gently kissing the top of my hand again. I scowled at him and then went to find the peanut butter. Although I was mad at him for possibly causing a scene –if anyone saw him toss that tangerine- I was extremely..pleased to know that I smelt like roses and tangerines. After all, there are far worse things to smell like. Wet dog for example.

The whole grocery store incident had been on Wednesday. I hated explaining every little thing that I was buying and why I was buying it. He didn't get the appeal of chocolate bars or of Twinkies. I was depressed to realize I was in a time before the 100 calorie snack craze. I loved my strawberry cupcakes and now…ugh. I'd actually have to count the stupid calories. I really hate time travel.

Today was Friday. Good Friday, actually. I had managed to convince Gabriel to come to church with me. Unlike with Esme, who was good to her very core, I knew perfectly well that Gabriel was…a murderous alley dwelling vampire? Yes, that worked. I wanted to see if God would strike him down or if Holy Water at least stung him….

We had been switching hotels every night. Although we stayed in Maryland, per my request, we'd been moving around the state from one city to another. Gabriel wanted to confuse Demetri as much as possible and buy us some time. I had no problem with that.

Last night, we got to stay in a hotel at the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. When I went to college here, I always imagined staying here, wearing beautiful outfits, looking out on to the harbor and maybe even getting married nearby. Now, I was stuck in the room all day because the sun decided to make an appearance. I complained, heavily, given that I could just see the mall across the street and practically taste the fudge on my lips but Gabriel played hardball. Not only did he remind me that there were a group of vampires after us that would love nothing more than to catch me and tear me to shreds with my heart still beating but he called Carlisle. That was just low.

Carlisle reminded me that it would be better if I had some sort of vampire protection with the guard on my trail. He also asked me to come back home which tore me in two. So, for the rest of the day, I sat around the hotel room and glared at Gabriel. At least I had Ginsie and was allowed outside with her for a grand total of five minutes. After that, Gabriel called on my cell and demanded I come back inside. He sounded so frantic I thought that they had found us but no. He was just being a pain.

Today was cloudy so he had no excuse to keep inside. "I'm going to services," I told him, as I stood up and grabbed my wallet.

"It's Good Friday, Elizabeth. It's not even mass. Why do you insist on staying in this city? We need to leave now and go to our next destination," he told me as he looked over the map. I put my hand on top of the stupid thing. It's not like we needed it. I knew most of the roads by heart between here, DC, and Annapolis.

Gabriel looked up at me with a raised eyebrow, tapping his pen in one hand. "I am going to church. I'm going to the one up at Loyola and I'm going now. If you want to come, you can. But if you are scared God might smite you, stay here," I told him before heading to the hotel door.

Ginsie was wagging her tail, trying to come with me. Before I could tell the poor pup no, I felt a cool hand on my arm and looked up at Gabriel. "Fine, we will go. But shall vacate the room first," he said, gathering up everything vampire quick. I sighed and turned back to the door since he even got my overnight bag. I would have complained that he was carrying everything and that I wasn't as weak as he thought but…there is just something really funny about a man, as masculine and strong looking as Gabriel, carrying a pink duffle bag. I took the dog instead.

I hadn't been up here in years. I think the last time I made the drive to the college was sometime in maybe 2003? I don't quite remember. It had been a while though.

Rather than going to the chapel at my college –Notre Dame of Maryland- I always went to the pretty Romanesque styled church over at Loyola. The acoustics at the chapel at Notre Dame sucked until they redesigned it in late 2001, early 2002. Of course, that was after I left. That brought the chapel from the 1970's horrible décor back to its original style from the Edwardian era. Far more becoming. But still, the small church over at Loyola is what I remember.

Turning up and down the streets was second nature to me. My body remembered the way better than I did which is why I demanded to drive. Since it was a short trip, Gabriel consented, but not without some grumbling. I think he said something about "human women drivers" in Italian so I shot him a glare. Even if he didn't, I was pretty much glaring at my kidnapping vampire on principle now.

When we got to the chapel, I left the windows cracked and the sun roof vented so no rain would get in but air could flow through the car. Ginsie would be fine…not that the little pup didn't want to come in. I just don't think everyone would appreciate the furball inside the church. I turned to Gabriel as I got out, who seemed to be struggling with something while he sat in the passenger seat. "Coming?" I asked him, a slightly evil smile playing at my lips.

He didn't really move. He just looked at the church, furrowing his brow, and kept his hand on the door handle like he couldn't decide whether or not to get out. I smirked. "I'm doubting God is in a smiting mood today but if you'd rather stay here," I teased. Gabriel actually glared back.

Rather than the playful roll of the eyes he had given me on more than one occasion this week or the teasing glares, his eyes looked almost…murderous. My face fell immediately and, rather than take a step back like I guess I should when a vampire shoots you that glare, I felt like I should take a step forward. Unfortunately, the truck was in the way and he was still inside it. I was just next to the door frame. "Gabriel?" I asked, actually feeling concerned. Was he hungry? The woods might have a deer or two nearby. "What's wrong?" I asked and reached out to get him to face me again when he turned away. Vampires were very hard to read if you couldn't see their eyes. I wanted to try and figure out what was wrong. Was the guard here?

"I should go inside with you," he said softly. I was completely confused.

"You can stay out here with Ginsie. I don't mind," I stated.

"No, I cannot," he said in a voice I could barely hear. I watched, still befuddled, as he got out of the truck and closed the door. I did the same with my own door and walked towards the familiar stone building. Unlike in Dunkirk, I didn't expect to see anything other than the building. No friends or family had anything to do with the college, really, anymore. Over at Notre Dame, I still knew a couple of the nuns and a professor or two but that was it. I didn't really have roots here.

It was odd. I didn't realize really that Gabriel had taken my hand, or really, was clutching my hand, until we were inside the church. All I knew was that he seemed to feel…comforted by keeping in contact with me? Maybe he has a fear of churches.

"Don't worry," I whispered to him and I extracted my hand to bless myself out of habit. "I'll make sure the scary church doesn't eat you," I teased lightly. He only half heartedly smirked and immediately re-took my hand as we went into the main part of the church.

The prayer service was short but I knew my Mom, back in my universe, would be happy I went. Gabriel didn't let go of my hand the entire time. Thinking he was scared of being around other blood bags, I kept us to the back, away from the other people. I was hoping he was use to just me.

As we headed back to the truck, I looked over at the vampire and saw his eyes were darker. They weren't black but they were loosing their red. "You need to hunt," I told him. He looked up at me, shocked as I climbed into the passenger seat. He had stolen the keys from me during the prayer service.

"No, you will be unprotected," he told me. I rolled my eyes at him as Gabriel started the car.

"I saved you, remember? Not the other way around," I informed him, crossing my arms. "I'll surround myself with gasoline and a lighter to keep the guard away if it makes you feel better," I muttered.

Gabriel smirked. "You with gasoline and a lighter would not make me feel better," he told me before looking over at me. "I saw what happened when you tried to…burn test was it? That piece of fabric yesterday," he teased. I scowled. It wasn't like anything else caught on fire but I doubt they'll ever get those burn marks completely off the sink. At least I knew to try that with quick access to water!

Of course, the phone range the second we got on to I-97 towards Annapolis, our next destination. "Hello?" I asked. Ginsie had climbed on to the consol and acted like she wanted to sit next to me. But the pup wouldn't move from off the center consol and made reaching into it or around it difficult.

"Elizabeth?" a velvety voice stated. My brain immediately placed it as Edward's but I couldn't understand for the life of me why he would call. Not that I minded but I had yet to meet either one of the two main characters from my favorite book series. Instead, I've meet their entire family and loved them all dearly –which wasn't exactly a bad thing.

"Edward?" I asked, curious.

"Yes, I apologize for calling like this but Alice demanded it," he said to which I immediately smiled.

"Alice demanded it?" I repeated.

"Yes, she has found new ways to threaten me," he grumbled.

"And why, may I ask, not that I mind, but, has she asked you to call rather than just call me herself?" I had to ask, still smiling. I could only imagine the response. Gabriel, now that we were further away from the church, was relaxing. Also, I think he was just glad I couldn't bug him for the next couple of minutes.

"Because she is busy with Bella right now," He muttered. I tried not to laugh too much.

"Bella Barbie time, huh?" I managed to say without giggling too much. I was worried when I didn't hear an immediate response. "Edwa.." I started to say when I heard him burst out laughing. It was so loud, I had to pull the phone away from my ear. Hearing it even made Gabriel chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose that would be the phrase for it," he said as his laughter faded.

"Poor Bella. All that foundation and nail polish," I tisked, trying to suppress my own laughter.

"I believe she is more fearful of Alice's clothing choices," Edward said before getting to the point of his call. "Alice wished for me to inform you of her latest vision," he told me.

"Oh?" I asked, curious. I began to play with a loose thread on the edge of my t-shirt.

"Alice believes that the guard will meet up with you in approximately two days. You will need to make arrangements, she said, before then," Edward informed me. All laughter and mirth fell from my face. I thought I saw Gabriel's face become concerned but I wasn't paying attention to him.

"Thank you, Edward," I said softly.

"Of course," he answered easily.

"And please, give Alice and the rest of your family a hug for me," I stated. He smirked at me.

"Alice says to tell you she loves you too," Edward replied. I could almost hear the eye roll.

"Thanks, Edward," I told him before we both quickly said our goodbyes. The rest of the trip was rather quite. It wasn't until I recognized the area near the Maryland Renaissance Festival that I looked over to Gabriel.

"You heard what he said?" I asked, just to make sure.

"Yes," the tall handsome kidnapping mosquito replied. His jaw was set and I saw his knuckles looking whiter than usual.

"Don't crush the steering wheel," I mumbled absently as I looked back out the window. "We should get the supplies tonight," I told him.

Gabriel nodded. "Do you have a list of supplies? I know how to make the remote detonator if that is any help," he told me. I nodded in answer to his question but remained quiet, lost in my own thoughts.

I looked at the back seat and saw my little fur ball. As her golden brown eyes looked at me, I wondered if it wouldn't be better to keep her at the vet for the next couple of days. She shouldn't have to go through this too.

"Gabriel?" I asked to get his attention.

"Elizabetta?" he asked in the same tone. I glared.

"Can we…drop Miss Ginsie off at a vet for a few days? I hate to do it but I don't want to have to worry about the guard getting her and taking her as a pint sized snack…literally," I told him.

Gabriel gave me a soft chuckle and gently patted my arm. "We'll drop off your precious zibellina, tesorina," he told me. Gently, he lifted my chin with one hand while he drove with the other. "Do not worry, cara mia. I will make sure you see your precious pet again," he told me. And for some odd reason, I actually believed him.

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**Author's Note:** It's a shorter chapter but it has Edward-y goodness so that evens it out, right? Well, maybe not for my Alice lovers but ummm…there will be more Alice soon, I promise!


	18. Chapter 18

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: ** Honestly, the Twilightverse belongs to Stephenie Meyer and not me. Because I'm not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Squee! Over 100 reviews! I LOVE that. This chapter will be a bit fluffy. Sorry if you don't like fluff. There is some angst to it too. And Elizabeth will totally glare a few times. If anyone is curious, I do live over at Twilighted too. I lurk on the forums and I'm putting my story Aurora over there with some rather important but minor changes. So, feel free to come join everyone over there…

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Chapter 18

My depression came back quickly the next day. The funny thing was that Gabriel tried to cheer me up. He really did. He booked us in at a gorgeous bed and breakfast right in the heart of old Annapolis Friday night. It was right where I typically would hang out when I came to the boating city but it just wasn't the same without Miss Ginsie.

The second we got into Annapolis, I looked up the best boarding vet for her. I talked to them endlessly, made sure they knew about her seizures, and just prayed that my pup was in the best care. I knew she was but it didn't hurt any less to leave her. She was _my_ pup and she was the only thing I had left.

I hadn't said anything for maybe an hour. I didn't even bother to get up to glare at Gabriel when he made some comment about overly emotional human women. After that, I noticed, he became…well…nice.

He had tried to take me shopping. That within itself should have had me cheery. I remembered the stores that were just across the street for our Bed and Breakfast that entrapped tourists as well as the locals. I only looked at the hundreds of objects made from shells or with the "sea" theme half heartedly. Gabriel even braved the "fairy" store down the street to try to get me to at least do something more than sigh, I guess. He looked so awkward in his long leather trench and black jeans against the bright blues and glitters of the store. I did manage to give him a half hearted smile when he placed a ribbon crown on my head while I was perusing the earrings.

But the smile only lasted for half a second as I saw rhinestone dog collars at another display. I thought about how much Ginsie would like a purple one. It also didn't help that I also thought about whether or not Alice and Rose would want to play dress up with the pup. After all, Barbie did have a dog as an accessory a few times.

Thinking on Ginsie and the Cullens only continued my depressed mood. I held on to the hope that I would see the Cullens soon and I knew, if we survived this, that I would see Ginsie soon but…they were all I had here.

Gabriel continued to try for most the day but to no avail. Eventually, I guess, he gave up and gently lead me the truck. "We need to get to that other motel now, don't we?" I asked. It was a motel I had been by a thousand times before on my way to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. I swear, in my time, I think it is abandoned, but for now it still functions…barely.

The motel looked like a total flea trap the last time I saw it. Or maybe just calling it the Bates Motel might work better. It was off of 3 going towards 450 and it looked more like it belonged in a horror film than it did off the exit in that part of Maryland. Well, at least I got to bring the horror film to it.

After dropping off Miss Ginsie, Gabriel and I had gone to Home Depot and picked up most of what we needed. Between that and Wally World we were pretty good to go. We'd have to set up while we were there but I figured it would be less obvious in a place like where we were going than trying to fill a light bulb with gasoline in the middle of the Bed and Breakfast. The flea trap was a much better backdrop than the Laura Ashley gone wild.

"Si, cara mia," Gabriel said in his operatic voice while he drove. I nodded in response before looking back out the window at the passing historic architecture. Of course, Gabriel was older than it all…. Heck, Carlisle was too.

The fatherly vampire had called again earlier today. I hadn't told him of my plans – too worried he'd find a way to talk me out of them- but I think he knew. He asked me again to come home and even got Esme to ask too. They must have known how hard it was to say no. I needed to make sure the guard would not come after them; that they were safe. Once that was done, I'd go to see them.

"Is this all for your Miss Ginsie or are you melancholy because of the guard coming to us?" Gabriel asked as he pulled past the street to the Naval Stadium and headed towards I-50.

"Both and plus some," was all I answered.

"Tesorina, I promise you, no harm will come to your pup. I will protect you with my existence as you protected me," he said almost suavely. He had grasped my left hand, again, while he said it and tried to get me to look at him while he drove.

"Thank you," I whispered back, tracing patterns randomly on the window. As we past by the woods, I thought about how he must have hunted last night while I was asleep. I told him of the wild life reserves in the area and the various parks; all of which had a ton of various animals in them. The one thing I forgot to do today is double check his eyes to make sure he hunted. I didn't want to be around a hungry, still not-vegetarian vampire for very long no matter how old he was and how much control he had.

I turned to look at Gabriel and squinted to see the color of his eyes as he looked straight ahead. Noticing my gaze quickly, he gave me a soft half smile and looked at me. "What is it, Elizabetta?" he asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you went hunting last night," I said. I returned my gaze out the passenger side window when I saw his eyes were liquid amber; the combination of the slight red he still had left and the gold from the animal blood. "Thank you," I whispered again. I was almost proud that he actually listened to me and did as I asked. He didn't kill a human to sedate his thirst probably for the very first time in his five hundred plus years.

"Claro, I wished to be prepared," he said simply. It was another mile before he spoke again. "You were right. There were a great deal of black bears to the Western part of this state. Thank you," Gabriel said softly. "I do not think I could stomach a deer." I smirked at that.

"Bear does taste better than deer," I teased. Not only was I thinking of Emmett and the rest of the Cullens' hunting habits, but I was thinking of my own preferences. "Deer is much too sweet and salty at the same time but bear is pretty good," I told him as I turned my head to look at him. I smiled slightly when I saw the look of shock and confusion upon his face. "Especially with mustard!" I added.

"You've eaten…bear? I did not think it was a food much thought of for most humans anymore," Gabriel said, surprised.

I shrugged and looked down. "I had friends that would hunt and fish. I'd go fishing once in a while but…," I started. I kept seeing their familiar faces in my mind's eyes and shook my head to chase the thoughts away. "They'd send or bring back things like venison jerky or roasted bear meat. It was…different, but not bad," I said.

Gabriel was quiet as we turned onto 3. "No, it's not bad. Simply different," he whispered. I offered a small smile to which he easily returned….well, until he actually saw the motel.

"**Che cavolo…?" he started to say under his breath. **

"You are not staying here," he said when he pulled into the overgrown gravel driveway. He almost looked like he was trying to glare down the rickety white building. …or that he thought his glaring might make the building fall down on its own.

"We have to. This is the perfect place to create a nice little bonfire," I told him. It wasn't like I was willing to burn down one of the historic buildings. Heck, I wasn't even willing to burn down a Super 8. I wanted to make sure that when we set the fire, via napalm, that the building that got destroyed wouldn't be missed. Heck, I bet some of the locals would be pleased to see the burned out shell of remains for this place.

"No," he stated. The mosquito turned off the truck but didn't remove his hands from the steering wheel. "This is no place for you," he stated. I rolled my eyes and moved to get out of the truck. Gabriel grabbed my hand to which I was finally mad enough to glare at him again.

"Look, what are you going to do, Gabriel? Find somewhere else where there might be actual families and not just the bottom feeders of human society?" I asked him. I looked at the hotel quizzingly. "Actually, I doubt even another soul other than us and the owner is here given the lack of cars," I muttered. "…Unless it's one of those by the hour places and it will be packed tonight," I finished my thought.

Gabriel stared at me with open eyes, still holding my left hand. "What?" I asked him. He almost looked like a fish out of water until his mouth turned into a hard line and his eyes narrowed at me. Slowly, he leaned towards me across the center consol, gently pulling my arm so I'd be forced to lean towards him.

"Listen to me, casa mia," he whispered into my ear. His cool breath brushed against my cheek and I closed my eyes so I wouldn't be dazzled. I could just smell the salt water oceanic like perfume of his breath. It reminded me of the beach, of home. It was mixed with some sort of sweet spice that made me think of Christmas at the beach. Darn dazzling vampires…

"I stated to your little clan that I would not allow any harm to come to you upon my own existence and I meant it well. This place is nothing but harm and I will not let you grace its threshold," he told me softly. I pulled back, which he allowed. His perfectly handsome face was serious but I really didn't think he had through this through.

"Oh really?" I asked. He nodded in response, once. "Well then, what are you going to do with me?" I asked, the lines from Much Ado about nothing running through my head. "For as much as you think of me, I am not a gentlewoman, Gabriel. I am, or was, paid to think all day. I did that. A lot. This," I said, pointing to the hotel. "Was my idea. You can't just let me sit out because you think I might catch some skin disease in this God-Forsaken place," I began to shout. My anger was building at him, at everything; at the situation, at the time, at the place, at the world; everything. I was angry and I had to let it out. Unfortunately for my kidnapping mosquito, he was going to get a lot of it.

"You," I said, trying not to jab my finger too hard against the cold hard stone of his chest. "are not allowed to dictate what I can and cannot do. I'm going in there. I'm going to set up and wait until tomorrow when all hell breaks loose. Because if I don't and the Volturi realize we've broken up, how do you think either one of us will fare?" I asked. I watched him wince. I started to smile evilly as I realized I was getting through to his thick skull.

"You'd have all the fire power and you might get one or two of the guards but what would I do? Would you just leave me or would you be willing to part with a match or two?" I asked. I saw Gabriel's shoulders slump as he looked down and released my arm. I almost felt bad for yelling at him. Almost.

"As this is of your own free will, so shall I follow," he whispered. I silently cringed but got over it quickly. He was a vampire from the 15th century. I was a very human girl from the 20th. He'd get over my yelling at him.

Hopping out of the truck, I went and slung the bags over my shoulder and carried in a few more before looking for what had to be the front office. I felt a cool hand on my shoulder as I started to walk. "Please, allow me?" Gabriel asked. His eyes held something but I wasn't sure what it was. I just shrugged as best I could with the bags on my shoulders and headed back to the truck to wait until he got the room key. Maybe I should bring some blankets in or something. Even though I wouldn't dream of actually sleeping in this rat-hole, I didn't want to get cold at night either.

Gabriel came back in a couple of minutes, his face set in stone but the key dangling in his hand. As he went to the truck door to get some of the heaver equipment, he turned to me again. "Are you sure this is what you wish?" he asked me.

I looked at him curiously. "What choice do I have?" I asked him seriously. Gabriel nodded and picked up the five gallons of gas along with the rest of the equipment.

"Then let us prepare," he stated and walked to the room. What I saw next was something I could never prepare myself for, even if I tried. The first thing I thought of when he opened the door was if I had brought any plastic wrap to put down so I could at least have a clean place to sit.

The décor was best described as smoky, skanky, and scary rolled into one antique circa 1965 type room. The antique part would have been okay if it weren't for the cigarette burns…in the wall paper. I wasn't even going to look at the bed…or touch it. I didn't want to think of what happened in it last and I seriously doubt the sheets had been changed…ever.

Gabriel had stopped at the doorway so I brushed by him and took a better look around. Yes…charred remains would be a drastic improvement. "Well, I guess this will make for the perfect horror movie," I said before turning back to my mosquito. "We've got vampires, creepy motels, and bomb making equipment. All we need is the dumb blond in high heels running away from the swamp thing that I think lives in the bathroom here and we'll be set!" I beamed. Well, until I saw that Gabriel wasn't breathing.

"What is it?" I asked before looking around. "Oh God, it's not blood is it? I brought some cleaners because I figured this place might at least need some windex but…" I began to say as I searched the dimly lit smoky room for anything resembling a blood stain.

"No," he said, causing me to turn around quickly to face him. "It's not blood. But there are many other things that I would much rather not smell," he said as he moved right next to me.

"Like what?" I asked, curiously. I mean, he could smell a lot more than me, the human, so I wanted to know what else to…avoid, in here.

Rather than answer me right away, he kissed me on my forehead to which I quickly scowled. "That is not for your innocent ears to hear, tesorina," he said as he glanced at the table before placing the gasoline can and the bags on top of it.

Braving setting things down myself, I put the plastic bags down on the dresser that I'm sure hasn't been clean since I've been alive. I think my Dad was probably just getting out of Elementary school when this place was last cleaned….

"I umm…" I said, suddenly scared to even breathe in here. "I'm going to go get those cleaners," I said before grabbing the keys from Gabriel quickly and leaving the trash pit. Actually, calling it a trash pit is an insult to trash pits everywhere.

Just as I was getting the bag of cleaners that I really kept around in case Ginsie had an accident, another car pulled up. I could feel their eyes on me and I didn't even turn to acknowledge them. I was getting major creepy vibes and I did not like it. I wanted to get back into the filth of the room and back with my kidnapping vampire. Even though Gabriel might lose it one second and think I smell a bit too tasty, I did trust him. The males boring a hole into my back side as I went towards the room may have been humans but only in the very loosest meaning of the word.

They only got out a whistle and a few cat calls before Gabriel was at my side, a bit too quickly to really look human, and placed himself between me and the car of what was most likely gang bangers. He actually growled and glared down one of the males who had gotten out of the car.

"Woah. Sorry dude. Didn't know she was your woman," the greasy looking thing said wearing a wife beater under his grey sweatshirt.

"You will apologize to her, immediately!" Gabriel almost yelled. I hadn't ever heard him get angry before. I had seen him angry but I never heard real anger in his voice before. It sorta…scared me.

"Sorry, lady. You got a good man there," the male said. I just looked at him blankly. What was I supposed to say? Correct him and tell this thing that the mosquito isn't "mine"? He wasn't, was he? Not like that at least…

Or should I give the sorry excuse for human flesh a piece of my mind? I doubt Gabriel would stop me but I also didn't want any of the gang members that were still in the car to pull out their weapons and realize how ineffective they were against vampires. Their weapons would be plenty effective against little ole me so I just stared at him like he grew two heads and called me mama.

Growling slightly still, Gabriel pulled me gently back into the room and closed the door which didn't help. It only made the skanky looking room darker and that certainly wasn't comforting. "While we are here and until the entire guard situation is settled, I will not let you out of my sight," the mosquito said, his temper still evident in his voice.

Despite everything, my mind had only one question on it and it was a rather dumb one, given the current situation. "Were you ever married?" I suddenly asked him. I had no idea why the question popped into my head. Something out there, when he moved to protect me, caused me to think about whether or not my murderous nomad had ever had a wife or maybe even a child?

"What?" he asked incredulously as he spun around to face me.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the bathroom door. I took a paper towel to touch the door knob and open it. I didn't want to take my chances. "Did you have a wife?" I asked, slightly annoyed that he hadn't answered.

When I opened the door to the bathroom, I was horrified by the once white but now gray tiles. This was just…beyond gross. Maybe we should have brought some bleach? Like a 100 jars of it or so? I'll need a breathing mask at least given the mold…

"Yes," Gabriel whispered. I turned around to look at him. His eyes were down cast and he had wires in his hands. I guess he had already started on the remote system…

"It was an arranged marriage. We had one child, a son, and so I let her be after that to do as she willed," he said sadly. My feet stepped towards him of their own accord. An arranged marriage? I had read about them but I had never really, truly heard of one.

"She married again not two weeks past my disappearance for there was enough blood at the scene where I was changed to show that I was dead," he said, looking up and…smiling.

"When were you changed?" I asked, genuinely curious. I pulled up the least disgusting chair to sit down in, but before covering it in excess plastic bags first. Still, I'd just wash my jeans at the next place fifty times over. Or buy new jeans.

"The summer of 1523. Why this sudden curiosity of my life?" he asked as he fiddled with wires. I carefully took out my pearl cutter which was nothing more than a beading awl to carefully cut into the light bulb in one of the bags.

I shrugged as I looked through the various plastic bags. "I don't know. Just figured I'd ask is all," I stated. I found them. The light bulbs were in the plastic bag on the floor. Oh dear God this place was disgusting. If I ever get to my own dimension and my Mom dares to complain ever again about the fabric all over my house, I will tell her about this place. In vivid detail. Down to the last piece of chewed up bumble gum stuck to the bottom of the lip of the dresser. I really hope it's only chewed bumble gum…

"So what was with the church today?" I asked and looked over at him through the corner of my eye. "You weren't really scared God was going to smite you, were you? Or that you'd turn into a pile of ash when you walked in? Because, as cool as that would be to see I seriously doubt…" I started when Gabriel actually laughed. It wasn't a soft hint of laughter that I had heard from him previously, but almost a full laugh.

"No, that I was not fearful of that. I only fear myself and what I remember," he said. I looked at him, curious if he'd give more information. He saw my gaze and sighed, putting the now completed remote device aside.

"I remembered feeling guilty about not loving my wife as I should have when I was human. She…was not my type I suppose would be the phrase one would use of this day, tesorina," he teased. I rolled my eyes but wanted him to continue.

"The last time I had been in a church, prior to today, was to try to convince the priest to speak on my behalf so I might be granted an annulment. I had no love for my wife and did not wish ill of her but I had seen her eyes gaze to another's," he said as he stood up to take the slightly-bigger-than-a-pin-pricked light bulb from me and fill it up, carefully, with gas. Actually, spilling the gas might be a major improvement.

"So, rather than have her take a lover, I pleaded with the priest to allow a communication to the bishop at the time for an annulment. He refused…" Gabriel said, his voice trailing off as he took the funnel and managed to fill the light bulb with gasoline. "…So I killed him," he whispered. My mosquito didn't even look at me as he passed to take out the old light bulb in the ceiling that might have once had a cover but was now long gone.

I wasn't sure what to feel. I didn't he'd be the type to kill someone just out of anger. Out of revenge, malice, and because he really didn't like them; sure! But just out of a moment of rage? Well maybe. But then again… Ugh! I wasn't sure what to think. I wish Jasper was here and then I could ask him what the heck I was feeling. He'd probably just laugh at me though. Whatever I was feeling, I knew I wasn't as upset as I should be over him killing a priest. Maybe it was because it sounded more like a crime of passion –one misstep- rather than anything premeditated?

"What did you do then?" I half whispered, wanting to know the rest of this story.

Gabriel weakly smiled at me as he placed the light bulb in. "Don't flip the switch," he reminded me as he went to get the remote hook up.

"I don't want to even touch it," I mumbled as I watched him walk back over and start to hook everything up.

"I ran," he said, hooking up the wires. He didn't even look like he had touched the light bulb when it was done…two seconds later. Gabriel turned to me again. "I ran into the woods, straight into the arms of a beautiful woman," he teased.

"Your creator?" I more said than asked but Gabriel nodded anyway. He seemed displease that I didn't laugh at his teasing or find it amusing.

"She probably thought she finished me but I survived the three days of change. When I awoke into this life, I only wanted to rid it of evil, such as I had become before my change," he told me very matter of factly.

"Temporary insanity and evil are two very different things, Gabriel," I told him seriously. I knew. I had seen insanity and I had seen evil. Insanity was when your mind no longer was your own to control. Evil was when you still have full function of your mind and yet choose, consciously, to do differently than what was good. Estelle had been insane. Sarah's father, who raped her, was evil. Gabriel had been insane. Jane was evil. There was a difference, even if Gabriel couldn't see it for all these years, it was there.

"You should try and sleep if they are to come tomorrow," he said, looking over the bed and furrowing his brow.

"There is no way in God's green Earth that Ah am evah gonna even touch that bed let alone sleep on it," I stated. "Ah'm pretty sure it's diseased."

Gabriel looked at the comforter with all its cigarette holes critically. "I think you may be correct in that assessment but you do need to sleep," he told me. I shook my head.

"I'll sleep tomorrow, when we are at a real hotel with a real bed and a real bath. For now, I can stay awake. I'll just be grumpy. I think the smell alone is enough to prevent me from fallin' asleep anyway," I mumbled the last part. Gabriel smiled gently at me and crossed his arms.

The look he gave me meant I was in for a long night of being highly annoyed. Great. Just Great. I already told him I'd be grumpy and he still wanted to annoy me? What a wonderful way to possibly spend the very last day of my rather pathetic life. I get to be verbally tortured by a five hundred and twenty two year old vampire. Fun!

* * *

**Author's Note:** Big showdown scene next! Woohoo! And that will probably be it before I go on vacation so be prepared….


	19. Chapter 19

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Honestly, the Twilightverse belongs to Stephenie Meyer and not me. Because I'm not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Okay, so this *should* be the last chapter before my vacation. Honest!

* * *

Chapter 19

_It is the Goddess that I see. I no longer worship the God of my mother. My mother who abused me and who gave me this. Do not windows open on the world? Of the purple light will I seek. Going away so that all can be. The children are the ones that get hurt. Why do they hurt the children? I am innocent but they hurt me. Why does their God allow it? I will worship my Goddess and not allow the children to be hurt. Of all the things I see, none can stop the purple light._

_-Estelle __Fate__, right before she is committed to the hospital_

Cleaners. All I could smell is the familiar smells of Comet and Clorox. After trying, to little avail, to clean the bathroom using what I had in the truck, Gabriel grabbed me and took me out to the store. I, of course, promptly glared at him. He explained that he only wanted to take me to the store so we could buy better cleaning products. I let him only because I knew those little Clorox wipes and the spray weren't going to put a dent in the years of mildew and rust in the motel bathroom. We had the entire cart filled in under three minutes and he wasn't even going at vampire speed.

I had been cleaning ever since we got back. That was at around three in the afternoon, it was now 5. The sink was pristine…and white! Honestly, if they bothered to clean this place once in a blue moon, it would be quaint and probably make money. Of course, they hadn't, so I didn't feel too terrible about burning it down tomorrow. At least they'll get the insurance money, right?

I was currently scrubbing the heck out of the shower. I had dumped bleach all over it first and then waited for ten minutes before I attempted to wash the bleach down the drain…and then scrub. Really scrub. With SOS pads. I was going to get this thing clean before we burned it down, darn it!

"Elizabetta," Gabriel started from behind me, "Please allow me to help?" he asked for the third time. I shook my head and brushed my hair back with my arm. I wore a medical face mask because I was scared of the mold and general dirt of this place. Wally World had a nice box of them.

"You'll only get in the way," I told him. The bathroom was too tiny for us to both be trying to clean it. I was already taking up half the bathroom by just sitting on my knees while I tried to get the floor of the shower stall clean. It was working. Sort of.

"I can clean it more quickly," he informed me from the doorway. I huffed and rocked back on my heels, putting the half gone SOS pad down to look at him.

"You'll break the tiles," I told him, half glaring. He smiled back slightly. "Look, why don't you try to…I don't know. Redecorate the other room and make it presentable," I told him.

My mosquito only raised an eyebrow at me. "We have but hours, cara mia. Not a year until this place shall become the battlefront," he informed me. I sighed in response, knowing he was right. That room was hopeless. The bathroom was at least attemptable.

As I reached over to start scrubbing again, I felt Gabriel kneel next to me and grab both of my hands. "Go, tesorina. I have brought in food for you. It is in a bag upon the desk," he said gently. "That, I managed to get reasonable looking," he told me proudly with a slight smirk.  
I rolled my eyes and took my hands away from his only to throw the SOS pad at him. He caught it deftly. "Fine," I said as I stood up. "But I'm eating in here," I muttered from the doorway. I was still too scared of the germs that possibly lived all over the bedroom of the motel room.

Gabriel stood up as well and looked around the bathroom. There was a toilet that I poured the remaining bleach down and it still didn't help. I used the facilities at Wally World and knew the gas station maybe a mile down the road that I'd go to if it was any emergency. It didn't smell; it was just very black and very moldy and that was terrifying enough. My earlier comment about Swampthing living in the bathroom? Yeah, he really lived in the toilet.

"Where?" he asked, looking at the small maybe five foot by five foot closet.

I pointed to the sink. "I'll just sit there and watch you clean," I stated as I took the medical mask off. "Should be quality entertainment," I muttered as I left the room to grab the bag of food he brought in.

I went to the desk, which he had cleaned to the point I wouldn't mind having it in my house, and looked inside the plastic bag. I smiled. He had gotten my iced tea but the other "food" he brought out would never be considered a proper dinner in a million years. I had a slim jim, neccos, baked potato chips, and an apple. I decided to go for the neccos and the apple.

Tossing the apple in the air as I came back inside the tiny space to watch my kidnapping vampire, I thought of the overly familiar cover for Twilight and half thought of making Gabriel hold the apple for a second. No, it wouldn't be the same. Now, if I can get Edward to do it when I go to see the Cullens…

I took a bite of the apple and sat down on the nice, clean, sink. As I swung my feet back and forth and took another bite, Gabriel turned to me from where he was inside the shower stall. It was a pretty amusing sight behind the decades of soap scum. He had his gray tee shirt sleeves rolled up, and his leather trench had been regulated to a coat hook on the back of the door. "Is that all you will eat?" he asked me. I held up the neccos and nodded. Gabriel grimaced a bit and muttered something beneath his breath but I ignored him.

"Did you wish for something else?" he asked as he tried to clean the glass of the shower stall without breaking it. I shook my head.

"No, the apple and candy is fine. I doubt I can eat much right now anyways," I told him truthfully. Trying to eat more than my favorite candy and a good ole apple would probably be murder on my stomach. And, if we had to die on Easter, at least I won't be sick!

"Why not?" Gabriel asked curiously as he actually managed to get the glass clean. Of course, he was going at about a twenty times the speed I could.

I smirked lightly before taking another bite. "Humans get sick easily when they are stressed," I informed him. He suddenly stopped and looked at me. His face looked…worried? Maybe concerned was the right word.

"You are ill?" he asked as he suddenly was standing in front of me, his hand on my forehead. I batted it away but it really was like batting a rock away.

"No, I'm fine," I told him, glaring up at the vampire who got Comet cleaning powder on my forehead probably. Slowly, my kidnapping mosquito took a step back and seemed to be making sure I was telling the truth.

"But you said humans get sick easily when they are stressed," he parroted me. I glared at him. "I believe little could be more stressful than the Volturi Guard coming after you," he continued with his line of logic. I sighed and threw my apple core at him. He caught it, again, and threw it into the old metal trash can in one quick move.

"Humans _can_ get sick when they are stressed. I'm helping to prevent myself getting sick by not eating too much," I informed him before looking over at the toilet. "Because there is no way I'm even chancing throwing up in that _thing_," I grumbled, crossing my arms.

Gabriel followed my gaze and smirked. "I do see your point, cara mia," he told me before going back to cleaning the shower stall. "But I do wish that you would eat a bit more," he continued. I rolled my eyes and began to pop the neccos into my mouth.

Watching Gabriel clean the shower stall was amusing. He got stuck on one of the more disgusting mildewed walls. He was trying to figure out the right pressure to apply to get into those little crevices between the tiles and he couldn't quite figure it out. When I burst out in laughter at this grown man looking so frustrated and domestic, he huffed at me…which only made me laugh more.

"Gabriel, please," I said in between laughs as I held up the box containing a super cheap hard bristled tooth brush that I had bought for just that purpose. He looked at it oddly as I smiled at him.

"I do not understand," he told me, taking the object from my hands gently. "Vampires have no need of brushing their teeth, tesorina."

I laughed again, but more gently this time, and shook my head. "For the grout. It should work much better than the backside of that sponge you are usin'," I informed him. His eyes lit up with realization which was sort of…cute. He looked like a man in the middle of some great discovery, not a man attempting to clean a shower stall.

With his hard work and my direction of how to clean, the bathroom looked almost nice around seven pm. Well, except for the toilet. I tried to dare him into cleaning that and even Gabriel said it was beyond hope.

So the smell of cleaners kept me awake. That and talking to my kidnapping leech. Neither of us wanted to step out into the main room. I didn't because why leave somewhere that is reasonably clean for someplace that…isn't? I think my bloodsucking friend just didn't want to leave me out of his sight for a second.

"Tell me where you are from, cara mia," he asked around midnight. "Your accent, it's muddled," he informed me. I shrugged, now sitting on the clean floor in-between the sink and the shower stall. Gabriel had taken to sitting in the shower stall.

"I grew up a navy brat," I answered truthfully. "I guess my accent is a mixture of the Mississippian accent I heard my Dad's family talkin' and the Virginian accent I heard when we lived there," I told him.

He looked up thoughtfully, and began to look like he was playing with a non-existent beard again. "Hmm, I suppose that would be it," he said more to himself than to me.

"Why do you do that?" I asked.

Gabriel turned his attention back to me. "Do what?" he asked. I accidentally yawned right then which caused him to frown.

"Pull at your chin like you use to have a beard or something," I clarified.

"I had one when I was still human. I shaved it off many years ago," he stated very matter of factly before standing up. I looked up at him, curiously. "You should sleep," he said. I shook my head.

"Where? In the shower stall? I don't think I could curl up in that thing well enough to be comfortable and I do not want to have a crink in my neck tomorrow," I told him. He rolled his eyes at me and sighed but sat back down.

"This is not healthy for you. Your clan will not be happy with me," he muttered without looking at me.

"I'll be fine, Gabriel. The Cullens will be fine as long as I have all my fingers and toes intact. Stop worrying so much about them," I told him, slightly perturbed. "Really! What the heck did Jasper say to you?" I asked rhetorically. I didn't expect to get an answer.

"That he would tear me apart and not burn all the pieces. He'd leave my head so I might see the damage I had done to them," he said with a slight shrug and a half smile. My eyes couldn't help but notice his upper arms as he shrugged. His t-shirt sleeves were still rolled up and he did look dangerous in a good way.

I shook my head quickly. I shouldn't think like that. Gabriel was a five hundred and twenty two year old vampire who kidnapped me, took me away from the Cullens, and had the guard after him. I was seriously starting to suffer from some Stockholm Syndrome here. He was only drop dead gorgeous with that mahogany hair because he was a vampire. Nothing more.

"Would that work?" I asked quietly, looking down. Could you tear off a vampire's head, burn the rest of the body, and force them to live like that? That seemed overtly cruel.

"I do not know, cara mia," he replied gently. "But it is not something I shall wish to discover," he continued.

We continued to talk on and off. I found out he came to the US in the 1870's. He'd lived in the Northeast since then and moved to NYC in the mid 80's. He's been there ever since. Just as I was going to ask him why he stayed in NYC so much –he had lived in the city three times previous – my phone rang. I started to get up to go find it when I felt it being placed in my hand. I looked up to see Gabriel standing over me, smiling. I relaxed, sort of. "Um, thanks," I told him before answering.

"Hello?" I asked.

"You've got to hurry! They'll be there in five minutes!" Alice said, frantic. I immediately stood up…too quickly. I hit my head on the lip of the sink.

"Ow!" I shouted and turned to glare at the offending object while I used my free hand to rub the back of my head.

"Not that quickly," Alice muttered over the phone.

"Thanks, Alice," I said almost sarcastically, thinking about the sink. She could have warned me…

"Get the blanket off the bed and soak it in water. Wrap it around the door," Alice told me.

I looked towards the bed, past Gabriel. "That filthy thing?" I asked her incredulously.

"Yes, now do it!" she said before hanging up. I had started to notice a pattern with Alice; she never said goodbye when she was on the phone. I wondered why. Maybe it had something to do with her human life? Something she had forgotten?

Before I could even hang up the phone, Gabriel pushed me, a bit too roughly, out of the way. I stumbled back. "Hey!" I shouted at him angrily.

He cast a quick glance at me. "Excuse," he muttered as he ran the blanket beneath the shower nozzle. As soon as it was wet enough…and the water from the blanket miraculously ran clear, he draped it over the inside of the door and managed to push the door shut…effectively creating our own little bubble. The blanket looked to be wool, now that I could see it, and it easily expanded with the water to create a seal around the door.

He placed hands on either side of the door and looked to be listening. How he could hear with the water still going in the shower and my heart beating so loudly that I could hear it, I wasn't sure, but Gabriel turned back around and a little bit too forcefully grabbed my arm. "Get in," he stated, gesturing to the shower. It was something we had discussed before. Being soaked might not be great but it would help to further prevent either of us from burning. So, the shower stall it was!

I climbed in and leaned my back against the now clean wall. It looked so much better but I had little chance to appreciate it. The shower rained down on me as I stood in against the wall looking probably akin to a drowned cat in my jeans and long sleeved t-shirt. Gabriel watched the closed door for a moment and I watched him, trying to listen for whatever he was hearing. It was still too soft for my ears.

After a minute, I started to step away from the wall but I found myself toe to toe with the kidnapping vampire. Instinctively, since I never like anyone getting that close, I stepped back and leaned against the wall again. Gabriel had his arms on either side of my head while he looked down at his shoes, probably still listening for the guard.

I wanted to ask questions. I wanted to know what he heard but I was too scared that the guard was close. I bit my lip and ignored the water pouring down on to both of us. Of course, Gabriel was now more under the constant stream of water than I was.

I tried to get Gabriel to look up at me so I could at least mouth my questions to him but he wouldn't be moved. He just kept slightly arched over, hands on either side of me in the tiny shower stall, looking at his shoes. If I wasn't so scared, I'd be glaring at him and yelling at him to at least look at me.

We had been in the stall for at least a couple of minutes when I heard it. The water was already turning lukewarm so I was not pleased. If I was going to die, couldn't I at least die without the cold shower? Really.

I could hear the door being kicked in easily. I think I heard the sounds of people moving about. Wondering where he had the remote trigger, I looked to my right to see it in Gabriel's hand. It was still dry. Why wasn't he pushing it? They were in the room! I could hear them!

"…the human too?" I heard one voice say.

"Must have brought her with him," another one replied. I heard a crash and a bit of laughing.

"Come out of the restroom and we'll have mercy upon you," the first voice said clearly through the bathroom door. Damn. I hated knowing for sure that they knew we were here. I mean, it was slightly obvious with the sounds of running water and all but there was just something more gut-wrenching about knowing that the ones you are fleeing from know exactly where you are.

I should know. My mind flashed back to when I couldn't have been more than three or four. I remember an older boy trying to crush me in a box with a chair. When he couldn't really but he sat on the box, making it flush with the carpeted basement floor so I couldn't breathe. At first, I thought he didn't realize I was in there but, after a minute of screaming, I realized he did. When his mom came down what seemed hours later and yanked him off the box, I remember quickly scrambling out, feeling the cool air upon my face, and blacking out. It's the only time I've blacked out in my entire life.

Thinking back on that, I shivered involuntarily. That seemed to get a response out of Gabriel. His head slowly rose up and it took me a minute he was looking me over. His eyes were dark but that didn't seem possible. He ate last night. I remember seeing his eyes earlier. Becoming self-conscious, I twisted my shoulders forward and had my arms in front of me.

"Elizabetta," Gabriel said so low I could barely hear him even though he was maybe a foot away….if that. His eyes bore into mine as he spoke and I stared right back. What was wrong? Why wasn't he pressing the trigger.

"In case we don't survive this," was all I heard him say. I felt his free hand move from the wall and touch the side of my face. I closed my eyes, prepared for the worst. I heard the little button click in Gabriel's other hand but felt something press against my lips at the same time.

I heard the woosh of the fire immediately following the click in the other room before I could realize that it was Gabriel's lips pressed against mine. By the time that clicked, I realized my lips were already moving against his.

I could hear the screams from the other room, but I didn't register them. I could feel the water falling against both of us, but I didn't care. All I knew in that moment was that Gabriel was holding me against him, both of us soaked straight through, as his lips moved against mine. It was my first real kiss in years and I didn't even really remember the one from all those years ago. I couldn't even remember the boy's name. But right now, I didn't care.

All that mattered to me was that there was a handsome 15th century man kissing me and I suddenly knew I loved him. I just didn't want to think that this was only because he was pretty sure we were about to die and didn't want to go down without a goodbye kiss, no matter from who.

Gabriel didn't break away when my hands found his neck. He didn't break away when he moved me, gently, to the side and punched through the shower stall wall in to the outside. He didn't even break away when he pretty much picked me up and brought me outside. When he did break away, his hands were still around my waist and he was smiling.

"So, my little Van Helsing," he teased, brushing a soaking wet lock of hair behind my ear. I scowled at him. So maybe that kiss really was nothing more than a fond farewell just in case something went wrong. "We survived," he whispered in that operatic voice. My mind could only think of him until I heard a pop from the building about 50 yards away and I jumped.

I watched the flames dance out the window. They had yet to penetrate the bathroom door but I doubted it would be long. I could hear the fire alarms going off but those were easy to ignore. What wasn't easy to ignore was the look of one small boy, maybe more a teenager, standing there in the God-Forsaken room, his back towards us as he reached a single burning arm out towards the front door before he collapsed.

I felt Gabriel place his hands on either side of my shoulders before he whispered lowly in my ear. "And so ends Alec of the Volturi Guard. May he join his sister if there is an afterlife for us."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So umm…I've been thinking. You know, Tanya hasn't found a mate yet and Gabriel is really just her type and… …why are y'all glaring at me? What? I think Felix would work well with Elizabeth. Just ignore that's she'd try to flame throw him every five seconds. ;-)

So, there it is. Their first kiss. Does Gabriel even like her or was she just his way to go out with a bang if the whole bomb thing worked a bit too well? Does Elizabeth even really like him or is she really having Stockholm Syndrome like she thinks? Maybe we should ask Tanya….

Oh, and Felix and Demetri? Well, we'll have to find out about them more later. :-) Bye bye, boys and girls! I'm going to go storm a castle!!!!


	20. Chapter 20

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Honestly, the Twilightverse belongs to Stephenie Meyer and not me. Because I'm not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Remember that whole "last chapter before I leave" thing? Ummm…yeah. I lied. Sorry. Actually, what happened was I got extremely frazzled this morning while finishing packing and realized waiting one more day won't kill me. So, rather than going "OMG!!!ELEVENTY!!!!" while attempting to find all my garb, I get an entire extra day to pack. …which means Isabella made another chemise, finished up her doublet, and wrote another chapter….and then will probably go finish some more sewing before actually packing because I'm like that.

* * *

Chapter 20

We left the burning remains of the hotel in my truck. No one noticed us in the chaos. I only prayed we hadn't accidentally taken any innocent lives in the explosion. From what it looked like at the hotel, I doubt it.

Gabriel's face was a stoic mask as he drove out on to the highway at this early in the morning. It was only four and the sun wouldn't rise for a long while yet. I don't think I had ever seen this part of the world in the dark before. It was…different.

I noticed my mosquito's fingers clutching the steering wheel tightly. That, combined with his face, worried me. I still wasn't sure what to think about him right now. Was he just leading me on? Of course, no handsome man or boy had really gotten that far before without just giving up on me. I always thought I was simply too direct, too stubborn for most men to bother with. The few that had tried were creepy like the guy in the club right before I met my vampire. Kidnapping vampire that is.

"Gabriel?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

His face became a grim line. "The entire guard was not inside the room," he said.

I blinked. Of course, the _entire_ guard wasn't in the room. Only Felix, Demetri, and Alec were after us, right? And I saw Alec go down in flames so… And then it hit me. I saw Alec but I didn't see the other two. "Who?" I whispered. Gabriel shot me a quickly look to indicate he didn't get my question. "Who wasn't inside the room?" I clarified. Please, let it be Felix. Muscle was nothing if he couldn't find us. Even if he could, he was easy to prepare for. Brawn was nothing over brains. If Demetri still lived though…

"Felix was standing outside," Gabriel said. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Just Felix? You had me worried there for a second," I told him, half smiling. The smile was wiped off my face when he looked at me again. Gabriel's face was almost twisted in anger.

"No, not just Felix," he said, clenching his fists again on my steering wheel. Who else could have possibly been out there with him? Was there a fourth vampire out there with the guard? Did I miss someone?

"Don't destroy my steering wheel," I reminded him as I thought. His hands relaxed slightly but not really enough to my liking. "Who else was there?" I asked.

"Demetri," Gabriel stated. I was confused. I heard two voices in the room before it got destroyed; before Gabriel kissed me. They must have both been destroyed, right?

"Yes, but he was inside the room. I heard him," I stated, confused. Gabriel only nodded.

"He was but he managed to escape," Gabriel told me. Escape? But how? When the light bulb shattered the gasoline should have congealed and been impossible to get off. It would have burned straight through.

"How?" I asked, by voice raising higher than it should.

Gabriel looked over at me. His eyes looked worried before he reached out his hand for mine. "I will not let them touch you, cara mia," he said with conviction. "Have no worried about that," he continued before looking ahead again. It didn't escape my notice that he didn't let go of my hand but he's tried to comfort me before. It probably wasn't anything. Just making sure he can return me to the Cullens in one, unfrazzled piece…like that was possible.

"I'm not worried about just me, Gabriel. You know that," I said with a huff before taking my hand away from his. I crossed my arms and looked out the passenger side window. Not that there was much to see at this time in the morning. I might get lucky and see a deer too close to the road though. Vampire fast food; deer.

Gabriel was quiet for a moment before he sighed. "I know, tesorina. We will try to stop them," he said quietly. I watched the world go buy quickly for a moment. I knew we couldn't leave the area simply because we needed to pick up Ginsie and this place was as good as any to confront the guard…again. Third time's the charm, right?

As I thought about it, we had taken out the heavy hitters for the guard. Felix was pure muscle, the bouncer of the Volturi. Demetri was the hitman really but I wondered if he could be reasoned with. Jane and Alec had been nothing more than weaponry, acting without thought but I was curious if it was the same with Demetri. It didn't seem so when he was talking to Edward and Bella right after Bella saved Edward in Volterra…. He seemed willing to listen although he wanted to get his job done. He wanted to do it with as little trouble as possible…

"I believe, but I do not know, that Demetri might have been injured in our fire," Gabriel told me. I only nodded. That might actually help if he's injured. It might be more willing to negotiate. Of course, he also might be less willing as well….

But to negotiate with what? What did I have that the Volturi might not…oh. It seemed so simple. I'd just demand to talk to Aro over the phone if not in person. I'd put the books in a box and address them to the Cullens. I had their address written down thanks to Esme wanting things from the house in Ithaca. I could easily send the books to them, a letter explaining what to do if anything happened to me.

If Aro accepted my arrangement, to not have the guard bother myself, Gabriel, or the Cullens anymore and, hopefully, to actually go help with Victoria's little army, then I'd simply ask Gabriel to break into the mailbox where I'd drop the books off and we'd be on our way; the books back in my possession. But, if he doesn't, then the books get sent to the Cullens, plus my note about a certain sister of Aro's to be sent to Marcus and all hell breaks loose inside Volterra, hopefully. I just would need to speak to him and the guard would back down, I hoped.

"We need to meet with them," I whispered. I was trying to find a flaw in my plan. There had to be one. If all went well, everyone lived. If all went poorly, I died but so did a bunch of other people…well…vampires at least. Maybe my plan was too dependent on Aro? What if Demetri wouldn't let me speak to him? Ugh!

"What?" Gabriel asked me, furrowing his brow as he looked over at me. I scooted back into the upright position as I looked over at him. He was gorgeous. If nothing else, then at least I got to kiss someone as handsome as him.

"I want to negotiate," I told him.

"You do not negotiate with the Volturi Guard in circumstances such as these, Elizabetta. They will not listen," he told me, looking back out the front window. We were on the Beltway now. A couple of miles on the outer loop and we'd be near my house. Or, what was my house. Would be my house? My tiny town home in the center of Old Greenbelt. Only two blocks away from the tiny town home my Mom grew up in. I still didn't like going by my Mom's old home there. Every time I saw it, I thought it was mine. That's where Grandma and Papa lived. That's where I had my family.

"We need to try," I told him. I thought of Carlisle and how disappointed he must be in me right now. I didn't even try to negotiate before. We just ran and killed, no explanation. Did the guard even know it was me who was behind the death of their two most beloved members?

"You cannot negotiate with them, cucciola mia. You have taken out Jane and Alec. They will be too upset to listen," he said, frustration showing through his voice. I wasn't sure if it was directed at me or at the guard.

"We won't know until we try, Gabriel," I told him exasperatedly. "We can take precautions," I told him. I suddenly remembered my dream. Demetri, trying to get around the ring of fire as I sat calmly in the center of it. "We'll build a fire around us. If we do a control burn, nothing should happen but we should be able to talk," I told him.

"And talk of what, cara mia? They only wish to destroy what has taken their Jane and Alec from them," he told me before turning to look at me. "I will not allow that. I will not allow them to destroy you," he said angrily. I watched as his hands tensed again.

"Do NOT destroy my truck or I so will destroy you," I said, using his words against him. Gabriel smirked slightly but loosened his grip on the steering wheel again. "I have…information that I know Aro would not like to get out. I'll write a letter. Maybe a few…Do any of the other nomads have PO Boxes like you?" I asked suddenly. After all, my scent would be all over any letter I sent to Marcus and Aro could intercept it. But if I sent it to the Cullens plus any nomads that were willing to listen…

"Yes, a few. Why, cucciola mia? What information do you have?" he asked curiously.

I wasn't sure whether or not to tell Gabriel. A part of me wanted to trust him but was that just pure infatuation? He was handsome and he was helping me through this. He was even willing to put up with me for hours on end but was that just because of Jasper's threats? Infatuation or not, I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell him since the whole "we still might die" thing was out there.

"I know about Marcus. About what happened to his mate, Didyme. I know who killed her and why," I told him. Gabriel's face became serious again. He was quiet while he processed what I told him.

"That would be…valuable information to the Volturi, cara mia. How do you know of this?" he asked me. I shrugged. I wasn't willing to give up that part of my information yet.

"I just do. And trust me, it's not information Aro would want out. I'll write down everything in a letter, copy it, and send it to every vampire we know," I told him. "I think I can get the Denali's information from the Cullens," I muttered as I thought out loud.

"Why would Aro not want such…,"Gabriel started to ask. I turned to look at him before he made the connection. "Oh," he said. "You believe Aro killed her? His own sister?" he asked.

"I don't believe, I know," I told him.

"But why? For what reason could he possibly have to taking one who he did, or at least declared, he loved?" Gabriel asked as he drove.

"He didn't want Marcus to leave," I stated. "Didyme and Marcus were happy, extremely so. She was Marcus' mate and given her abilities and his own, she could make him happy and he could see the bond between them. They were…perfect for each other, I guess," I said sadly. I wondered if I would ever find someone like that. Someone who would simply love me for me. So far, all anyone has ever done is either like me as a friend or seen me as yet another pretty babe. I've rarely had any type of true relationship when it comes to having a boyfriend.

I've had boyfriends, just…nothing very permanent. The longest relationships were all long distance. I've dated, of course. I just…I tended to find something wrong with the guy after the first date and didn't want to deal with them again. He was too short or he was trying to impress me too much or he was rude or he was…something. Some critical flaw that made me not want to see them again. The few I did want to see again never called me again. So, no real relationships on that level.

It made me wonder what this was. Was Gabriel simply teasing the strange little human? I couldn't deny that I had feelings for him but I was pretty sure I was just infatuated with the gorgeous vampire. After all, who wouldn't be? Granted, he we being nice and he didn't try and impress me. The only time he was rude was when it was necessary… He couldn't possibly see anything in me, could he?

"They wanted to go out on their own. Marcus didn't want to stay with Aro's coven. When Aro heard of this, he thought the only way to make Marcus stay was to get rid of Marcus' reason for leaving. So he killed Didyme. Marcus still wanted to leave but with Chelsea and her ability, it made it impossible. Marcus became tied to Aro and found no reason to leave; either by removing himself from Volterra or removing himself from this life," I continued.

Gabriel was quiet for a long time. Slowly, he pulled off at the IKEA exit and we sat in the parking lot of the overly familiar blue and yellow building. I had been here many many times before. More so than I cared to count. I looked over at my kidnapping vampire curiously. He turned off the truck as we sat there, his eyes closed.

"Gabriel?" I asked, reaching to touch his shoulder gently. His eyes flashed open and he took my hand with his own, kissing the top of it.

"If what you say is true, cucciola mia, then it will have many ramifications. Why did Aro want Marcus to stay so badly?" Gabriel mused, still holding my hand.

"His ability," I told him truthfully. The more I thought about the kiss and about Gabriel, the harder it was to think while he was holding my hand. I didn't want to read too much into it but it was hard when he did stuff like this. Of course, he kissed my forehead right after I saved him from Jane too…

"I suppose that Marcus' ability is a valuable asset to them," he whispered, lost in his own thoughts. I wondered what he was thinking about and kind of wished Edward was here to simply read Gabriel's mind and tell me. But, of course, Edward could read my mind and I really didn't want him to right now.

It was about ten minutes before Gabriel seemed to come to awareness again. He smiled at me, kissed my hand again before letting go and starting up the truck. "We will go to a library and you may write your letters. I will give you the mail boxes of those I know. You are correct in that would be information Aro would not want out. It would raise too many questions as well as possibly threaten the Volturi rule," he told him as he pulled out. When he got out to the stop light, Gabriel furrowed his brow again and looked at me. "Elizabetta? Where is the library?" he asked. I laughed.

After giving him directions to the one of the three libraries I knew of, we drove further down the Beltway until we got off at the overly familiar exit. I bit my lip. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to go to the library that I knew best because I knew it best for one reason and one reason only; my family. My Mom volunteered there. My brother worked there for a couple of summers. My other brothers had done beautification projects for the library to get their Eagle Scout awards. My Dad even helped any other Boy Scouts that wanted to do projects at this library. I knew it inside and out.

I knew the neighborhood it was in, blind. The school that was right above the library on the hill was where I went to vote. The other school, a block down, was where I went through that disastrous eighth grade. The church connected to that school was where I and all my brothers had our confirmations. It's where my middle brother got married. It's where I sat every Christmas and tried not to get sick because of some little old lady bathing in her perfume rather than just wearing it.

And five houses down from the church? My parents' house. I doubt whoever owns it right now would like me to take a look around. The addition was probably never built. My parents' built that in 2000-2001. The basement might not be carpeted. I wonder what the garden looked like. Was that bonsai tree looking bush still out in front of the brick stairs going up to the front door? Dad took that out just last year so it might be there.

It was only five o'clock when we got to the library. Being so close to the church and it being Easter, I wanted to go to the sunrise service if I could. I looked down and knew that I couldn't. I still looked like I drowned rat. A dried off drowned rat but a drowned rat.

"What is it, cara mia?" Gabriel asked gently. I shook my head. I couldn't explain how being here was just reminding me that I didn't belong. Dunkirk had opened my eyes to the fact I really, truly never existed here. None of my family did either so I had nothing here. I had accepted that after my sobbing and sorry display in front of my kidnapping vampire. But being here, around things that were so terribly familiar to me because they were places I had been by nearly every day of my life from the time I was fifteen and we moved into the house just down the street until I went to college. Even then, I came back. I knew these trees, these neighborhoods, and this place. This, for all intents and purposes, was home in my dimension. But, despite that, when I rolled down the window to breathe the familiar air, I felt…nothing.

Whenever I got close to a place that I knew well, like when I crossed the James River in Virginia, or drove past Nashville on my way to Mississippi, I'd get a feeling. I guess it was sort of intuition that I belonged there or I had something there I belonged to. Crossing the James river, it was because I grew up in Virginia Beach and that river reminded me of my home there. Nashville was where my Dad's family was from and I guess I even subconsciously recognized that my family was there. So when I drove down the familiar street of River road, and now sitting in the library parking lot where I had come in and out of so many times and felt…nothing, it was unnerving. Was it simply because I knew nothing was here for me? I did have ties to this area because this area didn't belong to me, the girl who didn't exist?

"It's silly. It's nothing, Gabriel," I told him. I looked over my clothing again and gagged. "Ugh. Can we at least stay at a nice hotel tonight so I can take a decent shower and change into clothing that doesn't stick to every inch of my skin?" I asked looking down as the mostly dry jeans and the t-shirt that had dried to my frame. I'm sure my hair looks like someone tried to straighten curls by pulling on them, creating limp looking wavy locks. Note to self: never take a shower with all your clothing on ever again.

I felt Gabriel's eyes on me again and I looked over at him curiously. He pushed a lock of my hair back again. "I will make sure to make reservations for us tonight while you write and copy your letter, cucciola mia," he whispered.

I felt almost trapped in his eyes. I quickly looked down, not wanting to give away my feelings towards him in case he didn't feel the same way. Get a grip, Elizabeth, it had only been, what? A week since you met him? No one really falls in love that fast.

"Sleep," he whispered as he pulled a blanket from out back and placed it over me. "I will wake you when the library opens."

I curled up, clutching the blanket to me. "I feel so bad," I whispered.

"What about?" he asked. I think I felt his hand on my shoulder again as I obediently closed my eyes. I was dead tired. I had been up since yesterday morning.

"It's Easter Sunday and I'm too tired and," I started before I yawned. "Look too disgusting to go to the sunrise mass despite the church being right there," I said as my eyes closed tight.

"Sleep, cara mia," Gabriel said again, gently patting my back. "God would never spite one such as you for missing church in these circumstances," he whispered. I swore I heard him say something in Italian following that that sounded like "si può mai essere nulla, ma bella" but I think I heard him wrong. If I didn't, I think he said something like never to be but beautiful but I'm not sure. I was too tired to really think about it.

I awoke, many hours later, to the lovely soft fluorescents of lights in an underground garage. I blinked and groaned as I tried to stretch and look around. "Good morning, cara mia," Gabriel said. He sounded way too happy for the way I felt right now so I glared at him. Of course, it only lasted a second because my curiosity over where the heck we were one out.

"Where are we?" I asked. It looked sort of like the underground garage in downtown Bethesda where the new PetSmart was.

"Staples," Gabriel answered. Oh. It was the underground garage that I thought. Staples was on the second level, street side. Petsmart wasn't even here yet. I think it's still the auction house at this point in time. I wonder if they have any pretty antiques right now…

I shook my head. I was on the run, about to blackmail the ruling family of vampires, and I was thinking of buying antiques. Really, I need to get my priorities in order.

"Why are we here?" I asked. I remembered the library and falling asleep in the truck..

"The library is closed on Sunday, cucciola mia," he told me very matter of factly. I sighed. Of course the library is closed today. Not only was it Sunday, it was Easter Sunday. Was there anywhere that was open that had access to a copier? Great day to come up with a plan.

"I called your clan and your Alice has quite a character," Gabriel said smiling. I looked at him curiously.

"Is everything alright? Are they okay?" I asked. Why would he call them?

"Everything is as it was when you feel asleep. Do not fret," Gabriel said calmly. "Your Alice told me that this place would open for a few hours today at noon to allow us to conduct our plan. She said to tell you she has many questions for you when you come back home for she foresaw that you would answer none upon the phone," he told me. I grimaced. Great. Alice knew. Or, at least, she knew something. Hopefully, she'll keep her mouth shut until I hand the books over to Bella and Edward, assuming all goes according to plan.

"So we have," I started when I looked at the time on my phone, "ummm… fifteen minutes?" I more stated than asked. "Sorry," I mumbled. I shouldn't have slept for so long.

Gabriel laughed at me. "Do not worry, cucciola mia," he teased. Slowly he grabbed my hand and kissed it, looking into my eyes as he did so. Damn dazzling vampires. "Such worries, shall I take from you to burden upon my shoulders."

I managed to, some how, shake my head and glare at him. He smiled at me which caused me to raise my eyebrow. "Great. I get my own personal vampire bodyguard that I've already had to save once and had to help kill for a second time," I grumbled, crossing my arms and looking straight ahead to the empty parking spaces. Did I ever mention I'm not a morning person? There is a reason my family and friends don't bother with me for at least an hour after I wake up.

I saw Gabriel's face crumble from the corner of my eye. By the time I turned to look at him, his face had become a mask and his knuckles white. All my frustrations vanished at the sight of him. I didn't mean to hurt him, I just well…I wasn't as good as he seemed think I was and maybe this showed him that. Maybe any chance I could have possibly had with him, I just ruined. Like I could have had a chance with anyone that handsome who had nearly a good five hundred years on me. All the history he must have seen…

"Gabriel? I'm sorry. I didn't mean," I started. I saw him clench his hands tighter, his mouth a straight line, as I reached for him. I quickly withdrew my hand and hid my face. For some reason, all I could think about was Gabriel's human life. What kind of wife did he have that didn't want someone like him? That she went into the arms of another when she could have someone so…devoted to her happiness? I felt my eyes start to well up again. I hated being this emotional and I knew it was only because I had just woken up…and possibly destroyed any chance at happiness I had.

"You have helped me a great deal, Gabriel. I'm sorry for sounding so …abrupt. Don't take anything I say right after I wake up too seriously. I'm just…rude for the first hour or so. I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice getting smaller as I continued to ramble on. I peeked out from my locks of hair to see him. Even if he didn't feel the same way about me as I thought I was starting to feel about him, I at least hoped he'd forgive me. He didn't even move to look at me.

He clenched and unclenched his muscles. Taking a deep breath, he said "It's noon. Go to write your letters. We will address them on the way to the postal office." I only nodded and quietly got out of the car.

"I'm sorry," I said again as I got out. A tear fell from my eye and I wiped it away as I walked around the truck, towards the elevators. When I got in them, I let myself a few more tears before quickly trying to wipe them all away and look halfway presentable when I went inside the store. Seeing my reflection on the glass of the store display while I stood there in the lobby, I knew it was a lost cause anyway.

I walked into the store wondering how I could be so stupid. I knew Gabriel had that whole "I must be the man" thing going on. Not only was I a woman, and therefore needing protection in the mind of any 15th century male, but I was also a human, and therefore I really was weak and in need of protection. I just basically told him to bugger off when that was the last thing I wanted him to do.

I found some stationary in the store and a set of pens. I promptly paid for those with the cash I still had from my computer business. That seemed so long ago now even though it was just last week. In fact, at this time last week I was probably talking with that grandmother at church with Esme behind me. Damn, I missed her. I missed all the Cullens. I wanted to go to them so much right now…

I found a small standing desk at the copy center part of the store where I could write my letter. I decided to just write one, copy it, and mail the same letter out to everyone. Of course, the Cullens would get an extra letter or eight. I just prayed this worked and I wouldn't have to really send them all out.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter in the event of my death and destruction. I, Elizabeth French…

I started the letter. I looked at it as it was and scratched out my last name. Even vampires would figure out the connection between me, Elizabeth French, and the character, Elizabeth French, in the Destiny series. No need for unanswerable questions once I'm very dead. I crumbled up the paper and threw it in the trash near me. Starting the letter again, I wrote down only my first name and went into as much detail as I could about Aro's involvement of Didyme's death. I explained why and what happened as best I could. I remembered reading all about it on Stephenie Meyer's website when I was going through all the little outtakes and personal correspondences she had up.

When I signed my name to the bottom of it with my normal flourish –I always signed in cursive and took the end of the "H" in my name to loop it back around and cross the "T"- I felt a cool hand on my shoulder. I gasped and turned around to see Gabriel behind me. "I did not mean to startle you, cara mia," he said quietly.

It took everything in me not to hug him tight. I had been thinking so much about possible death, about what we were doing, and about how I had just treated him that I was worried he'd die thinking I thought he was a worthless excuse for a protector. If anything, he was the perfect protector for me. My arms twitched but I managed to keep them at my sides. I didn't want to scare him anymore than I normally did.

"Gabriel," I breathed, glad he came up. "I'm so sorry," I repeated again, looking down. I suddenly saw my phone in front of me. I looked up at him curiously while I took it from him.

"Your clan," he said. I put the phone up to me ear and moved out of the way as Gabriel moved to pick up my letter and take it to the copier for me.

"Hello?" I asked, wondering who it was this time.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Carlisle said. I smiled immediately. I needed to hear from the fatherly vampire right now. "Alice has told us of your plan. She was unwilling to give details but said that it should work. I am proud of your decision, Elizabeth," he told me. I couldn't help but feel loved and embarrassed by his choice of words.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Of course," he said quickly. "I take it you have not called or otherwise set up a meeting place with the guard to discuss the terms of your truce?" he asked. I shook my head. It was a horrible habit to respond physically while on the phone but I think I got it from my Mom's side of the family.

"No, I didn't really think to that part," I said truthfully. Honestly, my plan was to go to Sandy Point or something, build that bonfire like in my dream and wait for the remaining guard to come to us. But if Carlisle had Aro's phone number or something like that, that would be a heck of a lot easier.

"I have the direct line to Volterra, if you wish," he said. My eyes grew wide and I smiled again.

"That would be perfect, Carlisle! Thank you," I told him. I guess I was a little bit loud because the gangly teenager behind the copier counter looked over at me like I was crazy. Okay, so maybe I was but not like that…

"Do you have a pen and paper?" He asked. I voiced my "uh huh" and took down the number to Italy. I think Gianna might still be the secretary. After all, it's only been a month since Edward, Alice, and Bella saw her, right? They haven't killed her yet….

"Thank you so much, Carlisle," I said after taking down the number.

"Of course, Elizabeth," he said before changing his tone again. "I would like it if you would come back to us when this is over. Alice said there is something you would like to discuss with us and we would all love to have you here," he told me gently.

"Even Rosalie?" I asked, trying not to giggle while I said it. Gabriel came back my side, showing me the copies and then showing me the envelopes. He motioned to ask if he could fill out the addresses to which I gave him the pen and nodded.

"Yes, even Rosalie," Carlisle told me. I could just picture him smiling.

"I'll try, Carlisle. I promise," I told him. I did want to go back to them but I had no idea if this would ever be over, really. I was basically plotting the destruction of a royal family. I wonder if I was like Jeanne Valois. I would totally love to dress like her but I think the whole panniers and stays would stick out a bit around here. Maybe if we headed down to Williamsburg…

"That is all I can ask, Elizabeth. And please, if you would like, Gabriel is also welcome to come," Carlisle told me. I blushed and was glad my fatherly vampire couldn't see over the phone. It was bad enough that Gabriel probably heard him and could see me turning red. In fact, that was worse than Carlisle seeing me like this. Much worse.

"Thanks, Carlisle," I mumbled. With that, we said our goodbyes and I looked at my kidnapping vampire.

"Ready?" I asked him. He nodded and smiled gently.

"Always, cucciola mia," he whispered as he guided me out of the store. We were ready. For what, I hadn't the slightest idea but at least we had a plan. And our next step was to get stamps, put the letters in a mail box, and call up Volterra. Oh joy.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hehehe…some of you didn't get the joke. Don't worry, this will not be Tanya/Gabriel. Ever.

So, for the next twenty gazillion chapters, this will be extremely angst filled. Sorry, just the way it is. Elizabeth has a LOT of issues to work through and Gabriel isn't exactly much better. Some of this will not be happy. I have a feeling some of you will end up yelling at the computer screen every couple of minutes (in case you haven't already with this chapter!). Don't worry, as I've explained to a couple of you, it will be all butterflies and rainbows at the end but the journey there will have a heck of a lot of broken bottles and thorns.

Some of the terms Gabriel has been using:

_Cara mia_ – my dear. It's no different than Esme calling any of her children or her children's friends "dear".

_Tesorina-_ my little treasure. We'd say "sweatheart", but again, how many people do you call sweatheart? I call Ginsie that all the time! So it doesn't imply anything more than affection.

_Cucciola mia­- _ my pet. Now this is a new term that he just started using. As you can guess, it has many implications. Elizabeth has no idea what it means. If she did…she'd probably think of Laurent and the meadow and glare at Gabriel every time he used it. You basically only use this term between boyfriends/girlfriends or spouses. Now, it can also mean that he thinks of Elizabeth as his pet…like she thinks of Ginsie….

_Amore_- love. not a term he has used yet but he might in the future. It's actually another nothing implied affection term. I've heard the phrase "Could you be a love and….?" Many times. Amore means the exact same thing. You'd call your friends amore, family, ect.

Hope that explains some things!


	21. Chapter 21

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with them because sparklepires are funny.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm back! I took a real shower last night and re-discovered electricity! A week and a half of camping is interesting. Add the medievaloid stuff to it and it gets really interesting. BTW, I won Pennsic. :-) I had my eye on this gorgeous bolt of cotton brocade but figured it was too much…when the guy said $2 a yard, I asked for 10 yards. He told me to take the entire bolt for that price. I *think* I now have uh…~30 yards of baby blue cotton brocade? Gorgeous stuff.

* * *

Chapter 21

We had driven past the last of the mail boxes to drop the remaining letters off. Gabriel wanted to put a few letters into at least three different mail boxes so if things did go badly, it would be harder for the guard to round up all the letters I had written. They could still smell out maybe one or two of the mail boxes, but it would be difficult to get to all of them before tomorrow, especially given the sun.

Gabriel had to sit in the back for now because it was sunny. Actually, it was gorgeous. The weather was warm with a slight breeze and the humidity was really low. It was a perfect day by most humans estimations…just not mine right now.

Of course, most other humans didn't have to put up with a grumbling blood-sucking back seat driver either. After coming to an abrupt stop at the second mail box, Gabriel voiced his opinion of my driving skills in Italian. I wasn't sure what he said but I glared at him and mumbled about flame throwers.

Now, as I started to drive off after this last one, Gabriel became even more vocal. I think he said something about not allowing women to drive in Italian so I decided to get back at him. "Lamia stultae non agitat," I grumbled back. I glared at him via the rear view mirror…and looked at it to see his reaction. I was not disappointed. Latin, the language of the world prior to the 17th century.

I tried hard to keep my eyes on the road and not laugh too much as I watched Gabriel's face go from agitated to one of shock. He looked at the back of my head, his amber eyes registering only surprise. "…you…know Latin?" he asked.

I nodded once, driving to a nearby park so we could have some privacy, shade, and Gabriel could get out of the car without causing much of a spectacle of himself. "My bachelor's is in Classical Studies," I told him. "Ya know, Latin and Greek?"

Gabriel was very quiet the rest of the way to Great Falls. It was the only place I could think of that had a lot of shade and would be relatively quite enough for us to call the Volturi. I just prayed Aro would listen.

As I got out, I was worried I had insulted Gabriel a bit too much. Given the problem earlier in Staples and now calling him bloody stupid vampire in Latin probably hadn't exactly endeared myself to him…no matter what he was saying back in Italian. Thinking of how to apologize, I suddenly saw a gloved hand in front of me as I turned to get out of the truck. Looking up at the attached person to that hand, I saw Gabriel smiling.

"What is this place, cucciola mia?" he asked gently as he helped me out of the truck. Not that I needed it.

I suddenly found myself toe to toe with him again. I wasn't sure what to do. I tried to avoid his eyes but found Gabriel gently tipping my chin back up to look at him. His amber eyes bore back into my hazel ones. I knew he was dazzling me for some reason but I didn't really care. "Great Falls," I more asked than stated.

His hand still beneath my chin, Gabriel looked around at our surroundings quickly and then back to me. "It's lovely, cara mia, but why did you wish to come here?" he asked me gently. I felt one of his gloved hands grasp by own ungloved one as he moved to lead us towards the C & O canal trail.

"It's the only place I could think of that was private, shady, and wouldn't have a lot of people around in case the guard found us and wasn't willing to negotiate," I told him truthfully, looking down as we walked. I wanted to head north along the trail, away from the falls and, thereby, away from most people. Not that there were many. It was still early-ish for Easter Sunday. It would probably be another hour or two before the Easter bonnets and wing-tipped shoes bothered to show up.

Gabriel stopped us and swung around to look me in the eyes again. When I looked up at him, I saw only anger and determination. I wasn't sure if they were directed at me or not but I was thankful that there were enough people around that he really couldn't do much even if he wanted to. Killing twenty or some-odd people at Great Falls would get national attention quickly.

"Do not worry of the Guard. I will not let them harm you, tesorina," he stated with conviction. His face softened and he kissed the top of my head again before retaking his place by my side, still holding my hand almost like I was a child. I sighed and let go of his hand, feeling too out of place. I was nothing more than a child to him.

When we made it to the bridge that crossed over the canal, Gabriel looked at me for direction. I moved towards the north, waiting for him to follow. We walked quietly up the C & O canal trail, past any of the touristy spots, until it was just myself, my kidnapping vampire, and nature. I stopped after about ten minutes and looked at him. "Do you hear anyone around?" I asked him.

Gabriel quirked his head to the side. "Yes, but they are not close," he answered. I nodded once and picked my tracfone out of my pocket. Thank God for DC and amazing cell phone service. Well, at least the amazing cell phone service part. DC, not so much....

I noticed Gabriel looking at my oddly again and I raised an eyebrow at him as I fished the phone number Carlisle gave me out of my other pocket. "What?" I asked him, slightly flustered.

"Why come here? Why not go to the city to make this call? Surely, the guard will not descend immediately upon you calling Aro. They would be less likely to try anything of any great magnitude in a crowded place than out here, cara mia," Gabriel stated. I felt his hand reach for my face but I jerked back, annoyed with him and myself. Yes, they'd be less likely to try and kill us in a mall or a museum or anywhere else with lots of people but having a conversation about how one vampire killed another to keep the royal vampire family in line and together was hardly a conversation for normal human ears. I didn't want the guard to feel obligated to kill everyone in twenty feet of me for blowing the secret.

Gabriel looked hurt when I jerked back and I rolled my eyes at him. His expression was so…pained, that all I wanted to do was apologize again. Instead, for whatever reason, I gently took his hand with my own. I just prayed he wouldn't mind. He didn't. Or, at least, he squeezed my hand back when I held his.

"I don't want the guard to kill everyone that overhears my conversation with Aro if I'm lucky enough to get through either," I explained. Enlightenment lit up his eyes as he understood my reasoning. Although his face remained a hard mask now, he nodded once in approval, I assumed.

Quickly, I punched in the numbers into the phone and just prayed it was Gianna that answered. I doubted that Aro or any of the other Volturi would answer their own phones. "Pronto?" a voice, distinctly feminine answered after only a couple of rings. "Si tratta di imprese di Volterra, come posso aiutarti?" she continued. I didn't have a clue as to what she was saying, not that it mattered.

"Gianna?" I asked. There was a long pause before she spoke again.

"Si…," she said curiously. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least this small prayer was answered.

"I do not have much time but I know you speak English. I know that you have green eyes and flirt with Felix. I also know that the Volturi are planning on killing you very soon and have no plans to change you," I stated. I could only hope she would listen after this.

"Who is this? Who are you?" she asked, perturbed.

"My name is Elizabeth and I'm the human that killed Jane and destroyed Alec. I think I also injured Demetri but I didn't exactly stick around to check out my latest work," I told her. I think I heard an intact of breath. "And if you don't put me on the phone with Aro in about another minute, I will be very willing to come to Volterra myself and take you out as well. I doubt the Volturi want to be denied such a fine meal as yourself anymore than they wished to have their ranks thinned further," I told her. I heard Gabriel smirk and say something low in Italian but I didn't really pay attention.

"They…aren't going to change me?" she whispered over the phone timidly. That made me angry. She always knew there was a good chance she'd be food rather than help and yet she was too blinded by the hope of becoming one of them – the non-vegetartian, non-discriminate vampires- to see the truth. She was food, nothing more.

I looked over to Gabriel for a split second. I caught something in his eyes but I didn't get as to what. I'd just ask him later, if there was a later to ask. "Of course not. You are nothing more than a professional trained sheep to them. You might be good for wool for now but you will be lamp chops later. You'll never get to be the shepherd or even the herding the dog," I told her, anger thickening my accent. I doubt she understood half of it. I felt a cool hand on my shoulder, pulling me back gently. Even though I couldn't see him with my back to him, I somehow knew it was Gabriel and he was trying to calm me down. It didn't work much.

"Why not? Why should I even believe you?" Gianna nearly cried over the phone. I let out a perturbed sigh.

"You know perfectly well what you got yourself into, girl. Now, get Aro and get him on the phone, NOW!" I yelled. I felt Gabriel's hand creep down to my forearm as he moved his hand slowly to embrace me sort of from the back. I could feel his breath on my ear as he pulled my hair back.

"Calm, cucciola mia. Calm," he whispered gently. I could tell he was trying to restrain me. It wasn't a bad idea really given that I do tend to act out. I mean, look at what I've already done in this universe.

I closed my eyes as I heard Gianna ramble about putting me on hold and going to find Aro. I tried to take a deep breath but all that did is replace the anger with worry. I much preferred anger. I could direct anger. Worry was useless because all it did is remind me of all the millions of things I had no control over right now. Anger, I could control. Worry? Worry is what put me in the hospital more times than I care to count.

I was just about to give up and try calling back when a jovial sounding masculine voice answered the phone this time. "Hello?" he asked.

My eyes flashed open. I only hoped it really was Aro and not some sort of trick. Well, even if it was a trick, I doubt Aro would like this type of information getting out. "Hello, I assume that Gianna might have told you who I am?" I asked.

The response I received was a good hearted chuckle. If this wasn't Aro, then he was a damn fine actor. "Yes, she seemed quite unnerved by your conversation. I take it the vampire that has you as a hostage as put you up to this?" he asked, sounding amused.

"No," I stated. Before Aro could really argue, I continued. "The vampire that kidnapped me," I started, sending a slight glare over my shoulder to Gabriel. He only held me tighter against him in response. Too bad I couldn't reach for my lighter right about now. "Has little to do with this. I only saved him from Jane and he wished to return the favor. Nothing more," I stated. I swear, I heard Gabriel mutter something but I had no idea as to what.

"Saved him from Jane? How so?" Aro asked, sounding more serious.

"It's amazing what a can of old hairspray and a lighter can do. She was too preoccupied in causing my current kidnapper pain to notice the insignificant human behind her," I told him. An evil smile crept across my face as I heard nothing but silence on the other end of the line. "Really, Aro. You should teach your Guard better than that. Getting noticed by humans isn't a good thing, now is it?," I teased. I knew how to gain the upper hand in this situation.

"The Guard is well trained enough, human. They will come after you shortly," he said, anger barely concealed in his voice.

"Let's see," I said as I broke away from Gabriel's protective arms. I began to pace, keeping a smile on my face. Anger was now replaced with a hint of evil mirth. This was starting to be fun. Me, a non-existent human, playing cat and mouse with the Volturi. I really wouldn't have been able to do anything this amusing in my universe. The closest I ever got was telling some mentally unstable person to only respond with actual tips to the FBI and that we didn't investigate UFOs…to contact the Air Force instead. They had the blue files.

"I've taken out Jane. I've taken out Alec. Those were your heavy hitters, dear Aro," I told him as I swung around almost like I was on a catwalk. Gabriel watched me, arms across his chest, his face perfectly stoic. I smiled at him.

"And you will pay for that dearly, human," Aro stated.

"I think not, vampire," I answered in the same tone. "If you don't want your precious secret out regarding a certain sister of yours, you won't kill me," I told him.

Aro was quiet for a moment. When his voice sounded again over the phone, it was a bit lighter, more curious than angry. "I am not sure what you mean," he stated.

"You killed Didyme and I know why. I've written a letter explaining it all and placed copies of that letter through out the city. If you have the guard kill me, then the various letters will get mailed out tomorrow. If you don't, I'll have…my kidnapper collect them and destroy them. But I will demand a truce here and now," I told Aro emphatically. I almost slipped up and said "Gabriel" rather than kidnapper. I didn't want Aro to know who was traveling with me. I only wanted to give out as much information and I thought necessary.

Even though he didn't respond, I could almost hear the anger through the phone. In fact, I think I heard the phone get smashed only to hear another phone being picked up a few seconds later. "You demand a truce?" he asked, accenting the word demand incredulously.

"Would you rather I keep up my vampire hunting ways? I ain't no Buffy but I'm fairly effective in my own way," I told him. I watched out the corner of my eye as Gabriel bit back a laugh. "I'd be happy to take out more of your men, but I would be much happier if you simply told them to back off and let myself, my kidnapper, and any vampires that I come in contact with go," I told him. "I also wouldn't mind if you actually took out Victoria in Seattle. She'll make quite a mess if you don't stop her right now," I told him.

"You are obviously…gifted," Aro stated after a long pause. "And it would be reckless to destroy such a talent as you seem to have," he continued.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to join you, Aro," I muttered. Gabriel smirked while Aro actually chuckled at me.

"No, of course not. But having a human know as much as you do is quite dangerous," Aro stated.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Who is to say I'm human?" I asked. After all, for all he knows I could be a werewolf or maybe a witch. I know at least one of those two exist in this universe. I felt Gabriel take a step closer to me. I raised my free hand to tell him to stop before I continued with my conversation. "It really doesn't matter than I am," I said, thinking on my temporal interdimentional displacement. "What does matter is that I know enough to cause problems for you. I think I've already prove that point," I told him very matter of factly.

"Indeed, you have, my dear," Aro stated back.

"Then the solution is simple. You call your guard off. You let myself and my kidnapping vampire friend here go. You are never to bother us again and, in exchange, I will not release the information regarding your insatiable need for power and to collect talented vampire around you. That the need is so great you killed your own sister to keep what you saw as yours. Given the ramifications of such information getting out, I think it's a rather fair trade, don't you agree, Aro?" I asked sweetly.

Aro was silent for a long time. "Allow me to speak with the vampire you claimed to have saved from Jane before I make my decision," he stated calmly.

"Only if he wishes to speak with you, Aro," I told him. I looked to Gabriel, his face again a stoic mask as I waved the phone out in front of him. Gabriel nodded once and took the phone from me.

I didn't understand to conversation. I got bits of words here and there to know they were talking about vampires and about Jane but nothing more than that. Giving myself a headache on trying to keep up with a language I didn't know, I gave up and went to sit on a large rock not too far into the woods. Unfortunately, although I was seeking some amount of silence, Gabriel didn't know that and followed me. Groaning, I put my head in my hands and felt a cool hand on my back, gently rubbing the base of my neck in comfort.

I tried to block out the words and just focus on the situation. That didn't work. All I could think about was wearing a pretty blue and white dress, done up in the early 16th century style that I loved to wear at re-enactments, dripping with pearls and living in some small castle with Gabriel. When I tried to push that from my mind, my head filled with images of what the pain of the transformation must be like. I know pain. I've felt pain. I've survived four kidney stones and been kicked out of bed, literally, when I had a kidney infection so bad the doctors almost admitted me to the hospital. Pain was life.

Was that what Gabriel was talking about with Aro? Was Aro trying to convince Gabriel to change me? Not that that would work really. I mean, I guess Gabriel could and then just leave me, a little vampire newborn, on the Cullens' front porch. For some reason, that idea tore my heart in two. I didn't want Gabriel to leave…

I felt the phone being pushed gently back into my hands. "Hello?" I asked just to let Aro know I had the phone again.

"Ah, yes, Elizabeth. I think we may be able to work this out. I would still like you to at least meet with the Guard so that we may know exactly with who we are dealing with," Aro said skillfully.

"And how will I know this is not a trick?" I asked. I started to calculate how much a flame cutter might be. I'd have to be careful.

"Take any precautions you may like. You may choose the time and place for the meeting but it must be soon," Aro stated. "And I do ask that you do not find anymore …creative ways to destroy my Guard. Given the circumstances as your Gabriel has explained them to me, I will be…lenient this time and allow a truce but only if you agree to the following," Aro continued.

I quirked my eyebrow and looked to Gabriel. What had he said to Aro? What was he planning? "What are your restrictions?" I asked carefully. I would not agree to anything blindly.

"You will meet with the guard so that I will later see with my own eyes who our vampire huntress is," Aro said with a hint of a chuckle. I rolled my eyes at that one.

"Alright," I easily agreed. If all Aro wanted was to see me through Felix or Demetri's eyes, to get their full impression of me, then I could agree to a meeting. It seemed simple enough. "What else?" I asked carefully.

"You are to be turned in a year's time," Aro stated. My jaw must have dropped or something because Gabriel immediately rushed over, looking worried. He went to reach out for me but I shook my head and swatted his hand away. I didn't need comfort right now, not like that. I needed time to think this over. I mean, really? No more chocolate covered strawberries, ever? And what if I somehow end up back in my universe? That wouldn't be good. I needed time and I needed to think over my situation more. Of course, I didn't have time and thinking over my situation more would only cause me to worry more.

"May I give my answer to your Guards in three days time?" I asked. Three days wasn't a lot but it would give me some time. Also, hopefully, it wasn't too little of time to think everything I needed to think through through.

"Unfortunately, no, my dear. You are quite dangerous for a human. No human has ever been able to destroy two vampires and injure a third. Given both your and your Gabriel's stories, I do not believe it a worthwhile risk to take to let you continue to live without some sort of deadline," Aro stated. I frowned.

I could feel Gabriel behind me again. His hand covered the mouth piece to phone. Before I could glare up at him, I felt his breath upon my ear again. The cool smell of the ocean and spices assaulting my nostrils pleasantly.

"Say yes, cucciola mia. We will think more about it later, but say yes for now," he whispered so lightly in my ear I could barely hear him.

"Elizabeth?" Aro asked impatiently.

"Yes," I stated. Admittedly, it was what I wanted. After all, what fan of the Twilight books didn't think about being a vampire, dream of joining the Cullen clan? And here I was, living that dream…but I wasn't sure. There was no doubt that the Cullens' would welcome me with open arms given their frantic phone calls over the past couple of weeks but there was doubt in me concerning Gabriel. Did he want me to be a vampire just to get us out of this situation so he could go back to New York and live his nomadic existence again or was there something more? I mentally shook my head. No, there couldn't be anything more. The kiss early this morning meant nothing. I was nothing more than a child to him, a pet. Something precious to be delivered to the Cullens and not a great love. I would never be his mate. I scoffed at the very idea. I was nothing to such a beautiful creature but cargo.

"You have made your decision?" Aro asked again.

"Yes, and I agree," I said, my voice somewhat shaking. I felt Gabriel's arms move to embrace me from behind. Strangely, it did comfort me. He'd take me to the Cullens. Hopefully, they'd take me in or at least ask the Denali clan to take me. I'd be a raging newborn, wanting blood and nothing more than that for less than a year. Given that I've read the books and know enough about this universe to know what to expect, maybe I won't have a newborn period either, like Bella…but that was too much to hope for. I could only hope that one of the vegetarian clans wouldn't mind a very confused newborn being dumped on them.

"Good, good. This is quite well. I suppose you have a meeting place and time for my Guard?" Aro asked, amused.

"Three days from now, dusk, at Sandy Point, Maryland," I told him. The beach that was known for fossilized sharks teeth. I remember going there with Sara many years ago. I can't remember if it was before or after our New Jersey trip. I think it was before. I think I was 19. I can't remember it clearly anymore.

"I will give them those instructions," Aro stated. "Now, please don't try to kill any more of them. I rather liked my Guard the way I had them and would prefer not to loose any more," Aro told me.

"As long as they don't try to kill me or destroy Gabriel, I'll behave," I told him. I heard Aro chuckle and felt Gabriel squeeze me gently again.

"Then the 19th of April it is. I really do think this will be something for the chronicles if nothing else. Our first successful vampire huntress. That is quite a feat, my dear," Aro stated. I sighed.

"Goodbye, Aro," I told him. I heard him say goodbye as I clicked the phone shut. I was too much in shock over the conversation, my stomach too filled with butterflies, to register that Gabriel was holding me.

"We will find a way through this, tesorina," he whispered, bringing me out of my reverie. "I will not turn you if you do not wish it. I will keep you safe," he stated. Gently, I pulled myself away from him to look at him.

"Yes, until you get me to the Cullens," I told him. Shaking my head as I began to pace back and forth again in the woods not too far from the trail. I slowed after only a few paces and looked back at Gabriel. "What on Earth did you say to him, by the way?" I asked.

Gabriel smiled and shrugged slightly. "Only the truth, cara mia," he stated. I raised an eyebrow at him. Somehow, I doubt his version of the truth and my version were exactly the same.

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**Author's Note:** So…..I'm back! And I got a transfer to a new division. And I'm going to go play downtown tomorrow. And I seriously need to get some raybans…..


	22. Chapter 22

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with them because sparklepires are funny.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry for not responding to the reviews! It won't let me right now. I know there is something funky going on with right now and I'm not sure what. So…I'll have a very long author's note after this to address any questions that came up. :-)

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Chapter 22

_Drifting away. I noticed that Rogue seemed to be more taken back than usual. Our fearless protester that we had in high school now grimaced slightly but said nothing. I didn't understand her actions or her inactions anymore. Maybe it was just me. I had been on so many medications and was still on so many I wasn't even sure what day it was. I didn't even feel like me anymore but both Anna and Rogue warned me: If I didn't take my medications they would both push for me to be back in the hospital. It didn't help that my mother was pushing the pills on me too._

_-Estelle's POV __Kismet_

It wasn't until we got to the car that I realized the words Gabriel had used. "I will not turn you," was what he said while we stood out there in the woods. He didn't say that he wouldn't let me be turned but that he wouldn't turn me if I didn't want it. That was a slip I wouldn't let go unnoticed.

Did Aro command him to turn me? Could Gabriel even do it? I know that Maria turned Jasper without too much difficulty so it was very possible for a non-vegetarian vampire to turn a human on purpose and not just by accident. Not to say that it was easy, but it was possible. Still, I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea of being a vampire.

Ugh! This entire line of thought was crazy. Vampires were things of myth and legend and yet here was one right behind me. There was a whole bunch more awaiting my arrival on the west coast. I was stuck inside a fictional series living out every fan's dream; I was going to be a vampire. I would most likely stay with the Cullens. The Cullens actually knew me and liked me. The problem was the other side of the happy coin that most fans forgot; the Volturi.

I didn't mind the idea of being the same age I was right now forever. I liked the idea of my hair never going white and never having to worry about lines on my face. But the vanity of the idea was really only one part of the package. I would also be alone forever, or at least until I found my other half…whenever that would be.

I looked into the rear view mirror at Gabriel and smirked slightly. He had his arms crossed, clearly displeased at the sun and it's appearance as we drove out of the park. "We should go to retrieve your pet first, cara mia," he told me. I nodded once, quickly making my way to the Beltway. Thank God I knew the area like the back of my hand.

So, for now, we'd get Ginsie and then what? I kept trying to think of a way to ask him all the questions I currently had in my head. They could all be summed up into one but I wasn't sure if he would answer it. He didn't really answer it earlier.

"Gabriel?" I asked, trying to get his attention as I drove out on to the overly familiar street of MacArthur Blvd.

"Elizabetta?" he teased, saying my name in the same tone as I said his. I sighed and kept my eyes on the road ahead.

"What exactly did Aro ask of you? Say to you?" I asked him. Then, I remembered this was my kidnapping vampire I was dealing with. "And do you mind translating it into English or Latin?" I pointed out. I didn't want him just parroting the Italian knowing I wouldn't comprehend most of it and yet managing to answer my question.

Gabriel was quiet for a bit. I looked back via the rear view mirror, not really paying attention to where I was going, to see him pulling at the long since gone beard again. He was thinking. I sighed again. "Just say whatever it is, Gabriel," I muttered as I turned my attention back to the road.

"There was a lot that was said, tesorina," Gabriel said in his operatic voice. That didn't help my mood any. He was avoiding the question.

"And that was?" I asked, again, annoyed.

I heard the movement of fabric before I felt the cool of his breathe upon my ear again and a hand upon my shoulder. "I will tell you when the time is right, cucciola mia," he whispered.

I looked in the rear view mirror again to glare at him. Stupid dazzling drop dead gorgeous sparklepire! Ugh! "And that will be?" I asked him.

Gabriel sat back in his seat behind me and sighed. "Soon, cara mia. After we have retrieved your zibellina and are relaxed at the hotel," he told me. Relaxed. Of the many things I could be right now, relaxed was not one of them. No matter what, I had to meet with the guard in three days and I also was just told I had to become a vampire. Relaxing was the furthest thing from my mind.

"We need to find a hotel then and make arrangements," I mumbled. I tried to think of which ones might be relatively cheap but nice in the area.

"I made reservations while you slept this morning, Elizabetta," Gabriel stated. I looked to see him in the rear view mirror again only to see him smiling at my confused expression.

"For where?" I asked, curious.

"A place called the Fairfax hotel. It was highly rated," he said off handedly. "I hope you do not mind, cara mia, but I used your laptop to make the reservation," he nearly whispered again.

I shook my head. No. Of the many things I minded, Gabriel making hotel reservations wasn't one of them. "All the way out in Fairfax?" I asked curiously. Not that Fairfax Virginia was really that far but it seemed a rather strange place to pick…

"No, tesorina," Gabriel said with a hint of a smile in his voice. "The Fairfax on Embassy Row. You have not heard of such a place?" he asked.

Embassy Row. That got my attention. I knew exactly where Embassy Row was and I knew exactly how much a hotel there would cost per a night. "Gabriel, we can't stay there," I told him softly. I didn't have the money to stay at a place like that.

"Why not?" he asked. "I spoke with the management concerning your pet and they stated that," he started before I interrupted.

"No, it's not that," I stated sadly. Most hotels would care less about bringing a dog in if you were willing to pay for any problems. Money fixed most issues like that. The problem was, I didn't have any and I felt bad about my handler paying for everything. I was starting to wonder if he figured that Carlisle would just reimburse him for any expenses that he incurred because of me. The other problem was that there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Carlisle would if Gabriel asked it of him. I couldn't ask that of them. I shouldn't have Carlisle in that position.

"Then what has you worried regarding such a place? It looked pleasant enough," Gabriel asked curiously.

"It's just too much money," I mumbled out. I was about to say that I didn't have more than enough to stay at the Red Roof Inn for the next three nights when I finally realized where I was driving. "What the…? Damn!" I cursed as I automatically turned down Massachusetts Avenue. I had been driving the same way I always took from Great Falls; I had been driving to my parents' house.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked, concerned at my sudden outburst.

"Nothing," I said quickly. I shook my head and looked for one of the side streets to turn around in. "I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going," I muttered before signaling that I wanted to take a left into the neighborhood before getting to the familiar fire station.

Gabriel was only quiet for a few seconds. "This is near the library, si?" he asked me. I just nodded yes, keeping my lips tight.

"Is this where your family lived, cucciola mia?" he whispered gently. I nodded again, managing to make the turn and step on the accelerator like a bat out of hell. The truck was reluctant for a second to obey the command of the acceleration but it quickly shifted gears and zoomed back down the hill to the stop light.

"I am sorry," he whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder again. I ignored the tears that were angrily running down my face and made a hard right on to the road that would take me closer to the Beltway; closer to Ginsie.

"Elizabetta, pull over," Gabriel told me.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I need to get Ginsie and then we can head to some cheap hotel that I can afford for a few days," I replied. My tears were starting to come a bit more forcefully. Upset didn't even begin to explain my emotions right now. The full force of talking to Aro, of what he wanted of me, of what I had to do, of where I was in _this_ world was hitting me and I wasn't about to turn into a nervous wreck again. I've done that enough.

"Elizabetta, amore, pull over," I heard Gabriel gently command. Amore. Love. Of course, the connotation in American English was different than what it meant in most European cultures. You would call your child or your friend "love". That's all I was to him, a child; one he was currently attempting to calm down before I threw an epic temper tantrum while driving.

"I can't," I said softly. I knew I pulled over, if I didn't have the road to concentrate on, then I'd break down. If I kept driving, I could bury these emotions just like I've done before. I was good at burying my emotions. I've had a lot of practice over the years. It was just hard when they hit me this forcefully.

As soon as I said I can't, I felt a cool hand on my own and looked over quickly to see Gabriel unscruntching himself in the front seat. I immediately shook my head at him. "No! Gabriel, you can't," I began to stutter as I tried to stay on the shady side of the road as much as possible. "What if someone sees you?" I began to panic.

Gabriel undid my seatbelt and looked at me. "You should not drive when you are like this, cucciola mia. Yet you insist. So, if you wish to see your zibellina this badly, then I shall drive," he told me. He slowly moved to take over the wheel while I drove but I shook my head again.

"No, I'll be fine," I told him. Gabriel looked at me incredulously. "I just need another minute," I told him as I could already feel the tears slowing. He waited. The random bits of sunlight danced across his face every so often, despite his gorgeous long waves of mahogany hair shielding him a bit. The only thing I could think of was Donnie Darko and the whole "I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion" line. Thinking on that and the beautiful sparklepire next to me, I tried to bite back a laugh.

Gabriel continued to watch me. The look on his face was one of worry and something else as I finally let the laughter out. Laughing wasn't a bad thing. Especially when it's over something as funny as clearly being as crazy as Gabriel thought I was. After all, this entire past couple of weeks, I had managed to convince myself this was all "real" and that my life was the fiction. Because how could the beautiful being next to me with skin that looked to be made out diamonds possibly be more than a hallucination?

"Elizabetta?" He whispered. His voice sounded almost afraid. I kept laughing until I felt his hand on mine again. Nothing that felt like that could be a hallucination. No, this was real. Still, I couldn't help but let out another smirk at the idea "Sparkle Motion" while watching the sun play across his face. Gabriel tried to shrink back into the shadows as much as he could in the truck but still.

"Sorry," I replied. By the time I replied, I found myself in the passenger seat and Gabriel in the driver's seat. I crossed my arms and looked over to glare at him.

He smiled slightly back. "Ah, there is my Elizabetta," he said which only caused me to grumble. He managed to play with the sun visors and was wearing enough clothing that he didn't sparkle too much as we drove the rest of the way back to Annapolis to pick up Ginsie. If anyone questioned us, I'd just say I sprayed him with glitter glue in a fight. It's not like it wasn't believable and glitter and Easter did go together…sort of.

We arrived at the vets a half hour or so later. When I saw Ginsie, I immediately started crying again. My pup was so happy to see me. She wagged her tail and came straight up to me, giving me kisses as I bent down to pick her up. "I missed you too," I told the white and ginger furball. I hadn't even noticed that Gabriel already paid until he began to usher me out the door.

"You don't have to do that, you know," I said, still hugging Ginsie close to me while I waited for him to unlock the truck so we could all get in.

"Do what, cara mia?" he asked before sliding into the driver's seat. The vet's office was surrounded by trees and the day was growing late. There was very little chance of Gabriel looking like anything more than masculine perfection.

"Pay for all these things for me. I do have some money of my own. It's not much, granted," I started as I scooted into the passenger seat, keeping Miss Ginsie on my lap. I needed my pup right now to ground myself.

"Tesorina," Gabriel started in his operatic voice, taking one of my hands and kissing it. I tried to look away but couldn't. My brain knew he was dazzling me but there was little I could do about that. "I do so for I wish to do so, nothing more. After spending such a night as last, I believe we both need a place that is vastly different from the previous. Do you not agree?" he said with a smile. I think I stopped breathing for a second while I looked into his eyes. Stupid dazzling vampire! Ugh!

I huffed and crossed my arms on top of Miss Ginsie, pulling my hand out of Gabriel's grasp at the same time. He continued to smile. "I believed as such," he stated before driving off.

Embassy Row was a part of Massachusetts Avenue that consisted of embassies, museums, and mansions. The average price for a home here? Around two or three million at least at this point in time. I'm sure you could find a five million dollar house in the area without anyone batting an eyelash about it. Of course, in my time, the price dropped to $1.5 million to $2 million. Not that made it much better, really.

The neighborhood was expensive and the hotel would be too. I didn't even want to think of the amount of money Gabriel was about to spend on just a room here. I had tried to argue with him on the way over but he pointed out that it was just as much for him as it was for me. He wanted to get cleaned up too so why not do it in style? Although those weren't his exact words, that was the gist of his argument and I had trouble finding a fallacy in that.

I still had on the same clothing as I did yesterday. It was the same clothing I had worn in the shower. The same clothing I wore when Gabriel kissed me. I squeezed Ginsie in a hug as I thought on both the kiss and how I still looked like a drowned rat. I felt out of place the second I stepped out of the truck to enter the lobby of the hotel.

The lobby had white marble floors with cherry wood paneling on the walls. It looked beautiful and I most certainly did not. I held Ginsie closer to me when I saw a tight lipped hotel employee coming closer. I was about to say something when I felt Gabriel's arm around my shoulder. "I am Gabriel Caldola. I called earlier to reserve the Ambassador suite?" he said smoothly.

The employee's eyes went wide with shock. He looked at me and then back to Gabriel. Instinctively, I wanted to curl up and hide, so I turned slightly to be closer to the vampire. I trusted him; the hotel employee? Not so much.

"Yes, of course. I am sorry, sir. I was unaware of when you would arrive," the employee stammered as he looked over my disheveled appearance.

"This is my Elizabetta," Gabriel introduced me. I gazed up only to see curiosity and confusion in the employee's eyes. Quickly, I looked back down. I didn't like it when people tried to analyze me. "We have not had a restful few days and hoped to do so here," Gabriel continued with an edge to his voice. My kidnapping vampire was not pleased.

"Oh, yes, of course," the hotel employee continued before gesturing to the front desk. I tried to ignore the looks from the other hotel guests and was grateful that Gabriel was acting like a shield for me. The confirmation took only a minute and the bewildered hotel employee handed Gabriel the keys for the room. I didn't get what the Ambassador suite meant until I saw it.

We took the elevator up, Gabriel never relinquishing his arm from around me to which I was grateful. I didn't want to feel alone right now and with Miss Ginsie in my arms –even though she desperately wanted to get down again- and Gabriel's arm around me, I knew I was okay for now.

I only broke away from Gabriel when I saw the suite. It was huge and beautiful. I put Miss Ginsie down, who happily began to run around and smell the edges of the room I walked over to the big picture window and looked out to see my favorite monument in DC, the National Cathedral.

"Do you like it?" Gabriel asked as he placed my bags down as well as his own small one. I turned around and smiled slightly, nodding.

"I can see the Cathedral," I stated. Gabriel laughed at me. I only looked back at him confused.

"You are in such a lovely room, surrounded by marble and expensive woods and yet you always look to what is beyond," he said smiling. I shrugged and looked back out.

"I like the National Cathedral. It looks like it's from the High Gothic part of the middle ages," I muttered before turning around slowly, smiling back. "You probably remember that," I teased, starting to feel better in a nice, clean, environment…and having my puppy nearby helped a lot too.

"I'm not that old," Gabriel muttered before looking around the room a bit.

I looked over to where I presumed the bathroom was. "Do you mind if I take a shower first?" I asked as I pushed myself away from the window. "I doubt this one has swamp thing living in the toilet," I muttered under my breath. Gabriel laughed at me and gently grasped my arm.

"No, I am fairly sure I am the only possible creature of horror within the confines of this hotel," he teased. I rolled my eyes at him. Not that worked because thinking on showers and having Gabriel this close only reminded me of the kiss. It was nothing. It had to be nothing. It was just a heat of the moment thing given that we could have died. Nothing more. Someone this beautiful could not think of me as anything more than a beat up package to be delivered.

Gabriel gently placed my pink duffel bag on my arm. We were both silent for a moment. "Go," he said. There was something in his voice that made me want to stay there but I quickly broke away instead and headed to the bathroom to clean up.

The bathroom was beyond magnificent. It had its own parlor outside the powder room. I left my bling bag that had my hairbrush in it on a vanity. I'd wash up and then pull my hair up out here. It wasn't like Gabriel would need the bedroom anyway.

The bathroom had a dark red marble counter top around the sink. The color almost reminded me the color of Gabriel's hair. I bit my lip and tried to push all thoughts of Gabriel out of my mind. Right now, I needed to get cleaned up and then go watch countless hours of TV to relax. Or maybe play Civ III on my laptop. Did Gabriel bring my laptop in? Ugh! No thinking about that gorgeous kidnapping vampire!

As I finally got clean, thanks to the power of the hotel complimentary shampoo and conditioner, my brain began to betray me. What if it wasn't just a kiss? What if Gabriel thought I was his mate? Didn't he say "my Elizabetta" to the hotel employee? What would happen if I returned to my own time, my own world now?

The last thought caused me to choke back a cry. As much as I missed my family and my friends, as much as I missed my _life_, I slowly realized I didn't want to trade this new one in. Even if Gabriel didn't love me –although I was pretty sure I love him…I think- I didn't want to give up my Vampire Huntress ways and go back to a static cubicle in some not-really-there-but-you-can-see-it-on-google-maps-labeled building and read about possible threats all day. I didn't want to wear oxford shirts and hideous black pants every day while struggling to keep my head afloat in the waves of bills and the mortgage. I wanted to be here. I wanted to be free.

As I shut off the water, I had come to a couple of conclusions. One, I had feelings for Gabriel. I wasn't sure what exactly but I was pretty sure I loved him. Two, even if this was nothing more than a hallucination, even if I was crazy, I never wanted to wake up from it. Crazy but free was better than sane and imprisoned by your own walls.

I slipped into my PJ's even though it was only dinner time at the latest and grabbed the fluffy bathrobe off the back of the door. They even had slippers which I carried out with me.

When I entered into the parlor again, I saw Gabriel in the bedroom waiting. I threw the slippers down on to the floor, about to tell him he could go in when I found him kneeling at my feet, placing the slippers on me. I looked down in shock and curiosity. He couldn't feel the same way for me, could he? He was just protecting me because of Jasper's threats, right?

"Allow me, cucciola mia," he whispered as he placed the hotel slippers on my feet. I tried not to read too much into Gabriel's hand wrapped around the lower part of my thigh as I lifted up my foot. When the slippers were in place, he stood up slowly, his gaze never leaving mine.

"I will be out in a moment, cara mia," he said softly. "I took the liberty of ordering you your dinner," he continued before giving me a kiss on the forehead and heading to the bathroom. He didn't love me, right? I was reading way too much into this and was only going to make a fool of myself in front of an unforgetting vampire, right?

With my head all confused, and remembering past incidents where I read way too much into various situations, as well as past relationships, I collapsed on the sofa in the living room of the suite and put on the large screen tv. Ginsie climbed up next to me and happily wagged her tail as I petted her. "Well, Ginsie, one thing is for sure," I told the pup. "This dimension is interesting."

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**Author's Note:** Sorry! This chapter is a little shorter than the other's have been. It's only over 4, 000 words rather than in the 5,000~6,000 range. I just wanted to get Elizabeth's really confused thoughts down on paper. I'm not sure if I should do some fluff next or just skip to the conformation with the Guard….

So, the reviews… ummm…yeah, FF is having issues. Given that, here are some replies:

Gabriel will be sticking around. Don't worry. I'm thinking of doing the Midnight Sun thing and re-writing all of this from his POV once I'm done with this story. (That won't be for a LONG while yet but I know at least a couple of you are interested in his POV….)

Yes, Aro is going to be quite insistent and demand that Elizabeth be changed within a year. He realized his mistake on not giving a deadline with Bella and he won't repeat that mistake twice. Plus, Elizabeth is far more hazardous to a vampire's health….

Elizabeth was a bit angrier in the past chapter (and this one) because everything is catching up with her. She hasn't gotten much sleep, she's in the same clothing as she has been for at least the past 40 hours or so, and fearing for your very life tend to make you a bit grumpy. :-)

Gabriel is aware of his feelings for Elizabeth but he's just as confused about all of this as she is right now. I swear it will get straightened out relatively soon so just hold on and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster!

Did I get everyone's questions? I hope so!


	23. Chapter 23

l

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with them because sparklepires are funny.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! Wow! I haven't been pushing this story out much and yet I seem to get new people every time I update (even in the middle of the night!). :-) If you want to publicize this story, please, just tell me where you are posting before you post it up so I'll know where it's been posted. …and now, Fluff!!!! ::Kermit flail arms::

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Chapter 23

_Rogue and I went to the Renn fest today. I ended up being late but it was okay. I changed into my Irish gown in the parking lot but couldn't find my laces. Rogue told me just to go up to one of the clothing vendors and ask for how much it would be for new ones. The first person I asked just gave them to me. Major kudos in her direction._

_Rogue knows everyone at the Renn Fest. My old English isn't that great so I just hung back and watched her. Well, that, and I'm shy. I was amazed by the amount of people Rogue knows and her ability to use the Shakespearean English. We couldn't walk two steps without her knowing some one._

_I bought a pretty necklace. Rogue prevented me from buying a red one, which was good. Red makes me look all funny._

_-Estelle __Kismet_

I had just turned the TV on, propped my feet up, and was starting to get cozy in the overstuffed sofa when the phone rang. From across the room. Hidden in my bag. I glared at it.

Ginsie hopped down to the floor at the sound of the phone ringing and looked up at me expectantly. She had that "you are going to get that, right, Mom?" look. I sighed and pushed myself from the very comfy sofa and puttered over to my bag to frantically look for the tracfone. I got it on the last ring.

"Hello?" I quickly asked while looking around at the mess I made in trying to find it. I'd have to clean this up before Gabriel got out of the shower. The last thing I'd want right now is for him to see my favorite lacy red bra strewn across the comforter…or even my care bear socks half tumbled on to the floor. Either way, he might say something that would make me blush.

"You didn't have to make quite that much of a mess. I would have called back," Alice's voice sounded in my ear. I immediately stopped looking around and felt a smile tug at my lips. I was glad to hear any of the Cullens' voices but had pretty much already assumed it was Alice before I even picked up the phone.

"I hope you caught me glaring at the phone at least," I told her, teasingly.

"Yeap! I just wanted to tell you not to fight with Gabriel when he suggests going shopping. You need a shopping trip," Alice told me. I felt the smile tug at my lips again.

"Is this psychic Alice advice or shopaholic Alice advice?" I asked her.

"Both," Alice replied cheerfully.

"Wonderful," I muttered as I began to clean up the room. Really, how did I manage to create this much of a mess in only three rings of the phone?

"By the way, I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I didn't see what Aro was going to ask until it was too late," Alice told me sadly as I picked up my socks and threw them back into the bag.

I stopped and sat down on the edge of the bed. Alice knew what Aro had asked. She'd seen the conversation. Would they accept me? Would the Cullens at least help me through the newborn year? "Have you told everyone yet?" I asked quietly.

"No, just Jasper. I thought you would rather tell Carlisle and Esme yourself," she told me sadly.

"Thank you, Alice," I whispered. I started to work out in my head what to tell them in regards to the conversation I had with Aro and if I should ask if they would help me. But once again, my mind wondered what would happen to Gabriel in all this. Where did he fit in my crazy life in this universe?

"I'll go get them," she said and promptly put me on hold. I thought about the change. Becoming a vampire wasn't that scary. I had thought about it since I went through the Anne Rice novel craze but I was more scared by what a huge decision this was. There wasn't any turning back or starting over. It also meant no children…

I heard Gabriel cut off his shower and I tried not to let my mind wander about him getting out and walking over in just a towel. Yes , he was gorgeous but no need to get perverted over it. Maybe if he had feelings for me too, maybe if he said I was something more than a human he was curious about and taking as cargo across the country…..

"Elizabeth?" Carlisle's voice came over the phone. I felt a blush start to rise on my face. Here I was thinking about Gabriel when I should be worried sick over being told to become a vampire in less than a year or else drop dead. After all, I wasn't from this universe. This universe was fiction in mine, and my universe was fiction here. What if I really could never go back?

"Hi, Carlisle," I said softly.

"Did the conversation with Aro go well?" he asked, concern coloring his tone. I bit my lip as I thought on the conversation again. I could feel those worried emotions starting to bubble to the surface again. It was those same emotions –those same thoughts- that I had in the car when I turned down towards my parents' street. Those same emotions that caused Gabriel to risk exposure and take over my truck. Stupid sparklepire.

"Sort of," I stated; my voice cracking a bit as I spoke. I tried to ignore the tears that were starting to form. All my hopes and dreams for the future would have to change. I wouldn't be a mother. I wouldn't have children. Who knows when I'd ever even get married. I wouldn't want to burden the Cullens with having me around, a 30 year old or maybe 31 year old physically vampire. Would I have to go nomadic? A nomadic vegetarian?

I felt a cool hand on my shoulder about the same time I heard Esme's voice over the phone. "Oh, Elizabeth, sweetheart, what happened?" she asked, clearly concerned.

"He said he that he'd agree to a truce," I managed to get out. I felt the bed dip beside me and saw Gabriel's hand before me. He wanted to talk on the phone.

"If he agreed to a truce," Carlisle started, clearly curious as to why I was getting upset.

"Umm, Esme? Carlisle? I think Gabriel wants to speak to you," I managed to say without letting too much emotion out. I didn't even really wait for their response. Blindly, I placed the phone into Gabriel's out stretched hand and walked back into the living room of the suite. I didn't even pay attention to what Gabriel was saying to them; I was too lost in my own head.

I had a year. Considering my previous luck in relationships, I doubt I'd be able to find a husband and have a kid that quickly so that was out. Everything else was still pretty open though. I could write, I could be an archeologist or work in various museums if I wanted to, I guess. Although the museum community tended to be a rather close knit group. Giving up chocolate covered strawberries and Mike's Hard Lime didn't sound too bad if I got to be beautiful forever.

I knew I was pretty. I just wasn't drop dead gorgeous. I needed to loose at least ten more pounds before even thinking of a bikini…not that I would go outside much. I hated being anything other than pale. Part of it was simply the fear of skin cancer but another part was pure vanity; I thought I looked odd when I tanned. Would I be trim and all my flaws minimized if I became a vampire? Would those stupid chicken pox scars and fire ant bites finally go away? The chicken pox scar on the side of my nose always did bug me.

I could still go to school, so studying was still very much in the equation as long as I could find money. How would I actually get money? I guess I could start working as a computer help support in Forks just like I did in Ithaca until my change. I should be able to save up a bit and then invest it during my newborn year. After that, I might be able to find more money else where. The good thing was, I knew when to buy stocks right now and which ones to buy. Thank God for being from the future.

And what about home? I had to accept that I would never be able to go back even if I did go back to my own universe. And there was that heartache again. It felt like my heart was being torn in two at the very thought of leaving here. Was I already that emotionally invested in this universe? Then why wasn't I that homesick over my own? There were a couple of reasons I could think of off the top of my head and both bugged the hell out of me; but it came down to one thing and one thing only: here I had freedom.

Thinking over all this, I felt the tears slowly drip down my face. Ginsie curled up next to me right as someone knocked on the door. "I'll get it," I muttered as I wiped away the tears with the sleeve to my robe. I must have been a sight still: PJ's, robe, and tear stained face. Oh well, what could I do about it? I didn't exactly have control over anything in my life right now –not that I ever did, mind you.

I opened the door to find room service. I suddenly remembered that Gabriel had mentioned he had ordered food for me earlier. Now I was wary. What exactly did he get for me? "Um, just put it on the dining room table, please?" I said to the hotel employee that brought it up. I learned, quickly, that he had brought up more than one dish. He had brought an entire cart up.

I watched as the employee pulled covered dish after covered dish off the cart and arranged it on the table. I also watched as he kept making glances at me and then to Gabriel. I hadn't even noticed –too lost in my thoughts- that Gabriel was wearing only a pair of pants and nothing more while talking on the phone. Given my current attire, I could guess what the employee must have thought and blushed immediately while looking down. Gabriel was too beautiful to behold.

As soon as the employee was done, I saw Gabriel move to place something in the guy's hand. The employee looked shocked but quickly recovered and muttered the typical "If you need anything else" before leaving. Ginsie had already assumed her position next to one of the chairs, hoping to get some of whatever I was about to eat. She would. If for no other reason than there was too much food for just little old me to eat!

"Eat," Gabriel commanded. I looked over at him curious before he began to whisper into the phone again. Since it was to the Cullens, I knew it had to be about me. Now that I was done thinking about what little choice I was given, and was more focused on my stomach since I hadn't really had anything to eat in 24 hours, I decided to sit down and listen…while eating.

"…I am not bound," Gabriel said into the phone as I began to munch away at the lobster tail before me. Everything looked so good. Even the stuff I knew I couldn't eat.

"Then it will be done before any such need shall come to pass," Gabriel said off handedly. I watched him as I picked up a jumbo shrimp, dipped it into the melted butter and popped it into my mouth. Gabriel smiled at me.

"As I have said, Carlisle, it is my duty to uphold," he began to say. Carlisle or Esme must have interrupted him. "No, of course not, but what else can be done? None wish for a continuation of violence. It is because of myself and Jane that this did start. It should not have escalated but yet, it did. It is my responsibility to bring it to a just end," he said. I looked down at his words. A just end. His responsibility. That's all I was to him. It was his honor that demanded he watch over me, change me probably if I guessed correctly about the conversation, and nothing more. He was loyal to me but not in love with me. How could I possibly confuse the two?

The kiss. I sat there, thinking about the kiss, realizing it probably was a heat of the moment type thing, and played with the edge of my napkin.

"Eat, cucciola mia," Gabriel whispered again. He was half kneeling next to me. I shook my head. He looked like he was about to argue when one of the Cullens' must have asked him something.

"I cannot promise that," Gabriel said, brushing back a lock of my wet hair. I could hear the tenor of Carlisle's voice over the phone but not what he was saying.

"Yes, yes she is," Gabriel said slowly but with a smile upon his face. I didn't pay attention to the rest of the conversation and only managed a couple of more bites before giving up on food. I was hungry but I was also sick at the same time. I was disgusted with myself and for thinking of Gabriel as anything more than a honor-bound 15th century man. He couldn't love me. It was pure chivalry code that dictated his actions.

I couldn't sleep much that night. The bed had been comfortable but I had too much on my mind and was making myself sick with worry. I remembered only pieces of my dream and woke up with a start. I know my Dad was in it as well as my brothers… As Gabriel suddenly appeared at my side –causing Ginsie to growl at him- I began to wonder if it was more a memory than a dream.

"Elizabetta?" he asked, gently taking one of my hands into his own. I shook my head.

"Just a dream," I whispered. Looking around, it was still dark but the clock read 5:30. It was too late to bother with going back to sleep. Not that I really had anywhere to go or anything to do.

"I do not think humans wake up startled from mere dreams, cara mia," he said gently before kissing my hand. "Was it not a nightmare?" he asked, encouraging me to talk about it.

I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes. All I could see was my Dad ripping my middle brother away from me, throwing me back by my arm and pushing my middle brother towards the stairs. It was just a dream, wasn't it? Why do I remember something like that really happening? Slowly, I pulled my hand from Gabriel, my eyes still closed, and rubbed the spot where I thought my Dad had pushed against me.

Suddenly, my eyes flew open. Gabriel was sitting before me, still shirtless, which did NOT help my heart rate any, but I had something else to focus on –a memory. It was before the addition was added so it must have been in the late 90's. Alex had been bugging Lee about something. I couldn't remember what but Dad was furious. I tried to intervene, pull Alex away from him when Dad grabbed me and threw me towards the kitchen sink. I was terrified when Dad pulled Alex down the basement steps that he was going to hurt him. I just remember praying that Mom would get home soon….

"Elizabetta?" he asked again, worried.

"I remember," I whispered as I started to curl up.

"Remember what, tesorina?" he asked gently, brushing my hair back from my face as I hugged my knees and blankets.

"My Dad. How angry he would get. I remember the yelling," I whispered as his voice still was ringing in my head from my nightmare.

Gabriel stopped brushing back my hair. He looked at me almost like he didn't know what to do. I buried my face in my knees. I remember why I am so terrified of yelling, why my hearing is so good…I remember being so scared and having to hide even reading a simple sci-fi book from him because he would start to yell that I read too much. I was never good enough. Not until I was 26 or 27 and my Aunt's pointed out all the beautiful things I made. By that point though, he had calmed down considerably. It was living in that house during high school and the first few years of college that was the worst. After that, he finally he realized that the reason his children didn't obey orders was because we were children and he wasn't a commander of a ship but he was supposed to be a father.

"No one will ever hurt you again, cara mia. I will not allow it," Gabriel stated with such conviction it was hard not to believe him.

"Thank you," I whispered. He kissed my forehead and smiled.

"Sleep, you need your rest," he told me. I shook my head and moved to push the blankets off me.

"I can't sleep after that," I muttered as I moved to get up. Gabriel stopped me. I tried to glare up at him but he really did just look to damn gorgeous without his shirt.

"Try, tesorina," he whispered. I sighed which turned into a yawn which turned into a grumble as I climbed back in bed.

"Fine," I muttered. I pulled the blankets back over me and found it was a heck of a lot easier to get back to sleep than I thought. I didn't wake up again until lunch time.

When I pattered out into the other room, tying my robe about me, I found Gabriel just coming back in with Miss Ginsie on her leash. "Ah! Good Afternoon, amore. I take it you slept well after this morning?" he asked as he let Miss Ginsie off her leash. The pup came running to me and I quickly knelt down to hug her, nodding to Gabriel's question.

"Good," he said as he passed me by and went to place a newspaper on the counter. I looked over at him curiously as he read it. Since when does a nomad read the newspaper?

"I was curious if you would wish to visit the museums today?" he asked rather suddenly. I looked outside to see if it was cloudy and yeap, it was raining. It looked like a fine Washington DC April day…and not like the 70's and 80's with too much sun like we had been having. I nodded again in response to his question. It was still to early for me to speak.

"Then go get dressed and we may leave," he stated. I looked down at Ginsie, worried about what to do with her.

"The zibellina will be fine for a few hours, I am sure. Get dressed in your day clothes," he told me. I got back up and walked to the bedroom, still yawning, and put on my jeans, t-shirt, and a purple sweatshirt. When I walked back out, Gabriel gently took my hand and led me out of the hotel. Although I was clean now, I still felt way underdressed for the place.

The museums were always fun. I was excited to see the exhibition at the National Gallery of Art on early to mid 17th century Dutch paintings. I dragged poor Gabriel all through that building. Luckily, he didn't seem to mind too much.

"What fascinates you about this, tesorina?" he asked as I stood there, smiling at the painting of a woman and her little dog.

"I want her jacket," was my brilliant reply. The problem was, I did. The jacket looked to be a neat velvet one, lined in fur, with ¾ sleeves. I loved it.

"You like the painting for the clothing?" Gabriel asked me incredulously.

"Well, no…yes," I stammered before turning around to see him. I let out an annoyed sigh which only amused Gabriel further. "I like it because of the history," I tried to explain. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's not exactly easy to explain to someone who is a good five hundred years old than me," I muttered under my breath as I turned back around to view the painting.

Gabriel smirked. "Try, cara mia," he offered.

"Well," I started again, turning back around to face him. How could I explain it. "I love history. I love learning everything I can from it. The painting shows a simple scene of every day domestic middle class or upper middle class life," I started to say. I turned to the painting to point out some details.

"The jacket shows not only that she is well to do given the fabrics and the type of fur, but also that she is a home or somewhere else that a formal dress isn't needed. It's the type of thing you'd wear around the house," I kept on trying to explain. I could feel Gabriel behind me, listening to what I was saying.

"She's acting no different than I would with Miss Ginsie and yet her life is so terribly different from mine," I whispered as I looked at the painting.

"How so?" Gabriel asked quietly. I kept my gaze on the painting.

"I think she was a tease," I said suddenly. "Or at least the person the painter was thinking of was," I continued. I heard Gabriel smirk again. "I mean, she isn't really that pretty but she probably knew how to get a suitor, or many suitors to follow her. Although she was from a good family I get almost a…courtesan like vibe from her," I continued. I shrugged and shook my head. "I don't know. I just like her jacket," I said with a smile as I turned back around to look at Gabriel. I just hoped I hadn't embarrassed myself too much.

My smile fell as I saw the look on Gabriel's face. It was one of wonderment and something else I couldn't place. "Yes," he said softly. "She has a lovely jacket."

We kept looking around the museums. I took Gabriel down to the Asian art museum where I always loved to go. I use to get bracelets from the gift shop all the time and buy my chopsticks from there. For sentimental reasons, I did buy another pair of chopsticks. After all, I didn't have any in this dimension, right?

Around six, all the museums were closing up and we headed back to the hotel. Ginsie greeted me and I quickly took her outside before giving her her dinner upstairs. By the time I had come back up, Gabriel had already order dinner for me, again. Thank God he didn't order as much. Just rosemary chicken this time.

The next day was partly cloudy so Gabriel had to be careful. His idea of careful and my idea of careful were too very different things, apparently. He had called up a limo service to take us to the mall. A limo. To go to the mall. It was positively ridiculous and I would be lying to myself if I didn't admit that I enjoyed every single bit of it. The only reason I agreed to go to the mall was because Alice had told me not to argue with him about this in the first place. Given that we were going to the Galleria, I couldn't find it in me to say no to just a little window shopping.

That window shopping ended up being more expensive than I thought. Between Anthropologie and Betsey Johnson, I was constantly looking at everything. Gabriel was encouraging me to try stuff. When I told him that it was pointless given that, if I liked it on me, it's not like I could afford it, he just gave me a look and pointed me to the dressing rooms.

"Gabriel, what is the point?" I mumbled as I picked up a lovely steampunk looking jacket at Betsey Johnson. I loved it.

"If you like it, I will get it for you," he stated as he picked up a frilly looking skirt and examined it curiously.

"I don't think that's your color, Gabriel," I teased as I moved to the next rack. He quickly put the skirt down and then picked up the jacket I had just looked at. I watched as he moved towards the cashier.

"Gabriel," I sighed, exasperated.

"You clearly liked it," he stated before turning back to the cashier. "Please hold this for her until she is done looking," he dazzled the poor girl. I crossed my arms and glared at him. I had to admit, I felt a bit…jealous when he spoke to her like that.

Gabriel came over and gently pushed back my hair again before whispering in my ear. "You only have a year left at most to be human, tesorina, if the Guard does not try anything tomorrow. Allow me the pleasure of buying what I can in this short period to bring you some happiness?" he said softly. I pulled back and looked at him. It was hard to say no when he put it like that.

I shook my head and looked down. A good part of me wanted to point out that no amount of stuff right now would make me happy but I also didn't want Gabriel to be upset if we did end up having death hanging over our heads again. After all, the Guard could try and kill us. This could be a trap.

When I looked back up at his amber eyes I could think of only two words, "Thank you."

I tried not to show much interest in anything but Gabriel quickly started to pick up anything my eyes even lingered on. That would be a problem since a lot of the stuff my eyes lingered on were things I would never wear. As he picked up an hideous yellow floral dress that screamed 1968 while we were in Bloomingdales, I put my hand on his and shook my head.

"It is not too much, tesorina," he said, confusion his face.

"Thank God for that but I don't understand why anyone would buy it in the first place unless they wanted it for a Halloween costume," I stated. I picked up the hem and began to smirk. "I mean, all it needs is some go-go boots and it would be totally groovy man," I teased.

Gabriel just looked at me like I was on crack. I rolled my eyes and took the garment from him, placing it back on the rack. "I looked at it because I couldn't believe anyone would actually want something that ugly, Gabriel. Not because I liked it," I informed him. Understanding came over his features and we continued on the strange little shopping spree. Luckily, Gabriel did get some things for himself; like a suit and tie that caused one woman to whistle at him when he came out of the dressing room. I only managed to cough slightly and give him a "That looks nice," which was a total lie. Nice did not even cover it. Sinfully good was a heck of a lot better since he had the tie loose around his neck and the shirt not fully buttoned.

Tuesday ended with the Cheesecake factory. Although Gabriel couldn't eat, he seemed amused by my near drooling over the Bang Bang chicken and shrimp dish followed by as much of the Adam's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough cheesecake that I could eat. I had a lot of doggie bags after that. Cheesecake is just too good to pass up!

Wednesday started solemnly. Although neither of us wanted to admit it, we both knew we would have to leave the hotel and head over to Sandy Point. I called the vet early to place Ginsie in boarding again, just in case this wasn't just a meeting.

We left the beautiful hotel around 9 am. I gave up and wore my new skirt, shirt, and jacket that Gabriel got me the other day. If this wasn't just a meeting, then I'd die wearing designer clothing. That should make Alice proud.

We dropped off Miss Ginsie and I swore I caught Gabriel looking at my hand on more than one occasion during the car trip. I just had my hands folding on top of my knees so I didn't get what he was looking at. Did he want to grab my hand again, reassure me that everything would be fine but he wasn't sure himself?

By the time we arrived back in Annapolis, it was still too early to go to the beach. That, and the sun was out. So I found a decent, shady place to park and wait until dusk fell. The feeling I had this time was very different from when we were here before. Just four days ago, I knew we had the upper hand. I knew what I was going to do was dangerous but it was death on my terms. Now? Not so much. I had stopped at the home depot and bought soldering supplies with what little cash I had but the vampires were quicker than me and they'd know I was there. They knew what I was capable of now and that gave them the upper hand.

I sat and read through the Destiny series while we waited. That was not an easy thing to do. All it did was bring up more memories that I'd much rather forget. Maybe I should add my own notes to the book so that when I'm turned I will remember as much as possible? But did I really want to remember all of this? And what about Miss Ginsie when I'm turned? It's not like vampires had pet dogs…well not this kind at least.

As Twilight descended on us, Gabriel reached over and placed his hand on my knee. "It's time, tesorina," he said quietly. I nodded and drove over to Sandy Point. It was time to confront the Guard.

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**Author's Note:** Good? Bad? Indifferent?


	24. Chapter 24

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with them because sparklepires are funny.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I am always amazed by the reviews I get. Thank you! And hello to the new people! I saw a few more have added this story to their alerts &/or favs. Thank you too. Now, on to the Guard. Felix is getting impatient.

This is very much rated T. If you have issues with mentions of rape (don't worry, our Elizabeth is fine) or incest, please skip over the first uh….four paragraphs? It's nothing graphic at all. It's just very…depressing. You have been warned.

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Chapter 24

I hadn't been to Sandy Point beach in years and I knew why. It would bring up memories of Sara. The last I had heard about Sara was that she had decided she was a lesbian and that she wanted to be a groupie for a goth rock band. This from the girl who had such a passion for the study of marine biology and wore nothing but tank tops and shell bead necklaces.

When I met her, she seemed so happy. It had been in Saint Croix for a school trip. We hung out the entire field trip and stayed friends long afterwards. She brought me here, to this very beach, so we could collect shark's teeth. Between my love of paleontology and archeology and her love of marine science, this was the perfect place for us to come play.

I can't remember if it was before or after our trip to this beach that she told me about her life. All I remember is that we were on our way to New Jersey when she told me about her Dad. The reason she couldn't believe in God anymore was because what kind of God would let her be raped by her own father in the back of the church, repeatedly, while she was supposed to be at Sunday School? I knew it wasn't God that allowed it but the Devil that would allow such a thing to happen. She was only four, she told me.

Over the year after she told me, I thought she was starting to heal. She got to a point where she believed in a God but she came crashing down hard and quick. I have no idea what caused it. I doubt I ever will. One day, she is working at a museum, helping to set up the marine exhibits, and the next she's in the asylum. She called me a week later, telling me she didn't even remember who she was until that morning. It would be another week when I realized how much her personality had changed in that short time. I'd never see her again.

Sara is what I thought of as I watched the dark waves lap up against the sand. It wasn't until Gabriel gently squeezed my shoulders, holding me almost behind him, that I saw the two cloaked figures coming towards us. The Volturi Guard, or what was left of them, were here.

Immediately, I switched my brain from feeling sad about long lost memories to being prepared to fight. I clutched the soldering torch in my hand. I wouldn't be quick enough to stop them from biting me but I would be able to flame them when they did. I really didn't want to be a vampire tonight though. I at least wanted to wait until I got to Washington State.

I watched as the two cloaked figures moved within maybe five yards of us. Gabriel started to growl at seven yards which made one of the two figures chuckle. "That's enough," I said softly. Even I wasn't sure if it was to the guard or to Gabriel.

Both figures stopped at the five yard mark and pulled back their hoods. Their shapes alone told me who was who. Felix was physically bigger but Demetri looked more cunning. It was those features that I first noticed. It took me another second in the fading light to notice that Demetri had only used one arm to pull back his hood.

"Aro sent you to meet with us," I said, trying to step out in front of Gabriel. I wasn't going to go towards the Guard, just move out from behind my kidnapping vampire. However, the drop dead gorgeous sparkling leech had other ideas and growled lightly as I tried to move out of his grasp. He held me back. I turned my head to glare up at him.

"Indeed, he did," I heard one of the guards say. I wasn't sure which one because Gabriel had chosen to look down at me with worried eyes at that second. His grip lessoned only slightly as he saw my glare.

I turned my attention back to the Guard and managed to move to maybe a foot and a half in front of Gabriel. Still holding my soldering torch, I looked at the two vampires before me. I could almost feel the one behind me wanting to grab my arm and run. He did not want to be here –his honor demanded that he do as the Cullens' had asked- and he was making that painfully clear.

I kept my eyes trained on the two guards, trying to ignore the impatient worry coming off Gabriel that you didn't need Jasper around to feel it. Both looked right back at me. Felix had an arrogant smile upon his face and Demetri was held only an emotionless mask.

I didn't know what to say or what to do. I wasn't sure if they were here to kill me or if they really were just sent to see me. The Guard wasn't exactly known for being anything other than bringing destruction upon those that broke the rules. What does one say to a couple of indiscriminate human killing monsters?

"We were told to ask you how you destroyed Jane and how you know of us," Felix said with a menacing tone to his voice. Gabriel took a small step towards me and grabbed my hand again to pull me back to him while he growled.

I held up my free hand, turned to him and shook my head. "They don't mean any harm, yet," I whispered to him. It seemed to quell his growls again for the moment but he did glare at Felix when I heard a smirk. I turned back around to face the other two vampires.

"I saw her standing over Gabriel, using her ability on him, and I took a can of old hairspray I had in my purse at the time along with a lighter to make a make-shift blowtorch," I shrugged. I wanted to keep this as light as possible.

"But how do you know of us?" Demetri asked. His voice held something in it that almost sounded like pain.

"I simply know things. I can't explain it any better than that," I told them as truthfully as I could. I looked down for a moment, trying to think up even the most insignificant of details that might prove that no one told me of vampires.

If I mentioned Felix's cloak, they'd know of my association, or at least guess at, with the Cullens. I couldn't bring the vampire family into this anymore than I already had. Then I thought on what happened in New Moon. Felix, Jane, and Caius seemed to be disappointed about the decision not to kill the Cullens right then and there. Was the case the same here?

"You disagreed with Aro's orders, didn't you, Felix?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I took a step closer to him. "You don't like that he was forced to make a truce with me, do you?" I continued with my question.

Felix's face fell a bit and he looked to Demetri. Demetri's mask faltered, a small pained smile tugging at his lips before he only shrugged and looked to me. "We are curious how you managed to negotiate any deal with him considering you destroyed Jane and Alec," Demetri said softly.

"You were hurt, weren't you?" I asked somewhat gently. Demetri's voice was far kinder than Felix's…of course, anyone's voice would be.

Demetri nodded and took his cloak off the rest of the way. I gasped when I saw him. Even in the pale light that was left now, I could see he no longer had a right arm and his skin was charred along the very edge of his face on the right side. His leg looked odd as well.

"I'm so sorry, Demetri," I said sadly. "I didn't know of any other way," I tried to explain as tears threatened in my eyes.

"A causality of war, nothing more," Demetri told me. I watched as a slight smile graced his lips. "I am still not sure whether to be humiliated or flattered that I am the first victim to live through an attack by a true _sabbatianoí_," Demetri continued.

"There must be something that can be done," I told him, trying to think. I knew that Carlisle might be able to help but I didn't want to mention any connections to the Cullens. "Isn't there someone you could go to?" I asked. To say I felt bad didn't even cover the half of it. I really was sickened that I could cause anyone that much harm but I didn't see any other way.

I took a step closer to Demetri and heard Gabriel growl again and say something too softly for me to hear. Even though I had no idea what he said, I could watch the reactions of the other two vampires.

I watched as Demetri's eyes shifted from me to Gabriel. Felix just smirked again and I shot him a look. Gabriel stepped closer, tugging me back against him. "Great, not another one," I heard Felix mutter. That caught my attention.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curiously. I was easily ignored.

"I'm not sure I believe it," Demetri said softly.

"It must be something in the animal blood," Felix replied. I narrowed my eyes at the two vampires before me. The vampire behind me pulled me back to his side, his arm around my shoulders, ready to push me behind him at any second.

"Who else?" Gabriel asked, curiously. I tried to look up at him but failed miserably. He had me in too tight a grip for me to move much.

"Edward," both vampires said at the same time. My eyes widened with understanding. They couldn't possibly mean… No. Gabriel was only being chivalrous; he couldn't possibly see me as his mate. I couldn't possibly be his Bella, could it?

I felt Gabriel squeeze me tighter for a second before letting me have some room to breathe at least. I turned to look up at him and Gabriel looked down, a thousand questions in his amber eyes.

"It must be the brown hair as well. No running into brown haired American females while we are here," Felix stated. I bit my lip. My mind must be playing tricks on me, right? But how to ask? How to make sure…

"I believe I have a few questions for you gentlemen," I said to both Felix and Demetri with what little strength I had in me. Their heads both snapped up to look at me. Slowly, I pried Gabriel's arm from being wrapped around my shoulders. I knew I couldn't do it unless he would let me but he reluctantly agreed at least. I took a couple of steps forward to the Guard again.

"Can you tell me what Aro said to Gabriel?" I asked them. I gestured with my head back to the vampire behind me. "He won't tell me," I muttered, annoyed.

"It is unfortunate that we are not privileged to that information," Demetri said with a hint of a smile.

"Do you know something else?" I asked as I bit my lip. It was Felix who looked up at Gabriel this time and started actually laughing.

"You haven't even told her?" he asked my kidnapping vampire. I turned my head in time to watch as Gabriel shook his head once, his lips forming a tight line.

"It wasn't right," Gabriel stated. I heard Felix mutter something in Italian which caused Gabriel to growl and immediately pull me back behind him. In his quick action, I got sand in my shoes. Lovely.

"Stop it," I shouted. Demetri said something like "Arreste" at the same time. Both vampires relaxed only slightly. I stepped in front of Gabriel, holding on to his arm as I did so he would know that I wasn't moving away from him. I tried to plead with him with my eyes, I didn't want a fight right here. We could walk away right now…

I turned around again, Gabriel clutching my hand to the point it almost hurt. Facing the Volturi Guard, I decided this was enough. "You have seen me. Please, tell Aro I will follow through with the truce. But also warn him that I will not forget," I told them.

"He will see it," Demetri nodded before pulling up his hood and motioning for Felix to leave with him. It wasn't until they were gone from my sight that I let out a huge breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"You did well, cucciola mia," I heard Gabriel say. Immediately, I turned around and glared at him.

"You almost started a fight with Felix! You could have gotten yourself killed," I shouted at him.

"I am already dead, tesorina," Gabriel said with a smirk. I glared at him and crossed my arms. His smile wavered when he saw the look on my face.

"Do you mind explainin', now, what Aro said to you? Or what you said to Aro? Or what all that was about?" I asked with a semi-pathetic at a dramatic sweep of my arm towards the ocean. Gabriel looked down. It was hard to see anything more than his perfectly sculpted outline now that it was dark.

"You did not tell me that Edward had taken a mate. Did you not know?" Gabriel asked when he looked back up again. I raised an eyebrow at him. Why was he avoiding the subject?

"I know about Bella," I said simply as I waited for him to answer. He smiled slightly as he looked up at the sky, pulling on his non-existent beard.

"Edward and Bella," Gabriel mused. I huffed slightly since he still wouldn't say it outloud. I needed to hear it. I needed confirmation of what my jumbled thoughts were telling me…

"And now, I have you," he said gently, taking his hand to cup my face. I felt myself fighting against any hope that he could possibly mean what I wanted him too. My knees felt like they were barely supporting me and the sand certainly wasn't helping. I closed my eyes, trying to will away the thoughts that I could possibly be _his_ Bella.

"I did not wish to tell you before, cara mia," Gabriel whispered. I could feel his cool breath against my skin. "For I did not think that a human could understand how quickly such things come to be for my kind," he continued. I felt his lips against my jaw. I needed to hear it to know this was real. Too much of me had seen and felt things before only to find out that there was nothing behind the actions. I misinterpret too much to believe this could possibly be real.

"But you have changed me, Elizabetta," he said softly, his arms around me. "If you will allow it, I shall never leave your side," he said with a kiss to my cheek. "For you are all there is to my world, amore," he said. I opened my eyes, fearfully. Was this some elaborate joke? Was he doing this just so Felix could come back and snap a picture? Did he get a hold of my Twilight books and think this was a great game.

"What is it, cucciola mia?" Gabriel softly smiled, brushing the hair from my face.

"I…don't believe you," I whispered back. My chest hurt from all the pent up emotions I had. He couldn't love me. This was a joke. Yet another practical joke at Elizabeth's expense.

"Then, perhaps, I should show you, consorte mia," he said right before his lips found mine.

Unlike the last kiss, there was no feeling of doom around us. I could feel all my fears and insecurities fall away the second he said "consorte". Consort. Mate. I was his and he knew it.

My hands found the base of his neck as he pulled me up gently to kiss him. I could feel the gentleness but the urgency in his kiss as he held me to him. My lips fought slightly against his, both of us wanting the other one. I felt him lift me slightly and make our way back to the truck which was only a few yards behind us. He actually fumbled for the keys when I pulled his hair a bit to bring him further into the kiss.

I found myself pushed up against the truck and managed to somehow creep up so I could sit on the hood. We didn't break the kiss and I held on to Gabriel with all my might. I found myself cursing pencil skirts since my knees stayed rather firmly together.

It was at about that moment, one hand of mine on that back of Gabriel's head, the other barely dipping below his neck as I held him to me and Gabriel's hands –one on my lower thigh and the other on my mid-back-, when a group of college kids walked by, laughing at us. "Get a room!" one shouted before all of them laughed and started to continue on.

Embarrassed as I'll get out, I buried my face quickly in Gabriel's shirt. He smirked and gently wrapped his arms around me. That would have been fine if one of the kids didn't linger behind and decide to take a picture. I saw the flash and I could feel the color draining from my face.

"I'm so keeping this one up on my wall!" the strange little pervert mutter, laughing. His friends' laughter was much further away now.

I felt a cool breeze and found myself sitting on the hood of my truck, my shirt ruffled and my jacket slightly askew, with no Gabriel in front of me. I turned my head to look for him and hopped down, straightening my skirt. It did have ruffles and flare a bit around the knees but the top part was just too much of a fitted skirt to really have helped much a few seconds ago. I blushed at the thought and heard Gabriel only a few feet away.

"You will apologize," he demanded. My head shot up just in time to see Gabriel grab the boy's camera and crush it with his bare hand.

The boy looked on in shock that probably mirrored my own. What was he thinking? Destroying a digital camera like that went under the "Do not do" list of vampire 101 rules. "What are you? Some sort of freak?!" the boy shouted at him.

"Apologize!" Gabriel said angrily. I didn't like the tone of his voice and immediately started to walk over in the hopes I could somehow dispel the situation. Given the boy's friends and the beer bottle in his own hand that he just dropped, I could probably convince him he just had a bit too much to drink. Alcohol has been known to make people see really funny things before; sometimes a lot stranger than a crushed digital camera.

Before I could take two steps, the boy began to fight back. He screamed out a word that I would never say and moved to hit Gabriel. Gabriel blocked the boy's fist which must have broken the bones because he screamed out in pain. The problem was what I saw a split second later. One of the bones must have broken through the skin because the boy had a trickle of blood down his hand.

Gabriel went rigid and I knew his eyes were black without even looking at them. "Gabriel!" I screamed at him as he whisked around at vampire speed, blocking my view, and pulled the boy into an embrace before lowering his mouth to the boy's neck.

I stood there, frozen in shock. I was witnessing a murder but what could I do? My Gabriel had slipped up right before my eyes. A part of me was terrified that he'd turn on me next – even thought I had severe doubts as to vampires being able to turn on their mates- and I scrambled to get into the truck and lock the doors. Not that that would help if he was still consumed by the bloodlust.

Tears fell down my face. How could this have gone so terribly wrong? But I knew. It was me. I had my moment of perfect happiness; I discovered that Gabriel loved me too, but that was ruined because of me. If I didn't exist in this universe, then Gabriel wouldn't have just killed that boy. I didn't exist here. I shouldn't exist here. But because I did, someone died who wasn't supposed to and it was all my fault.

Couldn't I have anything that didn't get twisted or destroyed? All my life I have been dealing with just barely grasping at what would make me happy to find some horrible consequence to that happiness that destroyed it and hurt people around me. I was so tired of it. How could my bad luck possibly follow me into this universe?

I watched as Gabriel slowly dropped the lifeless body in the sand before him. He didn't even bother to turn around but I was pretty sure the bloodlust was over. His shoulder slumped and his knees both looked to buckle. Bloodlust or not, my brain immediately wanted for me to go to him, to hold him. He had messed up, but he was a vampire after all.

Slowly, I left the confines of my truck, closing the door behind me. Gabriel's head came up at the sound of door closing but he made no other move to acknowledge I was there. I measured my steps to him. I wasn't even sure if he was upset that he had lost control and killed someone or if he was upset that he did so with me around. I did know, he was upset and that was all I cared about at that moment.

I got within a couple of yards of him before I heard his voice. "Keep back, gioia mia," Gabriel said, his tone wavering. I took another couple of steps. I could tell by the way his head was cocked that he could hear me approaching. When I got within a couple of feet from him, I fell to my knees behind him and reached to place a hand on his shoulder.

Gabriel quickly covered my hand with his own. "I am not good for you," he whispered without looking at me.

"You told me you'd slip up," I whispered back truthfully. When I told him that he'd have to take on a vegetarian diet around me, he had promised he'd slip up from time to time. I just didn't think I'd be there to see it.

"I am a vampire, cucciola mia," he said with self-loathing in his voice that I hadn't ever heard before from him.

"And so will I be in a year or less," I told him. Gabriel turned his head to look at me, incredulously. His eyes were bright red, almost like rubies, but were so full of sadness, it pained me to look at them. I looked down at my knees, not taking my hand away from his shoulder. "I need to help you now, so you can help me, teach me, when I'm a newborn," I whispered pathetically to him. Yes, I'd most likely have the Cullens around for help but I now realized that the reason I felt such pain when I thought of just the Cullens helping me, of not having Gabriel around, was because I was his mate. I would need him with me and I didn't want to be an immortal without him by my side. Odd how your world can totally change in a little over a couple of weeks.

"I have killed before your very eyes," he told me, astonished. I looked up and over to where the college kids had disappeared. I think I heard voices coming back this way to look for their lost friend.

"So have I. I've taken two of your kind," I told him as I got up. I used his shoulder as leverage but it was really needed. The millisecond I made the motions that I wanted to stand, Gabriel pulled me up with him. "Thank you," I whispered before getting back to the topic at hand. "Well, two and a half really," I told him as I remembered Demetri too. I really hope that he goes to Carlisle or some other doctor that might be able to help him. I hated that I did that to him but he was right, we had been at war.

Gabriel stared at me for a second, not letting go of my hand. He only turned away when he must have heard the college kids again and he frowned as he looked back over at the body. The boy who took the picture of us laid in a heap on the sand. His very skin was lifeless and his eyes were still open in horror.

"Get rid of the body," I whispered. "I'll wait here. I won't leave you," I told him. Even I was impressed at how cool I was taking this whole murder thing. Gabriel nodded once and picked the boy back up before heading off at vampire speed to the ocean. Maybe he'd wash up somewhere and it would look like he tumbled into the water, drunk, and drowned. At least his family would have something to bury then.

"Hey!" someone shouted. I looked over to see a couple of the college kids coming back up to me. I smiled weakly at them. I was going to have to lie and I knew it. I was a damn fine liar when I had to be but lying about a crime like this? I was an Intel Analyst for the FBI for pete's sake! And yet, here I was an accomplice to murder and it really wasn't phasing me in the slightest. Hopefully, I was just in shock. It would catch up with me later.

The kids jogged over to me quickly and I turned to greet them. "Did you see our friend Justin? He was right behind us a minute ago," one of the kids said.

"Um," I started, trying to recall some details about the kid that my Gabriel had just killed. "About yea tall," I started, reaching my hand to an inch or two shorter than me. "And wearing a blue t-shirt?" I continued to ask. That was really all I could remember about him other than the camera.

"Yeah! That's him," one of the two kids stated happily. I pointed to the ocean. "I think he ran off that way when my boyfriend threatened him a bit," I said with a weak smile. It was so weird to say boyfriend in conjunction with Gabriel but I liked it. "He looked a bit drunk and I think my boyfriend just wanted to make sure he didn't fall in or something," I said with a shrug. Right about then, Gabriel came waltzing back up. His pants legs were soaked and had sand on them but other than that, he looked perfect as always.

"Hi, honey," I said, causing a smile on my face and butterflies to go wild in my stomach. Did Gabriel even like being called honey? I wonder what cucciola means… I need to find something to call him.

I walked over to him, still acting a bit, and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing his hand and smiling. I was a good little actress when I had to be. Of course, this role of Gabriel's girlfriend was rather easy if it weren't for the whole dead body thing. It honestly felt natural.

"Did you find him?" I asked, still smiling. When I was sure the college kids couldn't see my lips, I whispered as low as I could, "I told them that he ran off and you were looking for him since he looked to be drunk."

Gabriel's face went from confusion when I greeted him happily to one of understand. He managed to smile back rather brightly and then turn to the college kids. "No, sorry. I did not find him," he said.

"No problems, man," one of the two kids stated. "We'll just check out the beach and see if we can figure out which way that idiot went," they both chuckled. I kept the smile plastered on my face until the kids were out of sight. The second they were, I turned around and hugged Gabriel tightly.

"Let's find some place to rest and talk, okay?" I asked him.

"Anything, cucciola mia. Anything for you," he said, brushing my hair back with his hand. "I'm sorry, gioia mia. I do not understand why you do not run, but I cannot find it in me to leave you," he told me.

"Neither can I," I whispered back. And I couldn't. I was Gabriel's and he was mine. I realized that now, no matter what he had done…he was now my Gabriel.

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**Author's Note:** …ummm…I'm going to go and hide now. In a bunker. With supplies for food for eighty years and umm…yeah. …of course, if too many people don't like this chapter, I might just re-write it….


	25. Chapter 25

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own uh…a house. It's a nice house. At some point I should go outside it and mow the yard….

**Summary**: What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** I am truly impressed by the reviews. I'm glad so many people liked the last chapter. So yes, our Elizabeth and Gabriel are officially a couple but they have a ring or two to jump through yet. Like the whole I saw you kill a college kid thing. Yeap, that might be a hurdle. Gabriel's going to totally max out his cc on Betsey Johnson and chocolate covered strawberries because of that. Maybe a bottle of mead or three…from Ireland.

Also, please don't forget to check out youtube for Elizabeth's Ipod music. It's what they listen to in the car. It will come back into play in the next chapter... ::vbeg:: I've been updating the list and adding videos. Elizabeth's tastes are just eclectic. The link is on my profile page at the end.

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Chapter 25

Gabriel drove away from the beach, away from the murder scene, down 50, and back towards DC. I sat slumped in the passenger seat this time, half curled up and gazing out the window. We'd stay at some hotel tonight and worry about picking up Miss Ginsie in the morning. Right now, I was worried over the family of the boy, his friends, and my Gabriel.

I wanted to know if he felt guilty over killing in front of me or if he was truly remorseful for having killed at all. I was praying it was the latter rather than the former but I also realized I wouldn't leave him either way. My feelings towards him also bothered me. How could I love someone who was essentially a serial killer? The answer: easily.

He had smelled blood. How hard would it be for me to avoid killing someone when they essentially have chocolate syrup running through their veins? And then for them to attack me, for me to defend myself, for them to start to bleed that divine substance… No, I wouldn't fair well either. Between the anger and the scent, my own instincts wouldn't have been much better; assuming the guy had chocolate syrup for blood.

And that's why I knew I couldn't be upset with Gabriel. How do you get upset with someone who was not only trying to defend you but do what comes naturally? He was only trying to defend my honor –from his perspective- and get the boy to apologize. If the boy had listened, he'd be alive. Instead, he fought. Gabriel defended and that was the boy's undoing.  
I heard Gabriel intake air like he was about to say something. I turned my head to look at him but I saw the pain and confusion in my vampire's eyes. He thought better of speaking and looked back out on to the road again. The sliver of a moon barely lit the roadways as we zoomed by a perfectly good exit with hotels.

"Gabriel?" I whispered. I noticed he slowed down slightly and turned to look at me.

"Si, Elizabetta?" he asked softly, carefully. He looked so…fragile. I felt that if said the wrong thing he'd break into a million pieces. Yes, he was feeling guilty but for which reason?

"Where are we going?" I asked gently. His face twisted slightly into a hint of confusion.

"To a hotel, cara mia," he replied.

I pointed behind us. "There was a sign for a Super 8 back there," I told him. His face hardened and he looked forward again.

"I will not have you staying at just any inn that we find every again," he said determinedly. I rolled my eyes.

"The Super 8 is perfectly fine. I'm sure it's clean and looks closer to the hotel we just stayed at than that rat trap we burned down," I mumbled.

"I will not have you staying at such a simple place," he muttered. I watched as his fists clenched and narrowed my eyes at him. Although we were arguing, the familiar feelings that this argument brought up felt comforting, welcoming. Almost like it was pushing out the silence and worry from the past few minutes and going back to the typical snide comments we were both very use to.

"Watch the steering wheel," I snapped at him. He looked at me, surprised, for a moment, and then began to laugh. It only took me a couple of seconds to smile at him. The familiar comments we were both making, the familiar comfort of our argument seemed so out of place with the previous mood.

"I will not break your steering wheel, amore," he said, his voice light. I watched as emotions began to play across his face though. His face began to fall and form a tight line. "I will not break anything ever again," he whispered. I didn't need to be a mind reader to see what he was thinking about. It was written all over his face. He was feeling guilty over the boy.

"Gabriel," I said gently, placing my hand on his arm. He covered my hand with one of his own.

"You should not have witnessed my behavior, cucciola mia. I will be stronger and not kill a human again. I will stick to this…vegetarian diet if you so wish," he told me. I sighed and pulled my hand away as I looked back out the passenger side window.

"It's not about what I wish, Gabriel," I muttered, slightly angrily. "It's about what is right," I told him.

He was quiet for so long that my anger faded and I looked back over at him. His lips formed a grim line. I was about to call out to him again when he spoke. "I have committed too much evil for this world," he stated matter of factly.

"Gabriel," I sighed, half rolling my eyes.

"No, amore. What I say is true. I am a vampire, a murderer. Yet, despite that, you stay," he told me, curiosity coloring his tone.

"Yes, you are a vampire," I told him, sitting up straighter in my seat so I could face him properly. "But you don't have to be a murderer. You said you have changed and I think you will change more," I told him. I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the consul. I didn't think I had that many coins in the cup holders…

"Like I said earlier, I'll need your help next year," I whispered. "If you try and stick to the vegetarian diet, then you can help me do the same," I continued.

"I killed someone, Elizabetta. I doubt he was a murderer or worse either," Gabriel said, emphasizing the word "killed" as he spoke. He muttered something in Italian under his breath but I chose to ignore that.

"Yes, you did. And I seriously doubt I'd do much better if the boy had been bleeding out buttercream icing right under my nose," I told him emphatically. My eyes met Gabriel's red ones.

We stared at each other for a moment. Even though he was driving, I knew he had perfect peripheral vision. He didn't need to look ahead to drive. I stayed strong, not backing down, my eyes never wavering from his. It was Gabriel who made the first move by raising his eyebrow. "Buttercream icing?" he asked.

I shrugged and looked down slightly. "It's harder to resist than chocolate syrup," I told him truthfully. There was just something about licking the icing bowl clean when you are making a cake. Eating straight chocolate syrup was just disgusting but straight icing? Delicious. After all, who hasn't had a bad break up or a really bad day and at least thought about eating just the icing cup? Well…among human females at least….

I looked up when Gabriel smirked. A hint of his normal sarcastic smile upon his face. I smiled back slightly. "Then I shall endeavor not to take another human life and help you next year so that you will not make the same mistakes as myself," he told him.

I nodded once. "Good." Looking around, I noticed we were getting close to the Annapolis mall. I had been there enough –there is nothing more amusing than going to the mall after the Renn Fest- to know there were hotels around it. "Why don't you pull off up here?" I asked.  
He looked at me in question but complied without a word. "There are a few hotels around here," I informed him right before we passed one of those blue signs that showed the various directions to different hotels.

"Hmm," Gabriel hummed before turning towards the mall. Most of the hotels looked to be the other way. I looked up at my vampire curiously but said nothing. It was only a couple of minutes later that I found us pulling up into a Sheraton. Well, I guess that was the Super 8 of the rich and famous. I doubt I could convince my vampire that the Holiday Inn would have been fine.

Gabriel parked and I started to get out of the truck to follow him. He smiled at me, opened my door, and shook his head. "Wait here, cucciola mia. I will see if they have rooms available," he told me. I scowled when he kissed the top of my head and closed my door. I don't see why I couldn't go in with him.

While waiting inside the truck, I kept my arms crossed. It took me a moment to realize I no longer cared that Gabriel was paying for the room. Was it simply because I knew he was mine and wouldn't expect the Cullens to pay him back? Or was it because I finally realized I did love him and he loved me? I wasn't sure and didn't care either way.

We'd have a lot to discuss tonight and I was hoping that I would be able to stay up. I was pretty good about staying up until pretty darn late without too many issues. It's if I went for about a week with staying up late that I started to be permanently "grumpy Lizzie" as Emmett would say. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

I heard the car door open and saw Gabriel climb in the driver's side. I smiled slightly at him until I saw his face. He looked sort of…mad. "Gabriel?" I asked him, concerned.

"The room is upon the third floor. They allow pets so your zibellina will be welcomed if we choose to stay," he stated.

"Gabriel," I said, trying to demand what was wrong with my tone. He said nothing and re-parked the car closer to the back of the hotel. I could see the huge indoor swimming pool and regretted not bringing a bathing suit. Maybe I could go to the mall tomorrow and get a new one?

I went to grab my door again but Gabriel beat me to it. I looked up at him and he smiled. "My apologizes, cara mia," he said as he took my hand and kissed it lightly. I must have stiffened at his kiss: my hand near his mouth brought back memories of the poor boy breaking his hand. Gabriel looked concerned and sadness started to fill his eyes again.

"What happened in the lobby?" I asked as I hopped out, holding his hand tightly. I was not about to let Gabriel worry over hurting me. He could feel guilty killing the boy but he was not allowed to feel any sadness over me.

Gabriel was easily distracted by my comment. "The hotel cashier was…friendly," he said. His tone indicated that this cashier was a lot more than friendly. I could feel the jealousy bubbling up inside of me. Who cares if he only admitted that I was his mate less than a couple of hours ago? I loved him long before that, even if I couldn't admit it to myself.

"Oh," I replied. I at least hoped she wasn't pretty. If she wasn't pretty then I could deal with my jealously more easily. Clearly, Gabriel didn't like being hit on by her either way but…

"Was she pretty?" I asked brightly, trying to hide my fears.

"No, he wasn't," Gabriel said as he lead me towards the hotel. I stopped, forcing Gabriel to stop too. He looked down at me curiously as I started to laugh. I stood there, in the middle of the parking lot, wrapping my arms around my middle as I shook with laughter. Gabriel actually attempted to glare at me. He needs practice.

"Did he," I tried to say but my words were only coming out in between gasps of laughing, "try to.. come on..to you?" I was grinning wildly at my darling vampire as he looked back down at me somewhat coldly.

"Yes," Gabriel answered as he looked back at the hotel. He tried, again, to steer me towards the back entrance to the hotel.

"I've totally got to see this guy," I said, still smiling, and started to walk towards the front entrance. Who cares if it's cold out?

The only reason I wasn't moving towards the entrance was because of a cold hard hand wrapped around my upper arm. I looked up at Gabriel whose face was a mask. "What?" I asked him, still trying not to giggle…much.

"We can get to our room this way," he muttered, trying to drag me, albeit gently, to the back entrance. In turn, I attempted to hold my ground and failed miserably until I took my arm away from his grasp.

"Nu huh, I gotta see the competition," I teased.

"That," Gabriel stated emphatically, "is not competition."

My evil side immediately took over. The grin grew across my face. There are just days when I cannot help myself. "Well, maybe not for you but for me," I said with a shrug. "I mean, after all, if he thinks you're cute then we have something in common," I told him before heading towards the front entrance again. I got two steps before Gabriel grabbed me again.

I turned my head around to look at him. My beautiful vampire was standing there, mouth agape, looking like a fish out of water. My grin only grew.

In a flash, I found myself pressed up against Gabriel. He had pulled me into him again, holding me in a tight embrace, my head tucked against the crook of his neck, and he was growling. "Cute?" he asked as he growled. I smirked and looked up at him.

"Very cute," I teased. It was wrong to call him cute. Garden gnomes are cute. Gabriel was magnificent and devastatingly handsome but I liked seeing what I'm guessing is jealousy in his eyes.

"Jealous?" I asked, still teasing. He growled in response and pulled me with him up to the hotel room. It was only once we were in the elevator he let go of my shoulders enough that I could wiggle out of his grasp. Of course, all I did was start laughing. Gabriel humphed at my reaction.

We walked down the corridor with the typical terrible hotel carpeting towards our room. "Sorry, Gabriel," I giggled. He only muttered something in Italian under his breath. I think it was about green eyed women but I'm not sure.

I smirked and followed him into the hotel room. Of course, he couldn't just get a hotel room, he had to get a suite. The décor was all red and white and there was a living area, a kitchenette, and a couple of doors –one of which I'm sure is the bedroom and the other the bathroom. Just looking at the microwave reminded me of how little I had eaten lately.

Gabriel's eyes followed mine and he saw the microwave as well. "We should go out. I should not force you to eat hidden away as I have," he told me sadly. I shook my head.

"I'll just order room service," I said before stopping as I picked up the little hotel guide. "Unless it's too expensive," I more asked than told him. I'd happily go to Mickey D's and pick up some chicken nuggets. Gabriel just raised an eyebrow at me that told me all I needed to know. I picked up the phone and ordered crab cakes with a salad.

I picked at my food when it came. Gabriel and I had both become quite again, both lost in our own thoughts. My thoughts were about how weird my current situation was. If anyone told me two months ago that I'd be staying in a hotel room with a man I loved, I would have blushed and told them I didn't have anyone. Yet here I was; not that we were doing anything. Well, I was attempting to eat human food and Gabriel was finding the TV a curious thing. He was growing increasingly frustrated with the remote.

I held out my hand. "Gabriel, here. Let me do it," I told him with a sigh.

"No," he stated as he grimaced and tried to figure the remote again only to accidentally order Underworld: Evolution on pay per view. I quirked my eyebrow at him.

"Did you mean to order that movie?" I asked. Not that I minded. I rather liked it but that was before I was in this universe were vampires and werewolves were very real. The idea of a vampire growing wings now seemed…comical to me. Although Vampire/werewolf hybrids were good.

"No," he said frustrated and then began to mumble a string of things in Italian, growing increasing frustrated with the TV…to the point he crushed the remote.

"Gabriel," I admonished him slightly as I got up to help clean up the mess he made. I so did not want to be stepping on pieces of plastic in the morning.

When he saw what I was about to do, my beautiful vampire stopped me. I looked up at him and saw his sad ruby eyes. "No, amore. It is for me to do. I broke it," he said sadly. At the word "broke", his face crumbled even more. All I could think on was when he promised not to break anything else in the car. He was probably thinking of the murder again.

"Gabriel," I said softly, moving to at least hold his hand for a moment while I talked to him about this…all of this. About the Volturi Guard, the murder of the college kid, about…us. But he turned away from me and went towards the kitchen. Feeling rejected, I looked down. He had already cleaned up the pieces of the broken remote but I couldn't help but feel slightly broken –cracked- as well by his actions.

"I will take you to the Cullens," Gabriel said from the kitchenette. I turned around to look at him and saw his back still to me. "They will keep you until your year is up. They can help you," he stated. I immediately felt every fear from earlier, from before he told me I was his mate, spring towards the surface.

"No!" I shouted at him, angry and confused. I would not let him leave me. He would not pull an Edward.

Gabriel turned around, lightening fast, to look at me. I saw his eyes and looked down, feeling tears form in my own eyes. "You can't leave me. I'll just hunt you down. I won't stop lookin'," I whispered, my accent getting thicker by the second.

"Please, Elizabetta," he pleaded in a whisper. "I am not what is best for you," he told me.

Best for me? I remember all the times other people thought on what was "best" for me. My Dad decided it was "best" for me to go into Oceanography rather than Fashion Design. That had been a disaster. My school counselor thought it was "best" for me if I tried to talk to my teachers about a couple of issues I was having with two of them. One teacher decided to change the curriculum in the middle of the semester just to make things harder for me. Rather than multiple choice questions, it was all essays; I couldn't double check my work against someone elses. My friends thought it "best" if I stayed at home rather than try to figure a way to move out. It's not like apartments were cheap and that I had any money….

My anger got to a boiling point quickly. "Best for me?" I repeated. Gabriel stared back at me, his face a mask again. "Best for me?" I said angrily this time as I walked toward him, shaking my ring finger at him. "Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that?!?" I shouted.

I turned around and glared at the floor, trying to get my anger under control. It wasn't like I could hit Gabriel –it would just cause me to bruise my knuckles. "My bosses say that when they want me to go training. My teachers said that when they wanted me to re-write a paper for the sixth time rather than just giving me a grade. My own _father_ said that when he wanted to push me into sports or doing something else that I would end up only getting hurt in. So best for me?" I asked looking back at my vampire. "I don't give a damn what you think is best for _me_," I told him.

My face softened a bit as my anger started to dissipate. "Let me decide what is best for me," I said, moving back towards Gabriel, who hadn't moved from his spot in the kitchenette. "You may not be what is best for me," I agreed, "but you are what I need."

I saw Gabriel's hand twitch after a few seconds. His face never faltered until his hand rose to cup my face. His eyes were sad but resigned. "Alright, cucciola mia. I will stay, I will not leave you."

"Thank you," I whispered as I kissed the palm of his hand. Both of us just looked at each other, neither moving away from the other. All I wanted to do was stay there for a minute or maybe an hour. I didn't care that his eyes were now ruby, I could get lost in them no matter the color.

Finally, Gabriel smirked after what must have been a good five minutes. "Go, eat, gioia mia," he told me before getting distracted by the movie on the TV. "Che cavolo…?" he whispered as he slowly dropped his hand from my face. I followed his gaze and giggled.

"Underworld. You haven't seen it?" I asked as I followed him back into the living room area.

Gabriel shook his head. "What is this regarding?" he asked as he watched in wrapped fascination.

"Werewolves and vampires. The guy there was born a werewolf but got bit by her," I said, pointing out the various characters on the screen. "So he's a hybrid now," I told him as I plopped back down to finish my dinner. Gabriel just looked at me in wide wonder. "What?" I asked.

He shook his head again. "Nothing," he said.

"Gabriel," I warned him as I popped a French fry in my mouth. It was cold now. Ugh.

"You know this show?" he asked, curiously, as he stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. He really looked devastatingly handsome.

I shrugged. "What can I say?" I told him before smiling slightly. "I've always had a thing for vampires," I teased. I'm really starting to love it when he does his fish out of water impression. It's really quite funny.

So, we spent the rest of the night watching the movie. At some point, I must have fallen asleep because I found myself the next morning in the big king sized bed rather than on the sofa out in the living room. I was slightly disappointed. I had hoped to wake up with Gabriel holding me but I guess that would be a while yet… We only just admitted our feelings to each other yesterday. And then a boy died. Fun.

I wandered out into the living room, yawning as I slowly woke up. Gabriel was sitting at the computer desk with my laptop, looking over Google maps with an intense look of concentration upon his face. I muttered something that sounded like hello. I think. At least it was a noise.

Gabriel looked over at me and gently took my hand to pull me towards him. With his other hand, he pointed to the screen. "Should we drive without rest or would you like to stop after a few hours?" he asked, pointing to the route. I saw that the yellow highlighted line transected the United States from one coast to the other. It was the route home.

"I'd like to," I started to say when the phone rang next to him. Gabriel muttered something about fastidiosi fata's under his breath. I grinned as I picked up the phone to answer it. "I'm sure she heard that," I told him.

I didn't even get a chance to say hello before Alice erupted into a very one sided conversation. "I did see that and you should burn his pinkie off for that. No, wait, you should burn his whole hand off after what he did in front of you last night! I can't believe him!" Alice exclaimed.

"Would Jasper have reacted any differently?" I pointed out to her. I can't see that the situation would have changed much at all if the boy had taken a picture of Alice and Jasper while they were uh…making out in a parking lot. Jasper would have killed him.

"That's not the point! You're still human!" Alice told me.

"Yes, and so?" I asked her.

"Elizabeth," she complained as she tried to explain this to me. "When the bloodlust gets like that he could have," she started. I saw my beloved vampire start to drop his head. I put my hand on his shoulder and stopped Alice immediately.

"He didn't, Alice. He's only been at this a couple of weeks," I informed her. He was trying. I know if I gave up everything to drink except water, I'd last maybe two days. If that long. I'd probably get dehydrated long before then. I lived off of ginger ale and lemonade.

Alice sighed heavily. "Well, at least come straight here. We can help him," she muttered.

I bit my bottom lip and looked down at Gabriel. He kissed my hand on his shoulder gently. I didn't want to go straight there simply because I really did want to see the country as we traveled. At the very least, I wanted to spend a day at Mount Rushmore and maybe Yellowstone…

"Do you see any problems if we don't?" I asked carefully. Alice was quite for a minute before begrudgingly answering.

"No, but I do see you NOT spending your birthday here if you don't come straight across," she informed me, unhappily.

I felt a smile creep across my face. "And how did you find out my birthday?" I asked.

"You are going to tell Gabriel on your birthday why you are so depressed. It was really cute in a way but I already warned him," Alice said. "And he was supposed to bring you straight here so you could have your birthday at home!"

I laughed a bit at that. "We can have a birthday party when I get to Forks, Alice," I told her. I'd just bring my letter opener with me to cut through the wrapping paper.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. Before I could answer, she squealed over the phone. "Oh, I need to make sure we can get a cake like that," she said absent mindedly.

"Alice, only Bella and I eat cake. The rest…well, I guess we could invite the wolves," I teased. Gabriel actually growled at that and Alice gave me a quick "No."

"You will have your cake. I promise I won't go overboard. Well, maybe with the balloons," she informed me.

"Lots of balloons is fine, Alice," I smiled.

"Okay, good. Oh, here's Carlisle," Alice said. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye before Carlisle's voice sounded through the phone.

"Are you alright?" he asked, sounding gravely concerned.

"I'm fine, Carlisle," I told him. Glancing at my vampire, I decided to change the subject. "We'll be there, hopefully, before May first," I told him. I wanted to give Edward and Bella the books right about then. May first seemed like a good deadline for destination Forks, WA.

"I want you to be careful, Elizabeth. I have already spoken with Gabriel and he has already told me what has occurred. We would like you to come home as soon as possible," Carlisle told me.

"I will," I promised. "I just want to see Mount Rushmore and maybe stop by Yellowstone. I haven't been there in ages," I told him truthfully. I hadn't been to Yellowstone since I was five, I think. Maybe seven. I just remember camping out there a lot when I was little and we lived in Idaho. Of course, that's where the infamous bear attack story happened for my family. Mom had to push us all to the center of the tent while a bear sniffed around the edges late one night. Thank God he decided not to try and get in the tent and left us alone. The camper two weeks later wasn't so lucky. This time, I had my own personal vampire to eat any bears that might wander by.

"I understand," Carlisle said, followed by a slight chuckle. "I believe Alice wishes to speak with you again," he told me.

I sighed. "Put her on," I told him.

"You have to wear your red velvet top on your birthday," Alice told me. After I thought about it –it was a pretty top and I didn't see the harm- Alice commented again. "Oh yes, perfect!" she said.

"Alice," I said in a warning tone. "What is going on?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly; too quickly. "Tell Gabriel that he needs to behave and not slip up anymore; especially in front of you," she said. Before I could respond, I heard the dial tone. Alice never said goodbye.

"O-kay," I stated and I hung up the phone and smiled slightly at Gabriel. He squeezed my hand.

"So, we shall stop every 10 hours so you may rest?" Gabriel asked as he kissed my fingers gently.

"Can we," I tried to say. It was hard to speak with Gabriel looking at me like that. Didn't he know I just woke up? "Can we stop at various places along the way? Not really time constraints but just like maybe check out a couple of the museums in Chicago? See Mount Rushmore? Go to a dairy farm in Minnesota?" I asked.

"A dairy farm?" Gabriel asked me, a smile tugging at his lips. I shrugged.

"Well, what else do they have in Minnesota?" I asked him.

Gabriel thought for a moment. "I believe you have a point," he told me before looking back at the map. I sighed and went to go get breakfast –pop tarts out of the vending machine- and clean up.

When I came back in the room, Gabriel stood up and was suddenly right before me; only a couple of inches between us. I automatically stepped back to look at him. His eyes still looked sad but also slightly hurt. "We will retrieve your pup and leave soon, amore," he told me.

"Oh, umm, should I pack up everything?" I asked, looking around. It looks like he already did.

"No, I have done so. Just…rest. I…" he stuttered. Since when does my macho I-am-vampire vampire even think to stutter? I was dressed. Did I just smell too good? My face fell at that thought.

"Do, umm, I need to open a window for the room?" I asked, slightly embarrassed.

Gabriel tilted my chin up. "No, cara mia. I am well. I swear it," he told me. "I simply know that I do not deserve your love, in any form," he whispered. And with that, I hugged him tight. He was my vampire.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, still working on some issues. The dead boy will come up again but that issue won't stick around for long. Elizabeth's worked that out in her head and Gabriel has killed before – just not when he was madly in love with a human! So, the next chapter will probably be them traveling…then her birthday (which I'm super excited about) and then, finally, Forks! The Cullens are coming back. I swear! And boy, do they have a word or three for Gabriel. An angry Carlisle is scary!


	26. Chapter 26

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Okay…I've decided on a small plan before they get to Forks. It's nothing really…just some more violence and action. They need a few more explosions and all. Or maybe a sword or two.

Oh! And for those of us over 21 reading this: did you know there is a _wine_ called "Vampire"? No, really. I bought my own Vampire last night. It was totally awesome. I kept giggling all the way back to my friend's birthday party (which is why there wasn't an update last night!) about how I had my own personal Vampire now. Another friend kept laughing with me, telling me I could even take my vampire out and play with it anytime I wanted! …too bad the bottle doesn't sparkle. We need to work on that… Where's the glitter glue?

* * *

Chapter 26

For whatever reason, Gabriel insisted on going up to New York first and then we could go across the country. I didn't get why we had to transect the traffic and congestion of New York/New Jersey before we headed out to Washington State; it just didn't make any sense to me. When I questioned my vampire about it, he would shrug and tell me he needed to take care of some things before moving on to Forks. What a total non-answer that was.

The trip up was uneventful. I had been up and down this particular stretch of I-95 quite a few times so I knew where to stop and where not too. The rest area right before Hauve De Grace in Maryland was very much a no. I broke down there once, in January, in the rain, at night…. That had been a very bad week. I don't like the mix of cold and wet unless it came in the form of snow. Snow was good. But 38 f and rain? Not fun. Gets even worse when you are unemployed and don't have any money to get your truck repaired.

Gabriel stopped every couple of hours so I could walk Miss Ginsie. He only got out of the truck once to go into a Visitor Center when we crossed into Delaware. I have no idea as to why but he came out smiling to which I shook my head and rolled my eyes at him, a faint smile on my own lips.

Listening to my IPod –since I had yet to call XM radio to get a new subscription-, Gabriel commented on my song choices. I think it was because it's hard not to when the IPod skips from jazz/swing to classical to alternative rock. The song genres were just so different but I loved them all. "What is this?" Gabriel asked me incredulously.

"Ida Maria," I replied simply. I was attempting to work on some embroidery but was quickly giving up on the idea. The truck just bounced a bit too much to make sure I was only getting three weft threads at a time.

"You listen to all of this?" Gabriel asked, an eyebrow quirked when I looked up at him.

"Of course," I replied with a shrug. Gabriel's brow furrowed in concentration.

"Which of these songs that you have upon your music box do you favorite?" he asked me softly when I started to give up and fold the stupid piece of linen and place in back in my sewing bag.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I suppose it depends on which mood I'm in." I looked up at him and could see Gabriel didn't like that answer. I was getting more and more use to his facial expressions. I sighed and looked out the windshield as the rain tapped against it, blurring the world around me. Absent mindedly, I reached back to pet Miss Ginsie.

"I guess, today, I like things like Enya or maybe Lorenna McKennitt, songs that go with the rain during the day like this," I told him. I could feel Gabriel's red eyes upon the side of my face but I didn't look up at him. "Tonight, if this keeps up, I'm pretty sure I'll want to hear stuff like harpsichords and Sarah Brightman," I continued, blushing slightly. Dark, rainy nights reminded me of things left better to the mind on Halloween than in April. Harpsichord music always brought to mind the Vampire Lestat when he sat in the living room after Louis and Claudia tried to kill him. It just seemed…appropriate in my mind given the dark, the rain, and my own personal vampire.

"Sarah Brightman," Gabriel mused after a moment or two. "She is the soprano that did sing upon the Broadway play Phantom of the Opera?" he asked me. I nodded once and turned to look at him curiously.

"How'd ya know that?" I asked him. Gabriel's face broke into a half smile.

"I may have been a nomad, cara mia, but I did not completely ignore the world around me as it did change and grow. I recall _Donna_ Brightman singing a song from the play at a concert of hers with Antonio Banderas prior to my move to New York," he told me. I just looked at him. He actually knew about that? That was one of my favorite duets ever. Hearing Antonio Banderas sing the part of the phantom was almost as knee quivering as when my stupid sparklepire tried to dazzle me. Almost.

Gabriel returned his eyes to the road, his face rather stoic now. "It was within a newspaper that I read at the time. I was attempting to locate the crime section," he told me. I just raised and eyebrow at him but he pretended not to notice. Of course, all that did was get the gears in my head working on overtime as an evil smile began to creep upon my face. Gabriel must have noticed because I saw him turn slightly to look at me before I looked down and grabbed my IPod. I know it's on here somewhere…

"So you've never actually heard this?" I asked as I put the IPod back down and the familiar tones of the musical began to flow over the car speakers. Gabriel flinched slightly.

"No," he stated. I smiled.

"This is one of my favorites," I started, deciding to have a bit of fun with him. "Antonio Banderas can sing so perfectly. And him? Playing the phantom?" I told my Gabriel before pretending to sigh contently. Gabriel growled lightly which made me have to bite my bottom lip to keep from giggling.

"He really is quite handsome," I continued once I was sure I wouldn't laugh. Gabriel shot me a look, still growling lightly. I lost it when Ginsie, the 23 pounds furball, jumped up on to the consul and snapped at Gabriel, barking at him. Gabriel actually moved away from her as much as he could in his seat, looking at the little pup as if she had lost her mind. I managed, while laughing, to pick up Miss Ginsie and pull her to me. The pup looked up at me, concerned.

"Aw, pup," I told her, giving her a kiss on the head. "Don't worry, Gabriel was going to go after Antonio Banderas and not me, sweetheart," I told her. I swear Gabriel muttered what must be the Italian equivalent to "Damn Straight" when I told her that. I turned my head, hugging Ginsie to me, to look at Gabriel in question. He didn't say anything else and kept on driving towards New York City.

When we got to Manhattan, I should have known. Heck, I should have known just based on Gabriel's previous attempts at hotel reservations but still, I pretended to ignorant of his compulsory need to have me stay in over-priced hotel rooms. I needed a bed and a bathroom, nothing more. So why does he think that spending more than $300 a night on a room in New York is a good idea?

I looked up at the Plaza hotel and thought of nothing more than Eloise, Home Alone in New York, and tea parties. Well, I could hope he was just getting a normal room and I could go to tea here. That would be fun. I'm not sure if I have an appropriate dress though. Maybe a skirt and top?

"Gabriel, please tell me you are just getting a simple, nothing elegant hotel room here. I can deal with that," I told him as he helped me out of the truck, Miss Ginsie's leash already latched to his arm. He smiled at me.

"I have already made the reservations, amore," he stated before closing the door behind me and leading me to the entrance as the valet drove my truck away. The Ford Escape looked rather out of place with the Rolls Royce and Mercedes nearby. I guess I should get use to that. At least it looked more complimentary against them than Bella's truck would. My truck still had a paint job…and leather seats.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What kind of reservations?" I asked. Please not another suite. I could only imagine what the price of a suite here would be a night. Probably more than I use to make in a month.

"They would not allow me to reserve the Royal Plaza suite upon the phone, if that is your concern," he teased lightly. I breathed out slight. He didn't get the suite.

"So you got a regular room?" I asked as we walked into the lobby, Ginsie happily tiptoeing behind Gabriel.

"Umm, no," he said almost nervously. I felt my face fall.

"What kind of room, Gabriel?" I asked as we reached the lobby counter. I was too wrapped up in trying to figure out what my vampire was up to to bother with looking around at the expansive lobby I had only ever seen before in movies.

He silently handed his credit card over to the hotel employee who greeted him, effectively ignoring me. I eyed him as the hotel employee looked up his information. Her eyes shot wide for a second before handing the card back. "Oh yes, Mister Caldola, I see your reservation right here. You will be staying with us for two nights?" she asked prettily. I watched as her eyes shot to me and then back to my vampire. It took everything in _me_ not to growl.

"Yes, I wish to show my Elizabetta some of what New York has to offer prior to our move to her family," he said smoothly. I smiled a bit. The way he worded it, the girl would know she didn't have a snowball's chance in hell with him. After all, he was moving with me out west; a place I had never been to be with my favorite fictional characters. It seemed so...odd to actually be moving out west, with a boyfriend. It felt wrong not to have a ring on my finger and yet know he was moving out there with me because of me. Although, at the same time, he was also moving out there to learn about the vegetarian lifestyle and we had only been well...a couple for a couple of days now. It was way too soon for even thoughts of flowers, dresses, and rings yet, right? Not that I wouldn't have them anyway...

"Oh, well I do hope you enjoy your stay," the girl stated, somewhat bummed. She handed him the keys and smiled with a hint of re-newed hope. "If you would like any brochures or anything at all, please don't hesitate to call down. My name is Britney. I'll be glad to help," the employee said. Gabriel only nodded and told her thank you before wrapping his arm around my waist to lead me towards the elevators. The bellhop had all our bags and was waiting for us.

When we got to the 20th floor, I knew that any hopes of having a nice, simple, maybe 250 sq foot room were dashed, but still I tried to think in those terms. Gabriel opened the door and lead me inside. Words alone could not express what this place looked like to me. As I slowly took in the two floor penthouse –the living room had a fireplace for goodness sakes!-, Gabriel let Miss Ginsie off her leash to run around and paid the bellhop for delivering our bags upstairs. Yes, this place had a second level to it.

The door closing as the bellhop left brought my attention back to Gabriel. He was standing there, a few feet from the door, looking like he belonged in these types of surroundings –gold inlay and marble- whereas I would look far more comfortable at the Country Inn. I looked down at my black and pink hiking boots. "Gabriel, you don't have to do this. If you'd rather stay here for your own sake then maybe I should stay at a Holiday Inn somewhere in town," I told him truthfully.

I felt him approach me but I didn't look up. "Do you not like the room, cara mia? I know it does not have the best of views from this angle but I was informed that all the suites that looked upon the Park were taken," he stated softly, his hand beneath my chin. I forced my eyes not to look into his.

"It's not about the angle of the room, Gabriel," I sighed as I carefully turned to walk away from him, not meeting his gaze. "It's this!" I stated, gesturing to the living room and dining room before turning around. I slowly raised my head to look at him.

"I don't need this," I told him. "It's a waste of money. You shouldn't be wasting money like that if it's just for me. I'm happy with a clean bed and a working bathroom."

"Yes, cucciola mia. This I have seen," he said as he slowly approached me again. "But to see you in such conditions does not make me happy," he whispered once he was close enough to me. He couldn't have been more than a foot away.

"Seeing you in any less than the most beautiful of places causes my…heart to feel as if I have failed you," he continued, gently taking my hand into his own. "I have not had a heart in so long I had forgotten what it was to feel," he stated as he kissed my hand. I was turning to mush as he dazzled me.

"I have failed you so many times over the few short weeks since you saved me. Allow me to do what I can to make up for my past failings both to you and to all I have failed. Allow me this…penance?" he asked me. Damn, how was I supposed to say no when he was looking at me like that?

I nodded to which my vampire smiled happily. As he moved to drop my hand, I managed to find my voice again. "But," I started, causing him to turn around, looking at me curiously, "the next time you go to make reservations for some place, it will be a joint venture."

Gabriel's brow furrowed a bit. I took the small step that was in between us and squeezed his hand. "I don't mind staying at fancy hotels," I started. My handsome vampire raised his eyebrow at me in question. "Really, I don't," I whispered, shaking my head before looking down for a second, trying to figure out what I wanted to say before looking back up at him. "It's not necessary to get the most expensive room in the hotel though, Gabriel," I teased lightly.

I saw him smile a bit at me. "The most expensive room was taken or else you would have had it," he informed me. I squeezed his hand again.

"I don't need it," I continued. "All I need is a simple room and you not too far away," I admitted. I quickly looked down, blushing.

Tilting my chin back up, much to my chagrin, Gabriel's red eyes pierced into mine. "Then I shall never leave your side," he whispered.

"And…hotel reservations?" I managed to ask even though he was dazzling me.

Gabriel smirked and brought my hand to his lips. "Something I shall consult you on prior to making any and all future arrangements," he told me rather happily.

"Good," I said before turning around to look for one of those hotel informational booklets. Gabriel must have noticed my expression or maybe he just saw Miss Ginsie looking up at me curiously and wagging her tail.

"What is it, gioia mia?" he asked as he came to stand in front of me again, at vampire speed.

I looked up at him, still thinking on only one thing. "Do you think they have tea time right now?" I asked. Gabriel laughed at me before calling up the front desk to ask about high tea.

The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly but it was fun. I discovered our room had a terrace over looking 58th street. An actual terrace. I loved it.

I had gone to tea, dressed in a broomstick skirt and red blouse. I felt a bit out of place but Gabriel had come with me. Yes, he didn't drink tea but he said that he had promised not to leave my side. I decided not to argue about the meaning of that because I was slightly nervous to just go in and sit down by myself. The last time I did that in New York, I got hit on by two very creepy guys…and then saved my vampire. I felt safer with him around.

After tea, Gabriel insisted we go to the park, with Miss Ginsie, of course. We managed to walk around for about an hour before taking the pup back to the hotel. Over all, it was a pretty relaxing day. The next day, not so much.

I woke up in the big king sized bed and clutched the guardrail to the staircase with all my might as I tried to transect the stairwell in my early morning sleep induced haze. Just ignore that it was already 9:30 or so.

I got over to Gabriel who was busily typing away on the computer. "Bonjourno, amore. We have the day today to see the museums if you wish," he told me, reaching for my hand. I easily gave it to him…while fighting a yawn. I looked down at Miss Ginsie who somehow had escaped my room last night and was keeping an eye on Gabriel.

I nodded at the idea of the museums but pointed over to Ginsie with my free hand, stifling a yawn. Gabriel chuckled at me. "I have already taken your beloved zibellina out, cucciola mia," he said, standing up and gently wrapping an arm around me before leading me to the dining room. There was already a plate of food there, covered.

"Did you give 'er breakfast?" I asked, my accent thick with sleep.

"Yes, and I added the 2 ml of her medication," he told me, kissing my forehead as he helped me to sit down at the table. "I do not believe the entrée is cool but if you wish, I can order another," Gabriel informed me as I picked up the cover to see what he ordered. I smiled; hash browns, scrambled eggs, and enough bacon and toast to make sure that Carlisle would have to perform an angioplasty on me when I got to Forks. I immediately dug in.

"If you do not mind," Gabriel stated, twirling my unused spoon between his fingers while looking up at nothing in particular. He was totally up to something. "I have need to stop by the bank prior to leaving on our excursion westward tomorrow," he continued. That sounded almost…normal. "You are welcome to join me or, if you prefer, stay here with your Miss Ginsie until I return so that we might see the museums together today," he explained. I swallowed my scrambled eggs.

"O-kay?" I more asked than stated.

Gabriel smiled and put the spoon back next to my plate. "I wish to leave soon, if you would like to come," he told me. I nodded and pushed back my chair.

"Oh, um, sure. Ah just need to get dressed first," I said as I looked down at my bathrobe and pink pj's. Right before I was about to get up, I felt my chair move, pushing me back in front of the plate of half eaten food.

"Eat and then get dressed. Take your time, amore. There is no hurry," he said, concerned. I only nodded and finished my breakfast before going to put on my embroidered jeans and tank top with a flannel shirt dress over it. I changed out of it the second I realized how 2009 it looked and not 2006. The thermal long sleeved t-shirt and my typical fairy t-shirt over that looked far more reasonable, just not what I wanted to wear going out of the Plaza, ugh!

Gabriel took me to his bank, which looked like something out of a movie or three. In fact, I think it was in one of the Die Hard movies…maybe even in the Whole Nine Yards? It looked very familiar.

I basically sat in a big, oversized chair the entire time, looked bored. Gabriel was taken down to one of the vaults –promised me he wouldn't be long- and came back maybe forty five minutes later. I half glared at him. Not long means five maybe ten minutes; not forty five. "My apologies, amore. The paperwork took longer than I anticipated," he told me, gently pulling at my hand to help me up.

"Paperwork?" I asked, curious. Gabriel lead me out of the bank. I think our next stop was the MET where I could drool over all the historical clothing. I'd just have to ignore that Gabriel could easily recall a time when those garments were fashionable and worn. Maybe he'd know about the whole "Did they wear skirts before the 17th century" question…

"Yes, I wished to move some of my assets to Washington State where they would be easily available to me," he continued. I just looked at him curiously but Gabriel didn't elaborated. Instead, he walked me out to take the sedan he had waiting to take us to the museum. It was one of our compromises. Gabriel wanted a limo.

The museums, as always, were spectacular. I loved looking into the restored Roman Villa room or drooling over one of the 18th century gowns. Gabriel laughed at me when we got to the extant clothing. I was trying to see if there was any possible angle I could get to see the seam lines of the dresses better. Stupid glass, getting in the way of my own personal research.

After getting frustrated by the glare coming off the glass, Gabriel took me out to go shopping down on 5th Avenue. That was interesting. I pointed out I didn't need any more clothing; my bags I had were fine for Forks weather, but Gabriel stated he wanted to take me to dinner tonight and that I should wear something elegant.

I narrowed my eyes at him, in the middle of Saks, as he held up a simple evening gown. "And where are we going?" I asked.

"As I have told you, to dinner," he said simply, still holding out the gown for me.

"Gabriel, remember that little conversation about me not needing excessive amounts of money spent on me?" I asked him as I went to take the gown from him to put it back. It wasn't my color anyway.

"Yes, and that was in regards to hotels," he said with a hint of triumph in his voice. I spun around to glare at him, realizing he was closer than I thought.

"It goes for all things," I told him. Quickly, I looked around and saw no one in about fifteen feet of us. "And it's not like you can even know if the food is good or not so what's the point?" I asked. Gabriel's face fell a bit and I immediately felt bad. I know he was only trying to be the perfect mate for me but what he didn't seem to realize is that I wasn't a princess; I was thoroughly middle-class and thought Cracker Barrel was the best place ever.

"If you prefer," he started slowly, sadness building in his eyes, "you may order room service." He took a quick look around at the dresses before looking back at me with a sad smile. "But I would like to take you somewhere tonight. It need not be a restaurant. Any play or theater you may wish to see would also be…nice," he told me. I couldn't help but see the hopefulness in his eyes.

I reached for his hand and held it firmly in my own. I couldn't help but think of the Phantom of the Opera and how awesome that would be to see on Broadway. I'd have to get dressed up for that and I was pretty sure some part of Gabriel just wanted to see me in a dress rather than my too big jeans and a t-shirt. "Is it too late to get tickets for the Phantom?" I asked quietly. Gabriel smiled and shook his head…before pretty much ordering me to find a dress.

I tried on a ton of dresses and gowns. Some were just for fun, like the tulle nightmare a la Pat Benatar 1983, while others were more serious. Gabriel's suggestion had a slit clean up to my hip and a deep plunging neckline. I vetoed that without a second glance causing him to smile. The dress I settled on caught my attention because it looked like a sleeveless version of the martyr dress Queen Mary wears in Elizabeth: the Golden Age. I had seen the deep red gown up close and personal when I went to the exhibit earlier this year…or three years from now, I guess.

It had a ruched bodice with an almost corseted belt for the waist line. It fit my requirements –it had straps- and it fit Gabriel's requirements –it was an evening gown that I'd wear. I couldn't find a price tag but Gabriel told me not to worry about. I scowled at him but let him buy it anyway. Turns out it was only twice what I'd normally pay for a gown like that. Given the beading along the neckline and the corset-belt, I wasn't too surprised at the price. But next time, he better give me a couple of days warning about any evening attire so I can make my own gown. Making it myself didn't seem like such a waste of money no matter how much was spent on the fabric.

We got back to the hotel and I quickly moved up the stairs to get changed into my gown. Gabriel had changed in the downstairs bedroom while I got ready. He said he would call about tickets and I only hoped we could get them for the Phantom. Going to see Avenue Q in a dress like this just seemed wrong. Not that it wouldn't add to the humor, of course.

When I came downstairs, it took a minute or three for Gabriel to be able to move his mouth again. I think his jaw really did hit the floor for a second. Apparently, he liked me in red and my hair done up in a Gibson Girl bun. Thank God I remembered my curler when I came into this dimension or else I'd be out of luck. Pulling me into his arms, he also told me that the Cullens called again after he got the tickets for the play and Esme asked me to call her back. I decided to do so on the way to the play and just talk to her in the car.

"Hello?" a familiar somewhat cheery voice answered the Cullen family phone.

"Hi, Emmett!" I stated, happy to hear his voice again. I couldn't wait to see him and the rest of the Cullens again.

"Lizzie! Has that red-eyed nomad done anything to you or Miss Ginsie? I've signed on to Jasper's plan," he told me. I laughed a bit until I saw my vampire's face. Gently, I patted Gabriel's knee and told Emmett that everything was fine. "Good. We've been remodeling the basement for you," he told me. I could almost see the grin on his face as he spoke.

"The basement?" I asked. They actually wanted me, the human, in the same house as them? I mean, I guess they were use to Bella being over all the time so a human at home wasn't a big deal anymore but me? I was thinking I'd get an apartment or rent a house since I'm not sure Forks has apartments.

"Yeap, Esme's been making us get all the drywall up so we can paint it tomorrow. I think that's why she called," Emmett said in his typical unsure but curious voice.

I had to smirk slightly. "So the human gets to lurk in the basement?" I asked. I was careful not to add "with all the vampires above" simply because you really never know who is listening in. Maybe being in the FBI and knowing about all the Embassy spies and all that nonsense has made me a bit paranoid. Not that a little bit of paranoia was a bad thing.

"You lurk?" Emmett asked. I laughed and swore I heard chuckling in the background. Gabriel just shot me a glance as the driver of the sedan took us to Broadway.

"Is Esme there?" I asked him.

"Yeah, she's downstairs but I think Mom will be…oh, here she is," Emmett told me. I heard the phone being handed over. I looked to my vampire who was just looking at me as if this whole conversation was the most peculiar thing he had heard. I guess it was, sort of.

"Elizabeth?" Esme's voice sounded through the phone.

"Hi, Esme. You know you really don't have to fix up a room for me. It would probably be easier on y'all if I just rented a house out in town," I told her. Or a room. It's not like I'd have enough money for a whole house. Then again, rent in Forks was probably a lot different from rent in DC. My $1500 a month mortgage payments would probably afford something more akin to a mansion in Forks than my cute little townhome I had in Greenbelt.

"Nonsense, Elizabeth. We want to do this," Esme stated. Well, it's not like I could keep Esme from designing. It would like be trying to keep me from sewing. Some things are just impossible.

"I just don't want to impose anymore than I already have," I whispered truthfully.

"You aren't, sweetheart. Now, what color do you want the walls?" Esme asked, changing the subject quickly. I had to smile at that. I could always jump ship…or leave from lurking in the basement if it got to be too much for all my vampires. All my vampires…now there is a soap opera for the goth girl masses.

"Havasu Blue. It's by Behr," I told her. I had only painted my bedroom in my townhome a couple of years ago. I had fallen in love with that color immediately.

"You know the colors of the paint?" Esme asked, surprised.

"Just a few. I had to paint my own home well…I guess in a year from now," I said, my voice sounding sad even to my own ears. Gabriel immediately wrapped an arm around me, pulling to him in comfort.

"Oh sweetheart," Esme said worriedly. "This will be your home now."

"Thanks, Esme," I whispered. We continued to talk for a few minutes. She asked me about my favorite styles of furniture –high Gothic and Rococo-which got a smirk out of Gabriel, and told me to hurry towards Forks. I was tempted to ask her if she'd mind putting a coffin in the basement just for the aesthetic of it but decided that might give the maternal vampire a heart attack. I'd buy my own later and line it with shelves. I did need a good bookcase after all.

We got to the play and I found out Gabriel had scored us front row tickets. I don't even want to think of the money he had to spend to get us seats like that but I had to admit, it was perfect. Far better than the tickets I got when I went to London and saw the play with my Dad. Not that that had been bad, but seeing it up close like this was just magical. That, and I got an excellent eye full of the costuming.

By the time the play was over, I was completely content. I had seen one of my favorite plays on Broadway, gotten to dress up for it, had perfect seats for it, and saw it with the man I loved. Nothing could be more perfect.

Gabriel and I walked out into the lobby to go get our coats from the front when I swore I saw a lady wearing a pretty blue dress holding a fan. I smiled slightly at her, turned when Gabriel came back and helped to put my coat on me, and turned back to see that she was gone. I furrowed my brow, looking around to see where she went.

"What is it, amore?" Gabriel whispered into my ear, looking around the room to search for whatever I had seen.

"Just, I could have sworn I saw an older lady with a pretty black lace fan standin' right there looking for someone. I don't know where she went but I didn't think she could move that fast," I muttered. It just confused me.

Gabriel smirked lightly and started to lead me outside. "Well, I don't smell any others of my kind about so maybe you saw a phantom," he teased.

"Oh ha ha," I stated sarcastically but smiled up at him when he squeezed my shoulders. Oh well, it's not like it was important anyway.

We had to walk a bit to get to the sedan given all the cars lined up after the play let out. I didn't mind at all and just took in the sights. Looking up, I could just make out the last quarter moon above us and smiled. Both Gabriel and I stopped when we heard a noise from an alley we passed by. I thought it was a rat or maybe just some random homeless person going through the dumpster; or at least I thought that until Gabriel pushed me behind him, pressing me between himself and a very uncomfortable brick wall while he growled menacingly. I would have chastised him for behaving like that except for the growling I heard in return. It was not a rat or a homeless guy…or even another vampire. The growl in return was distinctly canine and it wasn't any small dog like Miss Ginsie either.

I watched as best I could as the creature stepped out and into the pale light that kept the alley just partially illuminated for my eyes. As the furry beast stepped closer, I could see his nearly glowing gold eyes and pale mangy looking limps. This wolf was nothing like what I expected and he also wasn't alone.

A second set of teeth and fangs shown pearly white in the dim light. Both wolves looked like half starved mutts with rabies. The look in their eyes was enough to terrify me. I clutched my purse and was thankful I remembered to put three things in it this time: a can of spray paint, my lighter, and a dagger. However, I knew next to nothing about the children of the moon. Only that they were controlled by the sliver above us now and were a dying breed thanks to Caius and his vendetta against them.

"Gabriel," I said as softly as I could. Gabriel twitched slightly, never letting his eyes off the werewolves, but also indicating he heard me. "Flamma et telum gero," I whispered. I had no idea if the wolves had any sense about them or if they even had heightened senses but I wanted to play it safe and just speak in Latin. I knew Gabriel wouldn't like it, but I could fight. I had done it before and once again a can of aerosol and a simple lighter might just help. Neither of us got a chance to figure out a plan though, because one of the wolves leaped right towards us.

Gabriel swung into action, pushing his way to place himself so he'd get the full force of the impact and not me. Unfortunately, that left me somewhat open and the other werewolf saw this as a prime time to attack. Gabriel pushed his arm out, just in time to force the werewolf back down. I yanked out my can of spray paint –boy, does that seem ridiculous- and a lighter in enough time to see the first wolf recover from apparently being thrown into a building twenty feet or so away. As he ready to lunged, Gabriel screamed, "Get out of here." There was no way I was leaving him.

The first wolf pounced on my vampire, knocking him backwards and then biting him on the arm. I watched in horror as Gabriel's face twisted in pain but he didn't cry out. That was all it took to make me go from terrified to angry. Very angry.

The second wolf let out a low growl at me before licking his chops. I narrowed my eyes at him, watching his moves. Keeping my eyes focused on the crazed ones before me, I didn't even really think about what I was doing. I simply opened the spray can and lit it up, causing the second wolf to howl out in pain. I just prayed no one from the street would take notice of the sudden fireball or me attacking what looked like an oversized mangy mutt. The ASPCA would be on my back so fast…well, until the rabies infected dog turned back into a normal-ish human. Then there would be way too much to explain.

The smell of burnt dog hair –which is totally gross and smells a lot like burnt silk- filled my nostrils. I ignored everything but the two werewolves and my vampire. Gabriel had bit the werewolf he was fighting and was trying to get me to stay behind him. Yeah, fat chance.

I took out my dagger, holding it between the fingers of the hand I held the lighter in. The wolf growled angrily at me and ready to pounce. I didn't wait and just let out another fireball. This time, he caught and screamed in agony. I felt two hands, cold to the touch, yank me back and push me against the brick wall again. "Ouch! Gabriel!" I yelled at him. But it wasn't Gabriel that placed me there. My vampire was in front of me, but only because he pushed the other one out of the way.

Felix stood there, to my side, smirking, while Demetri looked over the bodies of the two now very dead werewolves. Oh great. What is it with makeshift flamethrowers, Gabriel, myself, and members of the Volturi Guard? Really.

"So, I guess you were both telling the truth. Congratulations little human, you are the first true _sabbatianoí_," Felix told me. Gabriel grabbed me and hid me behind himself from the guard, growling warningly. I sighed and noticed a tear in his suit jacket. I looked to a wound on his arm.

"Gabriel!" I said, worriedly. I wasn't really worried about Felix or Demetri. They had their orders and they weren't moving like they wanted to kill us. Rather, I think Demetri actually put the werewolf I was trying to kill out of its misery. I moved to get a better view of Gabriel's wound but he wouldn't let me, keeping me firmly behind him and shielding me from the Guard. I huffed.

"I am well, tesorina," he stated, his eyes never leaving Felix's.

"No, you aren't," I began to argue. Demetri quickly came over and stood near Felix but keeping himself well within both Gabriel and my vision range, just like you are supposed to do to show you aren't hostile.

"I do apologize for taking this type of action," Demetri stated as Gabriel let out a low growl. "But Aro wanted to make sure that you were telling the truth about the human's…abilities."

"Wait," I started, again attempting to move out from behind Gabriel. He only let me move enough so I could see both of the Guard fully. "You planted these werewolves here?" I asked, my voice raising in volume as I spoke. "Just to make sure Gabriel didn't kill Jane and Alec himself? Does Aro want me to go blabbing about all his sins or does he have a death wish himself?!?" I asked incredulously.

"I believe I am starting to understand why you like this human," Felix grinned. Gabriel just started up growling again.

"Oh, hush, Gabriel," I muttered. Felix smirked when Gabriel actually listened to me. Demetri only smiled a bit.

"Neither, it was merely a precaution," Demetri told me. I humphed and glared at both of the Guards.

"Tell Aro that he can take his precautions and…" I started, growing angrier by the second. Gabriel swung me around, still being very protective but placed a hand over my mouth so I couldn't say anything more. I don't think Gabriel would miss his pinkie much if I burned it off.

"You have seen that she is what I have said she was. No other _tests_ need be conducted against us, I do hope?" Gabriel stated, venom coating his voice as he held me against him tightly. My dress must be a mess by now. It's really too bad, I liked this one. Maybe I can fix it.

"No, we will leave for Seattle to deal with this Victoria as you requested of Aro," Demetri continued. I pushed Gabriel's hand away from my mouth which he complied.

"Thank you. She may be a hard one to track, Demetri," I told him. He quirked his eyebrow in question.

"It's her ability, avoidance I guess, that makes her hard to find," I continued. "I don't know if it will work on you or not but you might want to try and find her helper, Riley, instead. If you find him, you'll find her."

"Your…help, is greatly appreciated, sabbatianoi," Demetri stated with a slight bow. He then gestured to Felix and both of them vanished before my eyes.

Gabriel turned around and placed both hands on my upper arms, looking me over. "Did the werewolf bite you or get you with his claws?" he asked me urgently. I shook my head.

"But he got you," I whispered and then furrowed my brow. "And what does sabbatianoi mean?" I asked. Gabriel let out a relieved sigh and held me close to him.

"I do not know what I would have done if the Guard had let the werewolf hurt you or change you into one of their pathetic kind," he whispered as he moved back slightly to kiss my forehead. "I love you with all I have, cucciola mia." And with that, he kissed me. …of course, my phone decided to ring right then too. Alice, I'm so going to find a way to bleach your hair or burn your closet when I get home….

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**Author's note: **This chapter just kept getting longer and longer and then I had to run Ginsie to the Vet ER and then the chapter still wouldn't end and then…

Don't worry, the very real Ginsie is okay. She just has a UT infection that scared me half to death. Nothing like waking up from a nap and seeing blood all over the floor. Pup cost me an arm and a leg too… but she'll be fine. My bank account won't but she'll be fine. ;-)

So, Elizabeth actually got to kill, or at least mortally wounded a real child of the moon. I wonder what the wolves will think of that.

And the bank scene will be very important soon. Gabriel took a few things out of the vault as well as getting some things shipped. You don't live for a few hundred years without picking up a treasure or two, right?


	27. Chapter 27

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** I'm giddy about this chapter. I hope ya'll like it!

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Chapter 26

It had been almost a week since the incident in New York. Gabriel was furious at the Guard for pulling a stunt like that. I'm pretty sure if anyone other than the royal family of vampires had done that, they would be smoldering ashes by now. But since it was the Guard, Gabriel's code and his idea of hierarchy demanded that he respect those in a station above him, no matter how unjust they may be.

When we got back to the hotel, Gabriel's lips were nothing more than a thin line but I could see the anger boiling in him. I moved, slowly, to check his arm but he wouldn't let me. Instead, he held me tight again –almost too tight- and demanded that the next time he tells me to run, for me to run. When I pointed out that I did get one of the werewolves, he pointed out that they were half starved creatures that he could have taken care of on his own but he was busy trying to keep them from me as well as kill them…and keep me from them. He admitted he was nervous to let his instincts dictate his actions after the incident at Sandy Point and didn't want to accidentally hurt me while he was trying to attack the werewolves. I squeezed his hand and changed the subject.

"So sabbatianoi? What does that mean, exactly?" I asked my vampire gently as I went to sit down in the living room of the suite. Gabriel followed me and sat down next to me on the plush velvet sofa. I was still wearing my evening gown and had my hair up although neither was picture perfect anymore.

Gabriel reached out a finger and brushed a few loose strands of hair back up into the bun on top of my head. "Sabbatianoi. It means 'Saturday born'," he told me. I looked at him confused.

"Saturday born?" I repeated. Gabriel nodded slightly and picked up my hand in his again.

"It is of the older legends, possibly from before the Volturi rule," he began. His voice sounded like pure hate when he said Volturi. It made me shiver slightly to which Gabriel threw a blanket over my shoulders before pulling me to him.

"What would bein' born on a Saturday have anythin' to do with me?" I asked. "I was born on a Friday," I pointed out. Gabriel smiled slightly, brushing his hand up and down my upper arm slowly.

"The sabbatianoi were the vampire hunters of ancient lore," he continued. "It was believed that only those born upon that day could see a vampire when she or he was invisible," Gabriel said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "It was also said they could see other invisible entities," he continued, the laughter gone. Other invisible entities?

I hated to admit it but that did sound a lot like me if you took out the whole being born on a Saturday bit. I was a vampire hunter now. Not that I would ever even think of hurting any of my vampires but well, I've got two…and a half. According to the Guard, I was the first one to ever be able to do that. And seeing things no one else could see…uh, yeah, that was me.

I had once told Estelle about how I had seen ghosts and angels. It was written in the Destiny series and that had been an odd section to read. It was even more odd to read about it online and hear how people thought the author had lost it given how grounded _I_ seem to be all the time. The idea of me _thinking_ I see things just didn't fit. But it did fit and I did see things.

I saw the lady tonight before the whole werewolf incident. Maybe it was just another hallucination but ever since I had that one hallucination at six am where I swore I saw a kid cross in front of my truck and I had to move into the next lane to get out of the way…only to find no kid behind me as I passed him, I realized that they may not always be hallucinations. That, and when I got home, I read about how a kid, the exact same description, had died just three days before at that very spot by a hit and run driver. I had seen a ghost and it wasn't the first time. It was just the first time I was able to connect the ghost to an actual event.

So Sabbatianoi. Yeap, that's me. Gabriel went on to tell me how the sabbatianoi were known to go insane from their visions and the only way to prevent it was to have them eat goat killed by a wolf. I just looked at him when he said that. I don't think I would eat any goat killed by a wolf unless the La Push werewolves had a goat farm. Even then, I'd much rather have my cheeseburgers or turkey sandwiches.

We left the next day for Cleveland, Oh and only stayed for a couple of nights there too. I managed to get Gabriel to only get a club suite at the Ritz Carlton. He had wanted the Presidential suite and I wanted just the club room. The hotel employee heard us arguing and said she could upgrade us from the club room to the suite for only $30 more a night. It was hard to argue with that. Particularly with the smug look my vampire gave me.

We went to the Rock and Roll museum, which had been fun. I had never been before so I liked learning all about the music and seeing all the various props and instruments used by famous musicians. It was while we were there I learned Gabriel can play the guitar. I pleaded with him to play for me and he promised he would – if I would sing. I had turned bright red at that. Gabriel had caught me earlier singing and dancing along with the song Galileo by the Indigo Girls. That had been embarrassing although Gabriel seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. I think he just found it funny.

After Cleveland, we got to Chicago in record time. There was only one thing I wanted to see in Chicago and it wasn't even Edward's family home. It was a dollhouse that I had dreamed of seeing since I had first heard about it. Because of that, when we got there, I giggled at being able to see it.

If I could have gotten any closer to the Fairy Castle dollhouse before me, I would. I loved miniatures. I loved them so much that I actually worked at the Washington Doll House and Toy Museum before it went defunct. It would have been a blast if it weren't for the director of the museum who –literally- had a heart of stone. Part of her heart had calcified. It was just odd.

I must have had the stupidest grin on my face as I stood before the glass, getting as close as I dared, to stare into the various rooms of the fairy castle. Gabriel, faithfully, stood behind me, patiently listening to me point out various inane details that he could probably care less about. I was having a blast.

We had arrived in Chicago early that morning and I asked if we could check out the Museum of Science and Industry. I might have not mentioned to Gabriel the reason I wanted to go to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago was because of a dollhouse. I doubt my very masculine vampire would want to put up with a couple of hours of gazing at hand painted miniature tapestries by Walt Disney himself. But, my goodness, they were awesome as far as I was concerned.

"I want a bathroom like that," I mumbled under my breath as I gazed on to the Princess' bathroom. It had gorgeous crystal turquoise walls and silver for a bathtub. The faucets were heraldic dolphins. The coolest part was that it had real water flowing through it.

Gabriel came up closer behind me, ignoring the rest of the people around us, and gently placed an arm on either side of me as he looked over my head at the bathroom. "With the dolphins upon either side?" he whispered in my ear, his cool breath brushing against my face.

I nodded. "Or cherubs. I've always liked cherubs too," I told him, thinking on all the fountains I had seen of cherubs shooting water as well. Gabriel smirked lightly and gave me a quick peck upon the cheek. "Come, gioia mia," he stated. "There is more to see."

I started to protest and point out the tapestries in King Arthur's dining room when Gabriel slug an arm around my shoulder to pull me away. I looked up and glared at him only to see him smiling softly back down. "You don't not wish to spend all your time here and not see the game, do you?" he asked softly. I pouted slightly but knew that we had to leave. There is just something un-American about being in Chicago, right next to Wrigley field, and not seeing a baseball game there. It was the Cubs versus the Marlins.

Emmett and Jasper called five times during the game just to say they could see me on the TV…and threaten Gabriel. That was the problem with the HDTV's…they had terribly good resolution so we both had to be on our best behavior at the game. I swear, each time they called, I heard Edward laughing in the background. I was going to get back at that bronze haired boy of Esme's because I'm sure he had something to do with the phone calls as well.

Today was my birthday. Technically speaking, I had been alive for thirty one years but, given that it was 2006, I can easily say I'm just twenty eight, again. I rather liked that. What was even more fun was that Gabriel was trying his hardest to make this day special

He started with breakfast in bed which wasn't bad at all. We were in Yellowstone now –only a couple days out from Forks- and had our own private cabin. Ginsie "helped" to clean the plate.

All the Cullens called to wish me a Happy Birthday. Esme told me that she was helping to reign in Alice and make sure she didn't get too many balloons. They were planning on having the party the second I came in on Sunday. It should be amusing. The last time the Cullens had a birthday party, things didn't go so well. However, no one wanted to argue with Alice, I found out.

After the phone call, I realized I probably wouldn't have had to move from my spot on the nice warm bed all day if I didn't want to. But Ginsie wanted me to take her outside so there was little I could do about that.

It was cold outside. It had to be almost freezing if not actually freezing. I wouldn't surprise me if it started to snow. Of course, it was only partly cloudy so my vampire was inside, upset that we couldn't leave the cabin on my birthday. He had mumbled something about plans but I told him I was fine with hanging out inside for today. Or we could see about sneaking off into the woods and going for a hike but it might take a bit of doing seeing as the land around the cabin was pretty open for a good amount of space. Still, I don't think a ski mask and gloves would be out of the question on a day like today.

I came back inside, shivering. As I let Miss Ginsie off her leash, I watched her run right up to Gabriel, who stood there holding a large bouquet of roses. She sat at his feet, wagging her tail, and trying not to jump up on him. I guess it took the past few weeks for her to get use to the idea that Gabriel wasn't going anywhere. Either that, or she wanted to smell the roses.

My face melted at the sight of him. My poor masculine vampire looked rather nervous holding the flowers. I took off my coat before walking over to him and moving to take the bouquet out of his arms. "I did not know which color you liked, tesorina. So I had the front desk order each a different color," he told me as he handed over the rainbow of roses.

I buried my nose into the petals, rewarded by the perfect smell of fresh cut roses. I smiled up at Gabriel and kissed him on the cheek since I couldn't hug him with all the roses in the way. "Thank you," I whispered. I made my way over to the fireplace where there was a couple of small vases that would work perfectly for the roses.

As soon as Gabriel saw what I was going to do, he moved to help me. "Here, cucciola mia," he stated softly, taking the roses back from me and placing them, perfectly, into the vases. He even went at vampire speeds to fill them with water. Ginsie didn't like that at all and barked at him. I just gave the pup a look at she stopped immediately. Well, she did have to let one last small bark in but she didn't continue on with it once Gabriel returned to my side, a small smile on his lips.

"I regret not being able to take you out in public upon this day but, if you would like, we may go …hiking," he said softly. I turned to look at him as I sat back to look at the two vases filled with roses. Gabriel reached out a hand and cupped my face gently. "It may not be the way in which most would celebrate the anniversary of their birth but I would prefer for you to have some memory of this day of something other than the inside of a log cabin," he said with a hint of disgust at the end. I put my hands on my hips as I stood up.

"Now, Gabriel," I started. His slightly amber eyes –he fed last night in the park- looked back up at me, curious. "There is nothing wrong with the cabin. I happen to rather like it," I told him. "It might be a bit rustic," I said, looking around at the traditional western mountain décor, "but it's comfortable."

"If you say so, amore," he teased. I rolled my eyes at him before looking back outside. It was pretty out with the wildflowers but it was also maybe 40 f at the highest. I'd have to bundle up to stay warm.

Gabriel gently turned my head to face him again. "We need not leave if it is not what you wish," he whispered. I shook my head, taking his hand into my own.

"It's not that," I said softly, biting my bottom lip. I guess I could put on an extra sweater and I had leggings I could put on under my jeans.

"Then what, cara mia?" he asked, curious.

"It's just that it's _cold_ out there," I informed him. Gabriel laughed at me for that. I grumbled and told him I'd change so we could go and check out the various trails. Luckily, I found out the day was starting to get more cloudy. We weren't sure if it would be overcast completely or not so, after I put on my favorite black and pink hoodie sweater to keep me warm and a pair of leggings under my jeans, Gabriel and I decided to stick to the plan of just hiking out of the way of most of the other visitors. Not that there were many. It was April after all which meant too warm for snow and too cold for rafting.

I brought Miss Ginsie with us. Ginsie always loved hiking and I'd take her to the Appalachian trail during the fall or to Harper's Ferry when we were in my own dimension. She got to check out all the odd smells and just be outside, which she seemed to love. Keeping her leash wrapped around my wrist, I gently guided her along what I'm guessing was some sort of deer trail. Or maybe bison. Or bear. Not that it mattered. I was following the world's deadliest predator out into the woods with only a dog. Of course, that deadly predator was none other than my Gabriel and I was his mate.

It was just odd to think about. Only a month ago, I didn't even have the prospect of a boyfriend and, given the whole temporally displaced thing, it was the least of my worries. Now, I knew who I wanted to spend my forever with and was somewhat shocked he felt the same way. Or, at least, he said he did. However, I couldn't find it in me anymore to not believe him.

What was even odder was traveling with him like this. If any of my friends would have told me that I'd actually travel, cross country, with a boyfriend –one that I had only known for a few weeks- a couple of months ago, I would have laughed in their faces. I wasn't that type of girl. I knew that living together before getting married was wrong and I knew of every study that proved that fact. Yet, here we were. Now, of course, it wasn't like we were sleeping with each other or anything like that. For one thing, I'd set the boundary on that and Gabriel still had control issues. He said it was easy to be around me anymore but that he didn't want to chance it either. I'd have to tell him about the possibility that we might be able to have a child at some point…

We hiked for most of the day. The lakes, fields, and all of nature were simply breathtaking. Thank God I remembered my camera and took pictures of everything I saw. I even got a few shots of Gabriel. Of course, he slipped the camera away from me a couple of times and got pictures of me as well. I'm sure I look ridiculous wearing my pink leather coat over my black sweater with black gloves and mis-matched pink Strawberry Shortcake hat. I bet my face is flushed and my eyes will come out all weird looking. They always do.

By the time we got home, Gabriel was carrying Ginsie –she didn't want to walk anymore and we did do a long trek- who didn't seem to mind too much. She kept looking over at me for reassurance and I'd just pet her or kiss her head. It seemed to help even if Gabriel's smirks as I reassured the pup didn't.

Gabriel opened the cabin door and lead me inside. He gently put the pup down and I quickly went over to give her water and her dinner. "Why don't you go clean up, gioia mia and I will call room service for you," he told me. I nodded and peeled my coat off before heading back to the bedroom.

As I looked at my bag for clothing to change into, I remember Alice telling me to wear my red velvet top for my birthday. I suppose it would be fine with my black jeans. It wasn't all that warm but I wasn't planning on going outside again for a while.

I took a shower, put my hair back in a braid, and made sure I looked decent in my top and jeans. I always loved this top; it really went well with my complexion. That, and it made me look even thinner than I was. Not that I was small, really. I was perfectly medium and I was rather happy with that. Well, if a six could be a medium. I used to be a size 14 going on 16 until I changed my diet drastically. I'd lost 40 pounds in the past few months and loved that I was no longer overweight. I wonder if I'd be even smaller after the change…

I came back out into the living room to see the dining room table lit up with candles and Gabriel dressed in a shirt and tie. Well, the tie was loose about his neck which looked oh so sexy on him. Looking at the layout, I felt somewhat underdressed. "Gabriel, you didn't have," I started, embarrassed.

Immediately, he was by my side and lifted my chin up so he could look into my eyes. "Yes, I did," he whispered before gently, chastely, giving me a kiss. "Sit, please," he told me as he guided me to my chair at the table. He had gotten me broiled shrimp, a white sparkling wine, and even a small cake with a single candle in it. I had to smile.

Gabriel took a seat across from me. "I was told to wait until you have eaten your dinner to ignite the candle on the small cake," he informed me.

I nodded as I placed the napkin in my lap. "No fun to blow out the candle and then have to wait to eat the cake," I told him.

I felt slightly self conscious through the meal. My sparklepire didn't tear his eyes away from me except once, and that was to look down at Miss Ginsie who was begging for table scraps. I gave her a piece of my breadstick before eating the rest myself.

When Gabriel lit the candle, there was no music. He didn't bother with singing Happy Birthday. I didn't have to put up with the off key notes of family and friends either attempting to sing the familiar song, each at their own pace. It was always a musical nightmare.

Instead, Gabriel's skin seemed to glow in the soft ambiance of the candle light as he handed me the small chocolate cake with a strawberry on top. "Make a wish, amore," he whispered as he put it down. I blew out the one candle with only one wish on my mind- that I really could keep Gabriel, and the Cullens too, forever. Thanks to the dinner he bought me, I only managed two bites of the insanely rich chocolate cake.

"That is all you will eat?" he asked, sounding almost disappointed.

I nodded. "I'm stuffed, Gabriel. I'll just save the rest of the food for tomorrow," I told him, starting to get up to put things away. Gabriel rushed over and stopped me, taking the mostly uneaten cake out of my hands, and cleared the entire table in two seconds flat. Ginsie, of course, growled at him.

Taking my hand, Gabriel lead me to the living room where he had a fire going. The warmth of the flames felt good after having been outside most of the day in 40 degree temperatures I found out. The high was only 42 for the day. I swear it never got that warm.

"Cara mia?" Gabriel asked me, regaining my attention. He looked slightly nervous for some reason. I wrinkled my brows a bit in curiosity as I sat down on the sofa. My curiosity went from puzzlement to a slight hint of fear and hope when Gabriel kneeled before me, a small blue velvet bag in his hand, rather than take a seat next to me. No. He couldn't. I mean, we just met and he couldn't possibly… No. I shouldn't get my hopes up like that. It wasn't a ring box he was holding but a bag of some sort. It was just a present for my birthday, nothing more.

The flames from the fire cast odd shadows around the room and also made the expressions on my vampire's face next to impossible to read. Ginsie climbed up next to me, watching Gabriel with curiosity before curling up against my thigh. Gabriel smiled slightly at the white furball.

"In my time, the brides of Venice would wear as many pearls as their husbands could afford," Gabriel started as he pulled out the most gorgeous pearl necklace I had ever seen. Each pearl was perfectly round and shown with a waxy finish in the light provided by the fireplace. I sucked in a breath knowing just by the clasp alone that the necklace was probably as old as Gabriel was. Thank goodness it looked like he got it restrung.

"In Naples, our women did not wear quite as many but the young brides would still wear more than the matrons," he continued as he opened the clasp to put the pretty necklace around me.

His voice grew softer, more whispered as his amber eyes pierced my hazel ones. "We did not exchange rings in those days as you do now," he told me. "But give a token of promise." He moved to place the necklace around me. I swear his hands were shaking. Maybe it was just me. I don't think I was breathing.

"So, no ring do I have to give you but ask that you take this necklace as my token unto you, if you will be my betrothed?" he nearly stuttered out. I must have nodded, tears welling up in my eyes as he carefully put the necklace on me. He smiled, the nerves fading visibly from him, as he cupped my face gently.

"The necklace had been my mother's. I have had it restrung many times since she wore it upon her neck but the pearls have not changed in the five hundred years I have held it in my possession," he informed me. I didn't know what to say. I was engaged. I was going to marry my beautiful vampire. I had given up on getting married, pretty much, in my own dimension and, yet, here I was. I could think of only one thing to do and I pulled on Gabriel's tie to bring him closer before I reached over and kissed him.

Gabriel willingly let me pull him close. His lips moved softly against mine at first until I pulled him even closer. I felt myself being gently pushed back against the sofa and I think I heard Ginsie whine in complaint as she was forced to move from my side to make room for Gabriel as he hovered over me.

This kiss wasn't like the heated one we had after he told me I was his mate, or the one after the werewolves when he told me he loved me. It was soft and sweet, gentle in every way.

I was just glad this one wasn't ruined by a telephone call. Alice had the decency, this time, to at least wait until I was curled up in Gabriel's arms, watching the embers of the fire glow and cool. Still, I groaned when I heard the phone ring and buried my face in Gabriel's shirt. He muttered something in Italian. I wasn't sure what he said, but I had to respond with "Ditto" before reaching over and grabbing the phone. Gabriel's arms moved to hold me by my waist so I couldn't move too far away from him.

"Hello?" I asked, fully expecting to hear the pixie's voice. Instead, it was Carlisle's.

"Hello, Elizabeth," he greeted me over the phone. I immediately straightened up a bit. Gabriel gently rubbed my lower back as I listened to Carlisle. "You are still planning on arriving on Sunday?" he asked.

"Um, yes, I think," I said, looking at Gabriel. He only nodded once, his face rather stoic.

"I would ask that you avoid the Seattle area and come up from the south. There has been some violence in the area that I would like you to avoid if at all possible," Carlisle told me, concerned.

"Oh, right, the newborns," I muttered. Gabriel looked at me confused but Carlisle was the one that spoke.

"You know what is occurring in Seattle?" he asked me.

"Umm, yeah, it's umm..," I stuttered. It was never easy trying to explain how I knew things without really explaining. Two more days. That's all there was until I could give Edward and Bella the books and explain who I really was. I hated keeping it a secret, especially now from Gabriel. Although he knew more than the Cullens did at this point.

"It's Victoria," I managed to get out. "Felix and Demetri are supposed to be helping with that but I'm not sure if they really can," I informed Carlisle.

"Victoria? She is creating the newborns?" he asked me.

I watched Gabriel's face. He may or may not know all the players but I did see the fire in his eyes at the mention of the Volturi Guard. I had yet to tell the Cullens about the whole werewolf incident. I think some things are just better in person rather than over the phone. That was definitely one of them.

"Yes, and she is doing a sloppy job but …I…uh…I'll explain more when I get to Forks, okay?" I asked. Hopefully, he'd let it drop for now. It would be easier to explain in a couple of days when I've had the time to think over what I, exactly, wanted to say to Carlisle about the Victoria issue.

"Of course, Elizabeth. We all are anxiously awaiting your arrival," Carlisle told me in a very fatherly tone.

"Thanks, Carlisle," I said back softly. I began to slouch a bit, resting against Gabriel's shoulder.

We talked only a bit more. I found out from Carlisle that Gabriel had asked for his permission to ask for my hand in marriage. I also found out that Carlisle was rather stunned by that turn of events from Gabriel, which made me smile. Maybe the Cullens would realize that Gabriel really had turned a new leaf with me around. I hoped so.

After congratulations from Carlisle and Esme, and warnings from both to Gabriel, we said our goodbyes and I retook my place against my now fiancé's shoulder, ducking my forehead against his neck. We spent the rest of the night in silence as I realized, no matter what, I had my happiness now. I'd have my Gabriel –forever.

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**Author's Note:** Squee! Okay, chapter done. I've been dying to write the engagement scene for a couple of weeks now so… Like it? Hate it? Got questions? Review and ask, please!


	28. BII C i

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So, at least a few of you liked the last chapter. ;-) That pretty much ended book one of this little story but don't worry! There is a LOT more that is going to happen. This chapter starts book 2. We are about two weeks from the beginning of Eclipse. This gives our Elizabeth some play time about when she wants to hand over the books.

Hi to all the new favs and alert people. Hi to all my loyal reviewers! I love getting reviews. They do help me think through what I want poor Elizabeth to do next. I've been putting up some links and things on my profile page. You have to scroll down, but it's there. Requests for pictures, links, or "where the heck is that again?" will be honored. You just have to ask. ;-)

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 1

It was Monday when we got to Forks. We were supposed to arrive April 30th, yesterday, but Gabriel and I stopped by a true abandoned ghost town in Idaho and explored. It was fun to dart in and out of buildings that probably hadn't been used in about a hundred years. I could almost hear the sounds of heels clicking along the old wooden planks and the piano going in the old saloon while a poker game would have been in full session. Of course, there was no poker game or piano. Just the barebones of forgotten buildings for any one to come along and explore.

I suppose we could have driven through the night and still made it to Forks but the idea hadn't even occurred to me until we were an hour or two away, heading up the 101 to the rainy town. The world looked so different here. I get now why Bella described it as being alien –it was. I had lived in Idaho, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, and Mississippi just to name a few places but only Maryland really came close to being this _green_. And that was only because Maryland was covered in kudzu.

Still, we didn't have trees like this or plants. I half expected an Ewok to come out of the woods given the look of the place. That would actually not surprise me. Maybe I can even get the whole cinnamon bun rolls over my ears…

"Fidanzata mia?" Gabriel asked as he pulled my hand from me and held it gently in his own.

"Huh?" I answered ever so eloquently. My mind was on the greenery of this place and of the church service yesterday. Taking Gabriel into church was always an amusing venture. I skipped communion given the whole "I killed a werewolf" thing but was surprised when Gabriel wouldn't let me up to leave right after communion. I thought he wanted to get back on the road.

"I wish to wait for a moment more, cara mia," he had told me when I gave him a look. I shrugged and waited the extra five minutes of mass, like you are supposed to. What shocked me was when Gabriel, still gripping my hand and otherwise acting like God might smite him at any second –for goodness sake, Gabriel, I think God knows you are trying at this point-, got up and took me over to where the priest was saying goodbyes to the various parishioners. My Gabriel wanted to talk to a priest? After the story he told me, about having killed the last priest he spoke with, I was really more than shocked and extremely curious as to what he wanted.

"Pardon me, Father," he said. Although he was trying hard to look like his normal I-am-macho self, I could tell by the set in his jaw that he was nervous.

"Yes?" the priest asked, smiling at both myself and Gabriel. He was about in his mid forties with just a hint of gray in his hair. Looking from me and back up to Gabriel, his look turned curious.

"Would you bless us, please? For my Elizabetta agreed to be my wife but two days ago," Gabriel asked, squeezing my hand. I blushed and moved in slightly towards him. This is why he wanted to stay? The priest smiled widely and informed us that it would not be a formal blessing but that didn't matter to me. The fact Gabriel even thought to ask was all that mattered. He wasn't seeing himself as just a monster out to destroy other monsters anymore….

My mind was brought back to the present when Gabriel brought my hand up to his lips. I turned to look at him and smiled slightly. "What has your mind so occupied, cucciola mia?" he asked me.

"Sorry," I said, scrunching up my eyes as I came out of my daydreams. "I was just thinking about how green this place is," I told him with a slight smirk on my lips.

Gabriel smiled back. "Yes, it is very different in look and in smell from the eastern coast, is it not?" he asked almost rhetorically.

I nodded and pulled my arm around his more, hugging it. Looking over at me with a hint of worry in his eyes, Gabriel brushed my cheek with our joined hands. "What is it, amore? You look so lost within your own mind," he told me.

I bit my lip and thought of telling him those other thoughts I had been having in my head. I was worried sick about seeing the Cullens again, mainly because I knew I'd have to give Edward and Bella the books but block such thoughts from my head while I was around Edward. I'd been practicing, trying to keep my train of thought from going in ten different directions at once but that simply wasn't possible. I was so worried about slipping up…

And then there was the whole living in the basement at the Cullens. Esme hated the idea of not building on another room and just re-finishing the basement but I told her I'd love it. Of course, I was worried about being a human around the vampires. Not because I was scared of them –at all- but because I didn't want to force them to act any differently simply because I was there. I hated the idea of them trying to accommodate me when I'd be content with a tent at the campgrounds. Of course, Gabriel wouldn't but that was an entirely different issue. He hadn't seen the way I camped…

"I'm just worried," I told him truthfully.

"In regards to your coven?" he asked. I nodded once. "Worry not, cara mia. They adore you as their own daughter," he told me with a hint of a smile on his lips.

I turned my head to look at him fully. "It's not that," I said. Although, I had to admit I liked the idea of being part of the Cullen family. What fan wouldn't? But my fears were far deeper than that. "I'm more scared about Rose or even Jasper resenting having a human living with them," I told him.

"Of the many things to be fearful of, Elizabetta, it is not Jasper being resentful of you," my vampire told me matter of factly. He muttered something in Italian. I think it was about how he was more scared of Jasper going through with his threats on him. I raised my eyebrow at Gabriel. He again researched over and kissed our joined hands. "I have spoken with the warrior of your coven over the phone many times in these past few weeks. He is very defensive of you. I do not think that such defense could ever turn into resentment," he continued.

I sighed and looked back out the window. He might not resent me now but what about if I stab myself with a sewing needle? Or what about that time of the month? I already knew with being around Gabriel –before he even acknowledged me as his mate- that it …enhanced the smell of my blood but didn't smell any more or less tempting. Apparently that whole "dead blood" theory was right. Maybe I'll just hide in the basement then or go on an extended camping trip…

The car was quiet as we hit the Forks, WA border. I sucked in a breath, preparing myself for whatever might come.

"They love you, amore," Gabriel whispered as we drove through the town. I nodded but found myself breaking into smile as we passed down the center of Forks. I didn't realize they had farms here. What did they grow? Moss? I guess mushrooms would work well here…

When I started to giggle, Gabriel looked over at me worriedly. We just passed the Thriftway and Newton's Outfitters. Who knew it was on the south end of town? I could feel the fears of not being wanted –despite all the words to the contrary- melt away and being replaced with feelings of pure giddiness. I was actually here. In Forks. And there was an Outfitters! I burst out into giggles again.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel asked me.

I shook my head and pointed back, slightly, to the shopping center we passed. "Bella works there," I told him simply. Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me. I just grinned back. "I was half thinking of stopping and bugging her but she's probably at school," I told him. It wasn't exactly a lie. I was thinking of stopping at Newton's Outfitters but because it was Newton's Outfitters! I mean, what fan wouldn't want to go in there?

Of course, going in there as a puddle of giggles, like I was now, wouldn't exactly bring out the best of impressions. I had to remember that I was going to live here now –with the vampires-…and that thought just brought on more giggles now. The problem with one of my silly moods like this is that I didn't really want to get out of them. Being…silly, was far more enjoyable than thinking over every little consequence. Of course, I started to calm down right as we past the Golden Gate Chinese Restaurant. We were almost to the Cullens and I don't think Edward would appreciate the parody song of "I kissed a vampire and I liked it" going through me head. No matter how funny I thought it was…singing it in my head…in Forks. Smirk.

When we past by the high school, my brain went to mush. I really, truly was here. I was where it all started and where it would all end. I decided to try and keep my mind on something very mudane, very non-Twilight related and that was next to impossible when I was literally in Twilight. But considering Edward was in school right now (it was Monday after all), I kept my mind focused on things like…stupid shiny Volvos. Oh, and no clunker. I guess Edward and Alice picked Bella up today…

I tried to keep my mind on Ginsie as we drove or maybe pretty dresses. I wonder if I could actually see Bella's prom dress for myself. I'd like to get a pattern from it for a new corset. I wonder what Barony or Shire this is. I know it's the Kingdom of An Tir in the SCA. I guess I can always start going to events here. I wonder if my vampire would go with me. It's not like he hasn't worn those clothes before. And Gabriel in a leather doublet? Dreamy. Oh! Was that a wolf or just a regular wild animal?

My mind was everywhere, which wasn't abnormal, when I saw the dark brown patch of fur out of my window. I looked over at Gabriel and furrowed my brow in question. "Was that a bear?" I asked him.

"No, I believe it to be a coyote," he told me. Coyotes I knew but I didn't think they were here in Washington. Although, we'd had sightings of them back in Maryland too, so I shouldn't be too surprised.

It was only a few minutes later that we came to the next invisible driveway. I gasped, thinking Gabriel was driving off the road suddenly only to realize it really was a gravel road, nearly hidden, there on the left. As we got closer, my nerves returned. I felt like I was forcing the Cullens' to take me in –poor pathetic temporally displaced sabbatianoi- but just prayed for the best instead. If nothing else, I had Gabriel now.

He parked near the barn looking structure as I fingered my pearl necklace. I hadn't taken it off despite Gabriel telling me that it was fine if I wanted to. I didn't want to. It was what he gave me for our engagement. I didn't care if it looked odd against my sweaters and jeans.

"We're here, tesorina," Gabriel breathed into my ear. Before I could finish undoing my seatbelt, he opened the door to let me out. Ginsie actually hopped out before I could and went running towards the house…straight up to Emmett. I smiled as the puppy sat down before him, wagging her tail relentlessly, and trying hard to ignore her instincts to either run away or jump up on him.

"Ginsie," I admonished her as I started to walk towards the house. Emmett just grinned and kneeled down to pet the tiny furball.

"Hey there, little pup," he said, smiling.

Two steps more and I found myself in Esme's arms. "I was so worried," she cried. It took me a moment to realize the last time she saw me was as Gabriel demanded I drive away from Ithaca with Esme standing on the front porch of the house in New York. I guess she would be worried.

"I'm fine, Esme," I said, hugging her back. She held my upper arms and gave me that motherly worried smile that only said "Are you sure". Slowly, I broke away from her and gestured to Gabriel.

"Esme, I don't know if you have formally meet Gabriel," I told her. Gabriel came forward and stood by my side as I introduced them. "Gabriel, Esme," I stated.

Esme's expression, thank God, stayed warm as she reached to shake hands with him. Gabriel, being my typical 15th century man, kissed the top of Esme's hand quickly rather than shaking her hand. I almost wanted to roll my eyes at him. I wonder what he'd think of the Renaissance Faire…

"Esme," Gabriel said in greeting as he dropped her hand. Esme smiled at him. "I must apologize for my behavior weeks ago. I meant not to cause you any fear over Elizabetta's well being but only to protect her from what I have deemed a great threat," he told her.

At that, I did roll my eyes. "They aren't going to come after us anymore," I grumbled and headed to the front porch where Emmett and Jasper were. Rose came out too, her arms crossed over her chest. I sort of figured she'd not want me here. Oh well. Whatever.

"Hi, Emmett. Hey, Jasper," I smiled at both of the boys as I adjusted my pink Tinkerbell bag on my shoulder. "Rose," I nodded to her.

Rosalie just scoffed at me. "This isn't a good idea," she informed me coolly.

"Aw, Rose," Emmett began as he started to stand up. He had been playing with Ginsie. I held up my hand.

"No, Emmett, let her be. She can be all mad and flustered if she wants," I said with a hint of a grin.

Jasper was watching me carefully as I walked up to the two boys. "Besides, you two are in big trouble," I told them more seriously.

"What'd we do?" Emmett asked. Jasper cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Wrigley Field," I stated in reminder to them. Both boys broke out into huge grins and I immediately gave them the look. "That was so not funny," I informed them.

"Yes it was," Jasper replied easily. Did you know that even former southern vampire generals back up with I glare at them? Too bad that doesn't work on Gabriel anymore.

"Dude, I think she's serious," Emmett whispered to his brother. Rose actually smirked at that and Jasper nodded once. I could almost see the whole "Major Whitlock" mode kick in. It was slightly amusing.

"Because you two found it so hilarious to interrupt my viewing of the game," I started before Emmett interrupted me.

"It's not like you were watching _the game_," he muttered. Jasper smirked when I turned my glare to Emmett. At least Emmett had the good sense to look down.

"Neither of you get to watch any games for the next two nights and you have to watch whatever soapy chick flicks the girls can find," I told them. Both boys' jaws dropped and looked to their Mom for help. Luckily, I had thought up this punishment the other day and Alice already called to tell me she was on-board and she'd get Esme on board too so that the boys would have little recourse.

"You can't," Jasper started when Emmett interrupted him.

"Edward was in on it too," Emmett told me.

"Oh, I know," I said as Esme guided me into the house. Gabriel took up the back, carrying the bags, and making sure Ginsie came into the pristine home as well. I tried not to get distracted by actually seeing the large expanse of glass or the high vaulted ceilings. I forced myself to stay on the present and not get all giddy fan girl at being here.

"He'll be forced into the same punishment as well," I told them.

"At least he gets to go to Charlie's," Emmett muttered as he sulked over to the sofa. I shook my head.

"Alice has already told Bella and she's in on this punishment," I informed them. Both boys stopped and looked at me before looking at each other.

"We are in serious trouble now if they all...," Emmett told him. He couldn't finish his thought out loud because Rose hit her husband over the head.

"Thank you, Rose," I told her sincerely.

"Anytime," she stated back, raising an eyebrow at Emmett; daring him to challenge her. He just sulked further.

Esme grimaced slightly at her children before turning back to me. "Would you like to see your room, dear?" she asked excitedly. I nodded and followed her to the door near the back of the house, on the other side of the living room, that lead to the basement. I laughed at the sign on the door –Twilight Zone.

Esme cocked one of her delicate eyebrows at the sign. "I thought I told them to take that down," she said. I managed to stop laughing long enough to attempt to speak.

"Alice?" I asked.

"I think it was her idea to begin with but Jasper and Emmett both worked on it," Esme said with a hint of a mild distaste.

The sign was made out of wood, had hand carved letters on it that were then painted in alternating turquoise and black…and then covered with glitter glue. I was worried that they already knew –or that Alice knew- when Jasper came up behind me and Esme, and stood next to Gabriel. I noticed the look he shot at Gabriel before smiling at me again. I guess the punishment wasn't going to be nearly as effective on the southern gentleman as it was on the boy from the backwoods of Tennessee.

"Emmett thought that temporally displaced human territory was too long for a sign so we shortened it to Twilight Zone," he informed me happily. Esme shook her head while I laughed again. I had to admit, it did fit. Just they didn't get all the ways it fit, yet.

"Thank you, Jasper," I told him truthfully. I loved the colors and the glitter.

It was another couple of seconds before Esme guided me down the stairs. Gabriel kept behind me, acting like he was ready to catch me in case I fell. I noticed he was being rather quiet but I guess he had never been in a coven this big before.

"I wanted to add on another couple of rooms but the terrain around the house just wouldn't work with the plans I had. If you don't like it...," Esme started as I made it to the bottom step. The room took up the entire bottom of the house. I think this basement was bigger than my entire townhome was back in Maryland. I could see a living area to the right of the stairs, done up in bright cheery colors and with neo-rococo furnishings that looked terribly inviting. I also had a good 42" TV down here to myself by the looks of it. Looking around to the right, I could just see an open door that led to a room painted in my favorite color –Havasu Blue.

"Esme," I looked at her. She was wringing her hands a bit. "It looks perfect. I don't know if I'll ever be able to thank you enough," I told her as I went to hug her. She hugged me back easily.

"No, thank you, Elizabeth," she said, smiling. "You gave me a good excuse to fix up the basement." I grinned at that and she led me on a tour. Gabriel dumped our bags in the bedroom on a luggage rack that Esme had set up.

The bedroom was beyond beautiful. It looked like something out of a luxurious Caribbean home. There was a canopy bed, done in the colonial style, with the purple bedding on it from Target –the exact same purple bedding as Bella as in the movie. I had to grin at that. But sheer white curtains with soft white stars on them hung down from the canopy. The small basement window had bamboo blinds over it so I could easily have some privacy –not that I'd get much in this house- and all the dressers were done in a similar colonial style. I loved everything about the room. Well, except the closet which came half pre-stocked. I really needed to talk to Alice.

As we headed towards the living room, Esme slightly in front of me, and Gabriel to my side now, holding my hand, I heard the familiar patter of Ginsie running down the stairs. "Hi, pup," I told her as she fell in line in front of me.

"I wasn't sure what you would like in your sewing room," Esme started and I think my eyes just about bugged out of my head.

"Sewing room?" I asked, surprised.

Esme turned around and smiled at me. "Of course, dear. I saw a few of your gowns and the fabric in your truck," she told me matter of factly.

I smiled broadly and squeezed Gabriel's hand as we went into the next room. It had a mural of a pretty English garden all around the room and shelves set up for all my fabric. There was even a built in sewing desk. I *might* have squealed at seeing it. I do know I hugged Esme tightly again.

I heard chuckling from the doorway and from behind me. One chuckle was clearly my Gabriel, so I ignored him, but the other was Carlisle's. Esme went and kissed her husband in greeting. "You are home early," Esme said happily.

Carlisle smiled at her. "I told Dr. Gerandy that my sister in law was coming into town today and he told me he'd cover for me if I wished to leave early," he said with a slight shrug. I smiled happily.

"Hi, Carlisle," I said in greeting. I could feel Gabriel come up right behind me again.

"Elizabeth," Carlisle said gently before looking at Gabriel. "Gabriel," he greeted a little less gently.

"I believe you wished to speak with me?" Gabriel said, walking around me almost protectively. I rolled my eyes at him and sighed.

"Yes, if now is a good time?" Carlisle said. Gabriel nodded once, kissed me on the cheek and then followed Carlisle upstairs. I watched them both leave at a bit too quick to be human pace. Looking around the living room now, it was just myself, Ginsie, and Esme. That lasted a second.

Before I even knew what hit me, I felt a slight breeze and then saw the black spiky hair under my chin and two cool arms around me. "Hello to you too, Alice. How was school?" I asked, smiling. Hearing another chuckle, one that I had only ever heard on the phone before, I looked up to see Bella's bronze haired greek god near the stairwell.

Quickly, I stopped that train to thought and began to think on silk lampas for a new gown and if Port Angeles had a fabric shop. Those were safe topics to be in my head and would occupy me for hours.

Alice just shrugged at the school question and hugged Esme next. "Everyone is just talking about which schools they are getting accepted into," Alice informed me. Everyone. That probably meant both Angela and Ben.

"Exactly," Edward said with a half smile. So that was his crooked smile that….oh look! A fireplace!

Edward just shook his head at me, and stepped closer and offered his hand. "It is good to formally meet you, Elizabeth," he said sweetly. Hmm so that's why…uh Gabriel was telling me. I seriously need to focus.

"And you too, Edward," I said and then smiled slightly when I caught Alice out of the corner of my eye again.

"I suppose you have heard of your punishment for the Wrigley Field incident?" I asked. Edward's face fell slightly.

"Yes, Alice informed me of that," he told me.

"Good," I responded cheerily. Ginsie was wagging her tail at my feet, probably freaked out by all the vampires, so I picked her up.

Taking my elbow, Alice guided me back towards the stairs. "Come on!" she said, grinning. "We need to get you to open your presents!" Alice told me.

"Presents?" I asked, warily. They had already given me so much…

"Of course!" Alice stated.

"But all of this," I started as I looked around the basement turned very livable luxury apartment.

"Is your and Gabriel's apartment," Alice said matter of factly before pulling my elbow again to lead me upstairs. "Not a present."

I groaned, knowing that arguing with Alice was a lost cause in something like this. "Very true," Edward said softly from behind me. All of us ascended the stairs to see whatever Alice had planned for me. Too bad Bella was still grounded, I could use someone else to help eat the cake…

* * *

**Author's Note:** So Elizabeth and Edward finally met and she learned, quickly, that monitoring your thoughts is not an easy thing. At all. Oh look! Butterfly! ;-)

Don't worry, Gabriel will talk more in the next chapter. And Carlisle won't get on him too much. I promise.


	29. BII Cii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Once again, that you for the reviews! I've figured out a firm date as to when Elizabeth will hand over the books. Now for her to keep her mind OFF her task and try to think about Elvis, Memphis, Oprah in the Afternoon. Ugh. Oprah. Gag. But I should add that song to the list….

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Two

Keeping my mind on the political and religious ramifications of King Henry VIII's womanizing and demands to have a legitimate male heir, rather than recognize one of his bastard sons, was helping. Of course, what also helped was that now that I saw Bella's Edward, was that he reminded me –for whatever reason- of my baby brother. That was both a bit sad –since I'd never see him again- and disturbing. Deeply disturbing.

When we got to the top of the stairs, I could see out to the backyard. It was just as lovely as I thought it would be, complete with the river going through it.

"Do you like being outside?" Esme asked, smiling next to me. I looked over at her and nodded. I loved being outdoors as long as there weren't any spiders. I liked the smells, sights, and sounds. Maybe Gabriel would be up to a hiking trip around here. After all there was the mea…farmlands with the picturesque looking barns. I could always use some more pictures and plaster those up on my computer screen.

"Yes, yes, it's all lovely," Alice said, tugging on my arm again once I put Miss Ginsie down. I smirked slightly but followed the petite vampire back into the living room. Or at least, I started too. I didn't make it more than a couple of feet into the larger room.

The white room, which now I could appreciate a bit more, took up the entire width of the house. From where I was standing, I could clearly see Esme's antique dining room table which made me want to smile a bit and the door way to the kitchen. But what stopped me wasn't the large plush sofa or the huge TV I could hear buzzing to my left although the sound was off, but the balloons. Esme's entire living room was now covered in balloons. Black, white, and pink balloons –everywhere.

Some of the balloons were on ribbons, weighted down and decorating the room almost like where you would put flowers. Others laid scattered on the floor like they had just dropped from the ceiling on New Year's Eve to celebrate the New Year. All of them, as far as Miss Ginsie was concerned, were in the way. And none of them, I was sure, were in here just a few minutes ago when I arrived.

"How'd the," I started to say when Alice turned to me and grinned.

"Do you like them?" she asked excitedly before turning back around and gazing at what I'm sure was her handiwork. "I wanted to do lights too but I was told no," Alice said, hands on hips looking at Edward.

It was then that I noticed Edward had been oddly silent. I was almost sure he'd be laughing at some of the random thoughts in my head like how the entire room like a giant ball pit now. When I looked over at him, he was eyeing me strangely. Not like he was mad at me but more like he was trying to place me; like he had seen me somewhere before.

"They are lovely, Alice," I told her, giving her a half hug.

Emmett came bounding over then, managing somehow not to step on and pop a single balloon. "We got you cake and presents too!" he grinned widely. I looked back over to the dining room where there was, in fact, a cake –two tiers- and gift bags. Thank God. Wrapping paper, humans, and vampires do not mix well.

"It looks perfect," I told them. But I knew I had to be realistic. There was enough cake there for at least forty hungry humans. "Since I won't be able to eat all of that, would you mind taking about half to school with ya tomorrow, Alice? And Edward, if you wouldn't mind taking some over to Bella's?" I asked. It was so odd to be able to say that. At least the cake wouldn't go to waste.

"Of course," Edward said with a curt nod before walking away from the window he had been leaning against and over towards Jasper who was on the other side of the room. I thought I was being rather good with my thoughts….

Jasper looked from me to Edward with a curious look on his face. I was completely confused and Edward looked slightly angry. I don't think I slipped up –badly. It was Alice who brought me out of my thoughts again. "Oh, Angela and Ben will love that," she said grinning before pulling me to the dining room.

Rose was in one corner, arms across her chest, looking like, well, Rosalie; beautiful but angry. Emmett was sitting down at the table but only an arm's reach from Rosalie. Esme was to my right when she walked in and Jasper and Edward stayed slightly out of the room but to my left. Alice looked up towards the stairs, letting go of my arm and then back to me. "Don't open anything yet. I'll go get Carlisle and Gabriel," she said.

"No," Edward said. "I'll do it," he continued with a tight lipped smile before rushing up the stairs. Alice eyed him carefully, looked at her husband, and then closed her eyes. Emmett seemed utterly unaware that anything was going on.

"Don't you want to try the cake?" he asked excitedly. I offered him a small smile.

"In a bit, Emmett," I told him, trying to keep my worries at bay. Why would Edward suddenly act like that? He seemed okay when we were in the basement. "Gotta wait until everyone is here," I stated.

"Here," Esme told me, pulling out a chair. "Why don't you sit down while we wait?" she asked. Of course, waiting might only mean a couple of seconds knowing my vampires.

"Thanks, Esme," I said before sitting right before the cake. It was the sound of Alice hmming that re-caught my attention. She looked up at me when she came out of her vision and gave me a curious look. Jasper was at her side instantly.

"Alice?" he whispered to her, gently enveloping her in his arms. Alice pressed against his hand, pushing him away slightly.

"It's okay, Jazz," she told him quietly while she was now eyeing me. I looked right back at Alice. Unlike Edward, I was use to being around her to a degree. "I guess I do see it," she said finally after looking at me like I was one of those 3-d pictures that you have to stare at for ten minutes before you see the artwork.

"See what?" I asked, curiously. I felt Esme move behind me and take a seat next to me. Glancing at her, I saw her worried expression before turning my attention back to Alice.

"What is going on now, Alice?" Rose asked exasperatedly.

"Nothing," Alice grinned cheerfully.

Both Rose and I cocked an eyebrow at her. Alice promptly ignored us and went over to pick up the matches to light the candles on the cake. I was going to get so fat living with vampires. They clearly didn't comprehend portion size.

That got a chuckle from the stairwell. I turned around in my chair to see the rest of the party arrive. Edward didn't look quite as…angry? Confused? Well, whatever he was, he didn't look it anymore. However, my poor Gabriel looked a bit worse for the wear. My face fell slightly and I wondered what Carlisle could have possibly said to him.

Seeing me, though, Gabriel rushed over and kissed my cheek, taking my hand into his. I squeezed his hand and looked up at him worriedly. He shook his head slightly before looking at the cake. "Strawberry Shortcake?" he said looking over the pink, green, and red iced cake with the familiar cartoon figure on top. It wasn't real strawberry shortcake, just the cartoon character.

"Shush," I muttered. During out hike out in Yellowstone, Gabriel wanted to know why I had a cartoon character on my hat and why I seemed to have so many things with strawberries upon them. I couldn't really explain my obsession other than it was the first set of toys that I really bought on my own. My parents wouldn't get them for me. Gabriel, of course, teased me for being a grown woman and still loving the child's cartoon. It didn't help that I had an adult sized Coleman chair with Strawberry Shortcake printed on it in the back of my truck.

I heard my fiancé smirk as I turned back around just in time for Alice to light the candles. I tried not too look too embarrassed or displeased –focusing on just being embarrassed due to Jasper being in the room- when they all started to sing "Happy Birthday". At least they could keep it in key. All different keys, but in key.

"Make a wish!" Alice said, clapping her hands and pretty much bouncing in place. I wonder if she was human, and I gave her one of those big pixie sticks, what would happen. Carlisle and Esme would probably kill me. ADHD plus a sugar high? We'd never get Alice off the ceiling. I heard Edward chuckle a bit.

Through out my life, I had wished for many things. I had wished for my parents to get a divorce. I had wished to be able to have enough money so I could run away and never come back. I had wished for things like cars too or a winning lotto ticket but I realized, in this moment, there really wasn't anything I absolutely wanted anymore. I had my pup, I had a family here that at least liked me, and, most of all, I had my Gabriel –my fiancé. The only thing left to wish for was that all my plans went well over the next couple of days. I slipped up and thought of the cover of Eclipse but quickly switched to thinking about pale blue silver shot silk for my wedding dress as I blew out my candles. Or maybe a nice bright but pastel aqua…

After a quick session of shouts and applause, Alice thrust the first gift bag into my lap. I looked up at her to see the little pixie vampire grinning at me. "Open it!" she said gleefully.

"Alice," Carlisle warned her. She looked up at her father and shrugged unapologetically before turning back to me.

"But read the card first," she said. I did so and opened up all the subsequent bags in the same manner. Each had a ribbon or a bow holding the handles together. I'd take those off –and a few ended up in my hair courtesy of both Esme and Alice- and pull out whatever was inside. I received things like a new subscription to my XM radio, a brand new pink cell phone, and an IPod docking station.

"That way," Emmett started to explain as I pulled the large box out of the even larger Strawberry Shortcake bag. I think I was four the last time I had this much Strawberry Shortcake decorations and cake around. But four had been a pretty good birthday. Much better than 13 and a thousand times better than my 17th birthday. "You can plug the IPod here at home so we can all hear it and not just in the car," he said proudly.

"Thank you, Emmett," I smiled at him. It took maybe half a minute to clear everything up and put everything where it belonged. I got up, cake in hand, to go set up the IPod downstairs.

"Is there anything else you need to bring in from your vehicle?" I heard Edward ask suddenly as I moved towards the basement. I had just taken a bite of cake and was going to try and swallow it down quickly –which never works- when I realized I didn't actually need to speak.

_Yes, there is some fabric and clothing still in the truck. I'm sure Gabriel and I can get it later,_ I thought to him. God, that is weird.

Edward chuckled behind me and Gabriel was at my right, as was proper in the Renaissance. I wonder if I should remind him that he doesn't wear a sword anymore. I think that might go over as well as reminding him he doesn't have a beard anymore.

"We can bring in everything now," Edward said before heading out towards the truck. Gabriel looked at me and I motioned with my fork for him to follow, complete with a roll of my eyes. By the time I got down the stairs, both vampires were back and headed to the sewing room in a flash. I just stood over against the living room wall, slowly eating my piece of cake, while the boys made another trip. I had a bunch of stuff.

The next trip down the stairs included Jasper and Emmett, each with their own bundles of fabric. I started to walk over to the sewing room when none of the men came out from there. My piece of cake was almost done.

In the sewing room, all the dresses were hanging up in a closet designed to hold them. Gabriel was fingering one of my favorites –a remake of the Just Breathe gown from Ever After I did- and looking at it curiously. The three Cullen boys were surrounding the pile of fabric they created in the center of the room and looking at it critically.

It was my vampire that looked up at me first. He rushed to my side again and kissed me gently on my temple after I put the empty cake plate down on the cutting table. I grasped for his hand and squeezed it gently before turning to the boys who were having a not so silent conversation.

"What?" I asked them before all three pairs of golden eyes fell upon me. The boys looked at each other critically before Jasper looked back at me.

"Do you want these put away by fabric type or by color?" he asked sincerely. I shook my head at that one. Leave it to the one whose wife knows all about fashion to ask about how to organize my fabric supply.

"It doesn't matter. I'll get it all jumbled anyway," I smiled slightly. It was true. My sewing room in my townhome had been a nightmare. Five body sized Tupperware containers with nothing but linen and silks lined the walls of that room. The center was a pile of "need to fix" clothing that I never did get around to doing. Too bad. I really loved the green and gold dress. I wonder what my parents would do with all that or if they would just give it to my friends...or if they even knew yet that I was gone.

Gabriel squeezed my hand gently. "Don't worry about it. I'll put it all away," I told them as the boys started to pick up fabric.

"Are you sure?" Emmett asked as he put a piece of white linen on the shelf. I nodded and both Jasper and Emmett shrugged, leaving in a white blur. The breeze as they went by instinctively made me clutch my fiancé's arm tighter. When I looked up again, I could see Edward eyeing me curiously again. I blinked but looked at him. Was it simply because I was yet another human falling for a vampire?

"No," Edward stated easily. "But that is a concern."

_Then what?_ I asked in my head. At least that was fairly easy to get use to. Controlling my thoughts, not so much.

Edward's head snapped up to Gabriel's and I saw as Edward nodded once. What was going on?

"Elizabeth," Edward breathed. Oh great, not him trying to dazzle me too. That will not go over well. I saw Edward chuckle again and offered a small smile. "What is your last name?" he asked curiously.

French, I thought but quickly changed that. Damn. "Bruin," I said out loud. It was on the lovely fake ID's that Alice and Jasper sent me while I was in Ithaca. That had been an interesting day in New York. I got a fake passport, fake ID, and even managed to get fake registration for my truck. At least it looked real. Jenks really does do a good job.

Edward caught me though. He raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Bruin?" he asked again, incredulously. Gabriel, immediately, stepped in front of me, taking his normal protective stance and began a low growl. It wasn't even a half second later that Carlisle showed up in the sewing room.

"What is going on here?" Carlisle asked in a demanding voice. I managed to step next to my vampire and gently push against his upper arm to tell him to stay back.

"Sorry, Carlisle. My fault," I told him before turning back to Edward. Gabriel looked like he was about to argue but I gave him a quick glare to hush him up before he would say anything.

_I promise to explain later. But please, for now, can you at least tell me what this is about?_ I asked Edward mentally.

"Of course," he said quietly, eyeing Gabriel curiously before half smiling back at me. "You look very familiar to me. It was not until you were in the living room I realized why. Carlisle, do you not see the resemblance?" he asked his father. Carlisle stepped next to his son to look at me. I couldn't fathom who I might look like that they would both know.

"I saw it when she first came to our door but I thought little on it," Carlisle replied before turning to look at me and smiled gently. "Although, given your talent of knowing things that you shouldn't and your coloring, I should have put more stock into such observations," he informed me. I furrowed my brow, confused.

"Elizabeth, that is a family name, is it not?" Carlisle asked. I nodded slightly.

"Both sides…," I muttered, still utterly confused until I thought about it. Knowing things. Elizabeth. Edward's mother's name was Elizabeth. Carlisle said she seemed to know exactly what he was. Edward had his mother's eyes when he was human; green. I had green eyes. And didn't I think that Edward looked an awful lot like Nickie? I never really considered the whole bronze hair thing until I saw him…

"Exactly," Edward said with a somewhat sad smile.

"You think I look like your mother?" I asked with a hint of disbelief in my voice.

Edward nodded once, solemnly. "Her maiden name was Bruin," he continued. That stopped me. I had chosen to go by Bruin here because it was my mother's maiden name. It was a family name and I doubt the whole family name plus the resemblance could be of nothing more than coincidence.

"I doubt it too," Edward told me. I quickly thought through my family tree. My maternal grandfather was born in 1906. His father had died of influenza a couple of months either before or after he was born. I wasn't sure. I knew my grandfather had a lot of brothers and sisters but that was only because my great-grandmother remarried something like five times. I wasn't sure about my great-grandfather's family though. I knew they were scattered. I wish I could remember more about Clarence Bruin but I couldn't.

"Clarence? Are you sure?" Edward asked, almost excited.

I nodded again. "It's who my Mom's half brother was named after," I said out loud. Gabriel and Carlisle were both watching us curiously.

Edward turned to look back up at his father. "Uncle Clarence was one of my mother's siblings. He died early on but I don't remember more than that myself," he stated, furrowing his own brow in concentration.

"And Clarence was a relative of yours, Elizabeth?" Carlisle asked gently. I nodded as Gabriel squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"He was my great-grandfather," I continued, explaining out loud the pieces of our conversation the two older vampires couldn't hear.

"I doubt that that much could be left to coincidence," Carlisle mused.

"I would seem unlikely," Gabriel stated as he pulled me gently into his arms. I blushed slightly at the PDA but it wasn't too bad.

"So, I guess that makes you my first cousin twice removed?" I asked, trying to place the whole thing in my head.

Edward smirked. "I suppose so," he said smoothly. Great, so I'm related to Edward Cullen. That's funny. It really puts a rather odd twist on…everything.

"I would say so," Edward pointed out. I shrugged slightly, my hands clasped over Gabriel's as he held me about the waist.

We stood there, talking, for a little bit more. Carlisle was practically giddy over myself and Edward being related. He wanted to do DNA tests on me –at the hospital, of course. No need to draw blood here where it would pose too much of a risk. The good doctor wanted to cross examine my own DNA to Edward's and see if he could still find the genetic relationships. That should be fun given that humans and vampires are more closely related than Carlisle thinks in terms of genetic capabilities. Uh…Biology 101. It was far better than the Biology classes I took in college. There are days still I can't get the smell of dead fish out of my head. Ugh.

Edward chuckled at me as we all went to head upstairs. It was almost time for Edward to go see Bella now that she was grounded. 7 until 9:30 each night…and then again at around 10 or 11. Whenever Charlie would go to bed and my _cousin_ would slip back into the house unbeknownst to the police chief.

"Oh," I said, stopping in the middle of the hallway to the living room. Gabriel rewrapped me in his arms immediately. I practically felt like a security blanket given even I could tell the Cullens were all still very wary of him. A human in the house, living in the basement? No problem. But a fellow vampire that simply is new to the vegetarian lifestyle and he's the problem? "Don't forget to take some cake over for Bella and Charlie," I told Edward.

The bronze haired boy smirked. "I won't. And there is more to it than that," he told me.

_Tell me later?_ I asked him in my head. Edward gave me a quick nod before heading to the kitchen to take part of the cake over.

"I wonder if the venom enhances the recessive traits to make them more dominate," Carlisle continued to muse. I smiled at him.

"Well, now you have your own case study," I teased. He was going to say something back when Alice came down the stairs, squealing with glee. She tore me away from Gabriel –who was not pleased by that- and hugged me tight.

"See? You do have family here," Alice said happily. I blushed slightly. I guess I am related to the Cullens…genetically. That's really just odd though.

"Wonderful," I heard Rose say from across the room as I looked over at her. "A female Edward," she muttered. Even I could hear Edward growl from the kitchen which caused me to giggle.

"Oh c'mon, Rose," I teased. "I'm not that bad." Carlisle chuckled as Alice's tickling laugh filled the air at that.

Edward came out and rolled his eyes at me before glaring at Rose. Esme appeared out of the kitchen too and did the whole mother thing. She reminded Edward to be respectful to Charlie and to come home before heading over there again. Edward nodded with a "Yes, Mom" and Esme sent him out with a kiss on his forehead.

As soon as I was pretty sure he was far enough away, I let all those thoughts I had been trying my darnedest not to think float through my head. The meadow. Reneesme being the genetic child of both Edward and Bella. Me being Elizabeth French from the Destiny series….and me being related, by blood, to Edward Anthony Masen Cullen of the Twilight series. This had to be more than coincidence. Right?

There was no way that in two separate universes that two separate popular series of books chronicled parts of two genetically related individuals. Also, how fictional was the fiction if Edward was my blood relative? I had to admit, the whole "looks like my brother" really ruins the Twilight series for me now. Everyone always loved Edward and his good looks –although I thought Edward did look a bit too boyish and Gabriel was more handsome in my opinion- but when Edward has the same hair color, height, and similar build to that of my baby brother Nickie back in my dimension? Yeah, the whole fan girl thing sort of turns creepy. I mean, who wants to read about their baby brother's love life? Ew. Reading about your cousin's isn't much better although it does make for great gossip.

Gabriel lead me over to the sofa in the living room where everyone else was gathering. We sat on the pristine white loveseat, drastically attempting to keep Miss Ginsie off the furniture. That lasted until Emmett came in and allowed the pup to sit next to him on the sofa. I just shot an apologetic look to Esme who seemed unfazed by it. Not that Miss Ginsie was dirty –I took her to the doggie salon when we were in Cleveland- but she did shed a bit. I couldn't see the white hair that would get everywhere contrasted against the white fabric of the sofa, but I knew the vampires could.

"Sorry, Esme," I apologized for my pup's rude behavior.

Esme looked to me and then back to Ginsie with a smile. "That's why we have vacuums, dear," she told me easily. I sighed but settled in to watch whatever movie Rose had decided on. It turned out to be A League of their Own, which, okay, technically speaking is a chick flick but really? There is a guy out there that won't admit to kind of liking it? I mean, it's got baseball and I know my vampires love baseball….

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**Author's Note:** ….going to hide in the bunker again. I'll come out in uh….thirty years? Yeah, that sounds good…That and watching Vampire Baseball...


	30. BII Ciii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the positive reviews!It's honestly okay to give me a critique. Honest. I can take it. I have a plan for this story but I don't mind some deviation or needing to go back and change things. :-)

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Three

_I went to Sarah's Birthday party tonight. I saw some people there that I hadn't seen since I went to the church near my parent's house. We discussed how frustrated we were with clique's in the church and how we wished the gifts of the sprit would play a greater role in the service. Despite the great time I had, I did feel uncomfortable in the predominately Christian group. Sometimes, I feel at odds around Sarah or Elizabeth given their both very strong Christian beliefs. Today at Sarah's house I simply wanted to suddenly shout, "Hey, I'm pagan!" but thought against it. I'd rather be the only pagan quietly in the background with all the Christians rather than against them._

_-Estelle __Kismet_

I sat, draped over the oversized chair in the living room upstairs. I figured out quickly that reception in the basement for my new cell phone was poor at best and I wanted to download different ring tones for everyone. Cold Hard Bitch was out before now, right? I really wanted to use that for Rosalie….

For two days, Gabriel and I were adjusting to being at the Cullen Family home. He was acting off, like something was bugging him, but I thought it was just being around so many other vampires. It's not like he had been around a coven this big before that actually got along, right?

I was still curious as to why the Cullens seemed a bit more apprehensive about Gabriel rather than me. Edward had yet to explain and I didn't want the last name issue to pop up again. I wasn't ready for that.

When Edward was at school, like now, I had already thought up when to give the books. I'd do so Friday night. I had spoken to Gabriel and asked if he wouldn't mind heading to Portland with me this weekend. I'd wait out in Oregon; spend the weekend with Gabriel, while Bella and Edward read the books. I'd need my fiancé around to help calm my nerves. It was so odd that the vampire that just a month ago kidnapped me in front of the maternal vampire that I adored, was now the only one that could help to keep my minor and major panic attacks at bay.

Of course, that thought brought me back to how odd he was acting. There were times when I swore he looked sad but he also almost never left me alone for more than a couple of minutes. Was it just because we hadn't been out of each other's sight since he kidnapped me or was it because he really was nervous about being here? I wasn't sure.

Just as I was downloading Dark Lady by Cher for Alice, Gabriel came up from the basement and smiled when he saw me. He came over, pet Miss Ginsie, and then kissed my hand…before picking me up and setting me in his lap. "Gabriel!" I shouted followed by glaring at him. Ginsie barked at him until we were both seated.

"You shouldn't do that," I muttered as I closed up my phone.

"I apologize for startling you, cucciola mia," he whispered, kissing my cheek. I sighed and turned to look at my handsome mahogany haired vampire. His amber eyes were still somewhat sad even though his face showed a smile.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong. "What's the matter, Gabriel?" I asked him, as I moved to push a stray bit of hair from his face.

Gabriel brought my hand to his face and kissed my palm. "Nothing, cara mia," he told me as he moved to kiss my fingers.

"Nothing?" I asked as defiantly as possible. It was hard with him dazzling me like this. I think it only came out as a whisper. I know he heard me though because he smirked, before changing the subject.

"What is in Portland that you wish to see?" he asked, still holding my hand to his lips.

"Fabric stores. And I wanted to stop by Astoria too. Now what is the matter, Gabriel?" I asked with a slight bit more authority to my voice. Not much, but enough that it didn't sound totally pathetic.

"Fabric stores? What is it that you are looking for, tesorina?" he asked, genuinely curious. I sighed. Sure, he could ask questions and get answers but I couldn't?

"I want to find silk for my wedding dress," I mumbled as I tucked my forehead against his throat. I had always wanted a December wedding but realized that wasn't possible if Bella was going to have a July one. I knew I had to have my own wedding rather close –without slipping up at giving Edward the date- and then I realized it was 2006. Given my tendencies towards morbidity, I couldn't help but love the idea of June 6, 2006 as a wedding date. Maybe there was a graveyard in New Orleans we could get married in….

As long as I was careful and didn't get pregnant until very close to Bella's wedding, then Bella and I would be changed around the same time. Of course, one of us would have to be away from the other until we were both newborns. I could only hope that Gabriel wouldn't mind hiding out with me until the baby was born and he could change me then. I still had yet to tell him anything about the idea of a baby let alone a wedding date. I suppose I should do that this weekend along with stuff like telling him the truth about where I come from and who I am. Maybe he'll be the one that will go running away and screaming.

I felt his cold hand gently lift my face so he could look into my eyes. "You have decided upon a date for our _anellamento_?" he asked, excitement clear in his face.

I nodded. "June 6," I stated, not being able to help the small smile that threatened across my face. 6/6/6, the sign of the beast. Of course, what people forget is that it was written by a Roman so it was really VI VI VI which was symbolic of Nero but oh well. I still wanted to get married to my vampire in a graveyard for the full affect of the irony.

Gabriel resumed kissing my hand. "That is soon, amore," he stated. I just watched him as his eyes met mine again. "Would you have time to make your gown?" he asked. "Perhaps the one you already have would do well again," he said with a note of pain in his voice. I took my hand away from him and forced him to look me square on.

"What dress?" I asked, thinking through my wardrobe. I didn't have a wedding dress. "And what do you mean 'again'?" I asked, anger coloring my tone. I didn't like the accusation or assumption he was making. I was pretty sure there were four pairs of curious ears around the house at this point. It would be five but Carlisle was at work today.

"The one in your closet," Gabriel stated as if this was common knowledge. "Were you not married in it before?" he asked, curiosity furrowing his brow.

"Gabriel, Ah've never been married," I stated as I got up from his lap to look at him. I crossed my arms as I stared down the gorgeous sparklepire. "And Ah don't 'ave a weddin' dress in muh closet," I continued, my accent growing thick again.

I swear I heard a snicker from near the staircase and shot a glare in whomever it was' direction before turning back to Gabriel. He looked utterly confused. "But the dress," he said as he started to explain. "It is nothing but silk and pearls." I cocked my eyebrow at him. I didn't have a silk wedding dress with …oh wait.

I remembered when we moved downstairs, Gabriel fingering the silk net overlay to my Just Breathe gown. I also recalled the 450 freshwater pearls around the waist line of that thing alone…and how, whenever I wore it, people would ask me if I was getting married. No, it was just a dress based off a movie. Nothing more.

"The gown similar in style to what you probably remember from when you were human? Cream and white with pearls and crystals?" I asked as way of clarification.

"Yes, I did not see it until I moved to put your gowns away," he said sadly. I sighed and collapsed into the chair with him again to show I wasn't too angry.

"It's not a weddin' dress," I explained. Gabriel looked at me curiously. "It's a remake of a gown from one of my favorite movies. Nothin' more," I told him. I think I heard Emmett say "aww man" somewhere near the stairs. I guess my answer was disappointing. What? They wanted me to have a different husband in the future? Can you even get annulments for those that you have yet to marry like that?

"A movie?" Gabriel asked. I nodded.

"Ever After. She wears it to the ball. I wanted my brother Alex to make wings for it but I never got around to askin' him," I stated. The sadness lifted from Gabriel's eyes completely.

"So you have not been married?" he asked, smiling.

I leaned in towards him, our noses almost touching. "No, I have not," I said, imitating Danielle from the movie with a smile on my face. It was another half second before Gabriel's lips were on mine. Just as my hands found Gabriel's neck…and Gabriel's hands found my back and hips, I heard Emmett. "Alright, Aunt Lizzie!" he shouted which immediately caused me to be completely embarrassed. I guess making out in the family living room wasn't the greatest of ideas. Jasper wasn't any better, hooting behind his brother to further embarrass me.

I ducked my head and buried my face in Gabriel's shirt, sure that I was as red as a fire engine. My vampire growled slightly, holding me closer to him. It took me a second to realize his growling was directed at the boys. "Not amusing," he stated.

"Sorry, Elizabeth," Jasper said. I could feel my embarrassment being…lifted? It was more like being replaced with contentment, sort of. Before I could fully turn my head to see the boys still there, I heard what sounded like two pots banging together once followed by an "ouch" from Emmett.

"Um, yeah," Emmett said, scratching his head. "Sorry Aunt Lizzie." At least Gabriel had stopped growling. Miss Ginsie went over to Emmett –her favorite vampire- and wagged her tail at his feet.

"Don't you two have anything better to do?" I asked them as I, once again, got up from Gabriel's lap.

"Nope," Emmett said proudly.

"Not really," Jasper answered with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes at both of them followed by a sigh. Looking towards the hallway that lead both to the basement and to the piano room, I thought up a different plan for the day. "I'm going to go look at patterns," I muttered as I headed to the basement. As I opened the door, I think I heard Emmett start to say something but Jasper must have elbowed him again.

I got to the small desk where my laptop was set up. It was cycling through all my pictures as part of the screen saver. I stopped when I saw a picture of my Mom pop up on to the screen and fade away into a set of pretty roses. "Elizabetta?" Gabriel whispered. He appeared out of thin air in front of me, pretty much.

"Just…nothing," I said, shaking my head and pushing the emotions I was feeling down. I didn't need to think about how my Mom would never get to see me again. How she wouldn't be there at my wedding.

"Elizabetta, it is not nothing," Gabriel said lifting my chin with finger. That made me angry.

"So you are the only one that can say 'nothing' and get away with it?" I asked him angrily. Gabriel stepped back, concern over his face.

"That is not what I meant, tesorina," he backpedaled. I shook my finger at him like any other good southern woman.

"Don't you 'tesorina' me, Gabriel," I told him. "I kept askin' ya what was wrong not fifteen minutes ago and now ya expect me to answer?" I yelled at him.

Gabriel opened his mouth to speak, doing his goldfish out of a bowl impression again. I know he was going to try and find some excuse. I crossed my arms and glared at him. "And so what if I had been married before?" I asked him, my voice at a more normal level. "It's not like you haven't been. And I doubt in those 500 years you've exactly been the picture of virtue," I muttered.

Gabriel's face crumbled. He turned slightly from me, his shoulder's hunched and I immediately felt horrible. Sometimes, my anger and my mouth worked against me more than they worked for me. I slowly reached for him. "Gabriel?" I whispered. He didn't move when my hand found his upper arm.

Rather than turning him to face me, I moved myself to look up at my vampire's face. It was heartbreaking and I immediately moved to hug him only to feel too cold hands upon my shoulders. "No, cucciola mia," he said quietly. I looked up at his eyes only to see sadness upon his now stoic face.

"Gabriel, I'm sorry. Ya know how," I started to say until Gabriel placed a cool finger against my lips. I kissed it which got me the smallest hint of a smile.

"Do not apologize for the things in which you are right, amore," he said slowly. I looked up at him curiously, wondering what was going through that head of his. Placing a hand at the small of my back, my beloved sparklepire lead me to our living room to sit. He kneeled before me, looking at me as he spoke.

"I have been far from perfect in anyway over the past 500 years," he stated. I started to argue but he held up his hand. "Please, cara mia, allow me to explain?" he asked softly. I nodded once before he continued.

"You have seen me kill, to which I am deeply ashamed," he said, bowing his head. I picked up his hand and squeezed it between my own. I had found out the boy's name was Justin Hagar and he was celebrating one of his friend's 21st birthday's that night. Everyone assumed he had gotten drunk and fell into the bay but I knew the truth. They were still looking for him.

"What you do not know, and one of the reasons I believe your family to be protective of you despite my clear intentions towards you, is that one of my former…girlfriends? I suppose that is the word," He mused slightly before turning his attention to me. "Was that of Irina, " he continued. When he saw the light of recognition upon my face he smiled slightly before looking down. "I thought you may know of her."

"Yes, she's…a cousin, I suppose," I answered. Cousin had taken on a whole new meaning with Edward around. He was a blood relative but the Cullens had adopted the Denali clan –and vice versa- as cousins. I still hadn't heard the whole story on that and I'd love to know how the compassionate doctor came to be around a bunch of single female vegetarians like that. Had he already married Esme by that point?

"I had…dated her but refused to try the lifestyle she professed at the time. Finding her too…demanding, I left her and went back to the eastern side of the continent," he informed me. I quirked an eyebrow. Demanding? As in….well, given those girls, I'm sure he slept with her. Or was she too clingy? Or was she demanding of his behavior? If it's the last one, then he should have never taken me as his mate…

Gabriel kept his head down, embarrassed. At least he didn't blush. I think the whole no blushing thing was a huge benefit to being a vampire. "She wished for me to take her as a bride," he whispered. That actually gave me some smug satisfaction. Gabriel was engaged to me. Of course, this will only had another bullet point to Irina's hit list. First, the wolves the Cullen clan has a treaty with kill the man she thinks to be her mate and then I –adopted into their clan and blood relation to Edward himself- take her former lover. Oh yes, this will be fun. And I know Irina is the type to run first, ask questions later; which ultimately gets her killed.

I cupped my vampire's face. "But you chose me," I breathed. He chose me to be his bethrothed. His mate. He actually changed to the vegetarian diet because I asked him to.

"Yes," he said, kissing the palm of my hand. If Irina thought to be his bride they must have been together for a while, right? Well, maybe not, given that Gabriel and I had only met a little over a month ago….

"How long?" I asked. Gabriel looked confused for a moment before gently holding my hand and looking away from me again.

"Two years," he said. "It was nearly 80 years ago, cara mia," he told me in that "it meant nothing" tone. That's didn't appease me.

"She'll be mad no matter how little time it's been," I pointed out. And then I realized something else, he mentioned that the reason the Cullens were protective of me was because of Irina. I don't see why –given her promiscuity- unless it was a really bad break up. "You said you left? Did you _just_ leave or did you say goodbye first?" I asked.

Gabriel moved away from me, taking a sudden interest in the fireplace that had a couple of logs in it but no fire. "I left," he told me.

"Gabriel," I groaned, collapsing in the armrest of the sofa. Great. So he leaves her without a word while she's probably thinking she finally got a mate –knowing what I do of Irina. I doubted that Laurent really saw her as his mate given that he was willing to run an errand for another woman, defying what was probably all the Denalis wishes. That just doesn't sound like something that would happen if he had really thought that much of her. She just seemed delusional. Probably got it from her mother. Like Estelle.

I felt Gabriel take my hand into his, looking at me with pleading eyes. "I will _never_ do such a thing to you, gioia mia. You are consorte mia. You will be my bride," he said before his voice wavered a bit. "If you will still have me."

I rolled my eyes and sat up which was a bad combination. "Don't be ludicrous. We're getting married on the sixth of June," I told him. Gabriel smiled slightly and raised my hand to his lips again.

"But what I am concerned about is that Irina already has a grudge against the Cullens," I said, thinking about it. There had to be a way to contact her. Maybe after this weekend, assuming that Edward would allow me to stay once he read those books. I was terrified he'd think I was some twisted psychic, able to get into both Bella's and his head. I was also terrified that he'd be angry at me for having read all of that and demand I leave. "This will only add to it," I muttered.

"A grudge?" he asked. I nodded.

"She's pissed off that the wolves killed Laurent," I tried to explain. Confusion filled Gabriel's features so I told him about Bella and how Laurent tried to kill Edward's mate but the La Push werewolves got to him first. I left out some details like Jacob but that wasn't important right now.

Pulling at his long absent beard, Gabriel turned from me in thought but kept a hold of my hand. "I do not believe I would ever say this, but I am rather pleased to have such dedicated wolves nearby," he told me with a hint of a smile in his voice. I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

Gabriel reached over and kissed my forehead- to which I automatically scowled. I felt like a little kid when he did that. He was to be my groom, not my mother. Esme could get away with it –or even Carlisle- but not him. He smirked in response. "If Edward feels even one tenth of the way for Bella that I feel for you, to which I believe he does, then this Laurent should not have been allowed to live," he stated.

"To kill another's mate, knowingly like that, is a grave injustice," he told me, a hint of anger in his eyes. I half smirked.

"She's fine, Gabriel. Grounded but fine," I told him before standing up. "If you want, I wanted to stop by her house on our way to Portland as we headed out. I doubt my _cousin_ would mind much if you came with me," I continued.

Gabriel stood with me and smirked himself. Of course, the second we looked at each other, a few measly inches apart, we were both lost. "Fabric?" Gabriel breathed after a couple of minutes. His scent of the ocean and patchouli-now that I had placed it- circled my face.

"Uh huh," I answered brilliantly. It wasn't even a nanosecond before I was in his arms again and Gabriel's lips pressed against mine. I loved him. No matter what, I loved him.

A few hours later, I found myself in the kitchen with Esme. We were making cookies for the garden club bake sale on Saturday. I got to be the official taste tester which suited me fine. Of course, I got the spoon wrapped over my knuckles once thanks to my desire for cookie dough. Cookie dough. Yum.

"Don't you dare, Elizabeth," Esme stated again as she caught me looking at the bowl longingly. Gabriel was in the living room, watching the game with the boys. They claimed they needed to catch up after their two days of punishment. Because yes, A League of Their Own and Legally Blonde were really chick flicks. I think the first one violated the whole no sports rule.

"Hardly," Edward said from the doorway, back from school. Alice hopped in beside him looking at me strangely. I was curious for a second. What had I decided to…oh. I immediately started thinking over various shade of blue silk for my wedding gown. Something blue started because, originally, all Catholic wedding gowns were blue in honor of the Virgin Mary. I wanted to bring that tradition back…that, and I looked far better in a pastel teal than I ever did in white. I looked practically like an uumpa lummpa in white. Edward snorted at me.

"Well, I do," I told him before breaking a piece of the chocolate chip peanut butter cookie off before me. I even had a glass of strawberry milk which made me feel like I was a little kid but extremely happy too.

"I some how doubt it's that bad," Edward said as he went around to hug his mother. Alice had already given Esme her hug. Still, Alice wasn't her normal bouncy self. She kept looking at me like I grew two heads.

"What?" I asked her.

She shot a look to Edward who was suddenly looking at us both funny. "Whatever you are planning, it's really making it difficult to see," she told me. Great, that's what I needed to hear. I had to be careful about what I was thinking and I started on various dress styles.

"I can't help it if I'm not sure what I'm going to wear yet, Alice," I stated. This seemed to ease Edward's look at me a bit but he continued to watch Alice.

"What is it?" Esme asked, worriedly. Great, Alice, now you've got Esme worked up. I glared at the pixie vampire.

"Nothing, I think she's just mad that I want to elope," I said, before eating another piece of cookie. I had the urge to stick my tongue out at Alice but figured that was too childish.

Alice glared right back at me and then looked over at Edward before sighing. She knew we couldn't have this conversation right now. Edward shot a glance at me. Great. Like you are interested in my wedding plans. Edward only rose an eyebrow at that.

"Go play with the boys," I muttered, waving him off. Edward smirked at me.

"Yes, cousin," he teased. I sighed, exasperated and then glared at Alice again.

"Later," she mouthed, still watching me like I had two head. I nodded once and focused on chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. Well, that and blue dresses. I had seen this lovely one that looked like something that belonged in Lord of the Rings… Too bad it was made of velvet. Velvet and June do not mix. Even in Forks.

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**Author's Note:** So a bit fluffy. Alice knows *something* and Edward is determined to find out. Gabriel admitted to being a bad boy before meeting Elizabeth –or at least a bit. He wasn't horrible as far as vampires go but he was a love 'em and leave 'em type when it came to his love life. Of course, now he has a mate…and he'll get a ripping from some of the nomads about that, I'm sure. When are Peter and Charlotte supposed to visit again? ;-)


	31. BII Civ

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Okay, here it is… The next few chapters will deal with Elizabeth (finally!) handing over the books. I'm holding my breath because even I don't know how the vampires will react. Poor Gabriel, I don't think he'll know what to do with his pretty little mate…

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter four

Thursday came and the boys decided to go hunting a day early. I guess having me around was a bit too much for Jasper despite everyone telling me not to worry about it. Right. Not worry. Me. That's like telling Esme not to be all…mothering. Is that even a word? I felt bad for making him feel any pain at all. I rather liked him. So, rather than making it any worse, I hid in the basement. Well, at least until the boys went hunting. All the boys. Gabriel included.

It was the first time Gabriel had left me alone in the Cullen family home. Not that I was alone, really. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme were all upstairs. I was in my living room, looking over computer files, with Miss Ginsie at my feet. I heard the door to the basement creep open but ignored it; figure it was either Esme or Alice to ask me to come upstairs. I was wrong.

When I closed down my browser window and turned around, it was Alice standing there but it was Alice with Rose. Rose looked her typical angry self but Alice looked concerned or maybe confused. I then remembered yesterday after school and realized that Edward wasn't around. She would confront me now? But why was Rose here? I watched them both, waiting for one of them to speak.

Alice clasped her hands before her and looked down. Rose raised an eyebrow at me. I was just getting more confused by the second. "Alice?" I asked. "Rose? What is going on?"

Rose shoved a book into my hands. I looked down and immediately recognized the cover. It was pretty, with its purple and blues done up in a modern design; it was the cover to the book ­Kismet. It was the third book in my series. Or, rather, Estelle's series. I bit my lip as I gazed down at the book, knowing part of my own point of view was in there.

"Are you obsessed with it? Or is it just some other sick game?" Rose asked angrily. I wasn't sure how to respond. No matter what, Rose would be angry right now. She had a right to be, I suppose. But how to make her understand…and to find out how she figured it out.

"I didn't see. I didn't put it together until yesterday," Alice said quietly. Slowly, her gold eyes met mine. "It still is blurry. It still doesn't make sense," she continued, a hint of frustration entering her voice towards the end.

I continued to bit my bottom lip in thought. How to make them understand. I heard my computer still on behind me and something clicked. I saw yesterday, while Alice and Edward were at school, that I still had all the outtakes and extras from the Stephenie Meyer website. I had every last one downloaded to my computer. I even had some of the Twilight Lexicon in the cache still. I quickly moved those pages to another folder so they wouldn't be deleted, lost, when I needed them to help prove my point. Granted, it was still all very subjective evidence but the preponderance of the evidence would give them pause, wouldn't it? That's all I could pray for right now. Pause. Just like the Volturi paused in Breaking Dawn...

"Well?" Rose asked, irritated.

"Give me a second, Rose, and I'll try to explain," I started. She seemed satisfied enough with that. Or, at least, she didn't say anything else. Ginsie was growling at her from beside my feet as I turned back to the computer screen. "I need to print something out first. Sort of the start of an explanation," I informed them both. "If that's okay?" I didn't get an answer from Alice but I did get a scoff from Rose.

Quickly, I moved my mouse to get to the correct folder, the correct file. I could feel Alice sneak up to my right, watching with curious eyes. Rose just stayed behind me, arms crossed, as I found her file and sent it to the printer. Before I could get up to go snatch the papers upstairs –I got my computer hooked up to the network through the house- I felt a small cool hand on my right arm. I turned to look at Alice, curious.

"How much…is there?" she asked quietly.

Sadly, I turned my head downward again. "A lot. I was hoping to give everything over tomorrow," I whispered. Alice nodded in reply.

She was quiet for a moment, still not letting go of my arm. I knew, without looking at her, she was trying to see the future. I was still going to be able to hand the books over, right? I had to be able to. Edward and Bella needed to know…

"That part is still set in stone but I can't tell what Edward or Bella will do, yet," Alice said frustrated.

"And what does any of this have to do with them?" Rose asked, venom in her voice.

I turned back around to see Rose glaring at me. I sighed, stood up, and looked right back at her. "Everything," I said as I went towards the stairs, indicating for the two girls to follow me. Ginsie, of course, followed right on my heels.

When we got to the printer, Rose grabbed the papers before I could. "Rose," I warned as she flipped the pages over to read them.

Esme came in about then, in her overalls and a big old sun bonnet on her head. She had been working out in the garden this afternoon. "Girls?" she asked concerned, seeing all of us gathered around the printer near the dining room. "What is it?" she asked again, suddenly behind all of us. By that point, Rose had gotten through at least one page, I think.

Rosalie's pretty face looked beyond pale. She had lost even the slightest hint of coloring in her face. Her eyes looked dark, cracked, with shock and anger. "What is this?" she asked, her voice low but fierce. "What kind of sick joke is this?" she asked louder, crumbling the papers in her hand as she took a step towards me. Both Esme and Alice stood before me. Esme gave her daughter that look only a mom can give and Alice actually growled at her. At least I might get Alice on my side…or she'd be willing to let me explain at least.

"This!" Rose shouted, forcefully handing the papers over to Esme.

"Rose!" I shouted. Despite the situation, I did not put up kindly with Rose treating Esme like that.

Esme uncrumpled the papers in her hand and began to look at them, but not without giving Rosalie the "you are in trouble young lady" look first. Slowly, her expression changed. It went from one of motherly frustration with her child to one of shock and dismay. Looking up at me, after reading over the four pages I had originally handed Rose, her face turned to one of confusion. "I don't understand," Esme admitted.

Carefully, Esme put the papers down on the small table that served as a desk for both the family computer and the printer before turning around to all of girls standing before her. Ginsie, feeling left out, curled up in the middle of the circle we now made. "Elizabeth?" she asked me to get my attention. I looked right at her. "Did you find a diary of Rosalie's?" she said worriedly.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed at me and we both said no at the same time. Rose's voice was still coated with venom and my own voice sounded steady but resigned. I sighed and thought of how to begin. Maybe if I just came straight out and told them. Alice touched me arm. "Yes, I think that will work," she said softly. I nodded and took a big breath, praying that this wouldn't be as horrible as I imagined. Of course, if I was Rose's first slip up, Gabriel would be upset. He'd kill Rose. Emmett would kill Gabriel. Would the Volturi kill Emmett? Who knows.

"As I already stated, I'm from 2009," I started out, trying to build up what courage I had. "What I have yet to explain is that I think this…universe? Is different from the one I come from," I muttered, not looking up.

"What do you mean, dear?" Esme asked, worry thick in her voice. I bit my lip in thought again. I needed to explain.

"Ya'll familiar with quantum mechanics?" I asked. "Or, more specifically, the philosophical theories surrounding quantum mechanics?"

"To a degree," Rose said, her voice starting to sound just angry. Alice nodded at me, a slight smile on her face.

"Quantum physics?" Esme asked. I nodded and continued.

"Based on several theories, there is the idea that every single action or decision we make creates another universe in which that action or decision wasn't taken," I started as way of explanation. Alice giggled slightly. It wasn't her full, joyous tickling of bells that I was use to but it was a start and it gave me hope.

"We know about Everett's MWI theory," Rosalie stated off handedly. Oh. Was that the word for it? Esme shot her a look and then turned back to me. "Continue, dear," the woman who was turning very much into the older sister I never had told me. I just prayed she'd stay that way, my big sister. Who cares if she happened to be physically younger than me?

"Imagine that, I don't know, maybe eons ago or maybe just a few decades ago based on what I know now," I started. I had thought that maybe the reason Dunkirk was in such poor shape was that none of my family existed ever. Something happened centuries ago to prevent anyone being born. But if my maternal grandfather's side of the family existed, as proof in Edward, then maybe it was only a few decades ago. Maybe it was as simple as my maternal grandmother's parents never coming to this country. Of course, I still had questions about whether or not the vampires existed. If they did in my universe, then they must be really upset about the books. I wonder if there was an Edward and Bella in my universe, or if that got changed too.

"There are multiple universes, so many that it would look infinite to even your eyes," I muttered to Rosalie. She huffed at that and just crossed her arms again.

"Now, imagine that, maybe, there are people in these universes that have the ability to look into another, get a snap shot of it, if you will," I rambled a bit. It was a theory I had been working on since I got here. Stephenie Meyer had mentioned that a dream was the inspiration for Twilight. I read on Megan Rodgers page that her inspiration for my story was the same; a dream. "They probably don't even realize what they are doing. Just writin' down the stories as they seem 'em," I muttered.

"You are saying you _are_ Elizabeth French?" Rosalie asked incredulously.

"How else do you explain the books, Rosalie? I gave you only one small snapshot from inside your head but there is a whole heck of a lot more," I answered in the same tone. Esme was about to separate us again when Alice spoke up.

"I suppose it makes sense. It would explain how you know so much," Alice mused.

Rosalie looked at Alice with a slight drop of the jaw and then turned to her mother before looking at me again. "Fine, then. What are the books about that are about us?" she asked almost smugly.

"Edward and Bella," I said only to get more shocked faces. I backed up quickly. "Which is why I haven't said anything. I want to give Edward and Bella the books from my universe tomorrow. They are all ummm…written from either Bella's or Edward's point of view," I tried to explain. "Well, Jacob's too but I don't think he counts."

"Who is Jacob?" Rose asked with a mix of anger, smugness, and curiosity.

"The big ugly _dog_?" Alice asked in disbelief.

"Umm…yeah," I answered brilliantly.

That set both Alice and Rosalie off. Oh, sure, a story about all of them was taken well but having part of the book from the idiotic werewolf's point of view? They didn't like that. I guess that's because it implied that the werewolf would have to be close to them somehow.

After maybe a half minute, Esme stepped in. "That's enough," she said firmly before turning to me. Her face softened a bit but worry still etched her features. "So, you are saying that these books are about Bella and Edward, from their perspectives?" she reiterated.

I nodded. "Kinda like the Destiny series is from mostly Estelle's point of view but there is a bit of mine it as well…and Gizelle's," I said, thinking on that. Estelle's point of view was always so…cheery. She glossed over things that shouldn't be glossed over. She couldn't see the world as I did. She couldn't protect herself from it. Last I heard before I left, she had been shipped off to live with her Aunt somewhere. She'd never be allowed to live alone again… Her mind was too unstable for that.

"Yours?" Esme asked. I nodded again.

"You are crazy," Rosalie stated. Both Esme and Alice looked up at her. Esme's face was one of confusion and worry. Alice just rolled her eyes at her sister. "You come in here, somehow think you know us, probably because of your abilities," Rose began before throwing up her arms. "No wonder they had Alice in a mental hospital if she was anything like this!"

Alice huffed and was about to argue with her sister when I gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Rosalie!" Esme shouted at her, astonished at her daughter's rude behavior. Rosalie just went back to crossing her arms and half glaring at me. Stupid blond.

"She can't tell the difference between what's in her head and what's written in a book, Esme," Rosalie pointed out. I rolled my eyes.

"Here, I am the fiction. In my universe, you are," I said to Rosalie. I managed not to mutter a "Thank God" under my breath because I didn't want the mom glare on me next.

"Really?" Rosalie asked skeptically. "You really, truly, believe you are from another universe?!?

"I know I am," I told her truthfully. "What else makes sense? How else can I know everything that I do about you, about vampires and werewolves in general, and yet _be_ Elizabeth French?"

"Because you are crazy. You have some weird…ability," Rose stated, throwing one hand in my direction as she tried to explain. "You can just know things. I doubt Alice was that much different," she muttered.

"Can we please keep _me_ out of this?" Alice pleaded with her sister.

Esme stood there for a moment, chewing slightly on a finger as she thought. I watched her as she looked up at me with a slightly determined face. "Can you show us the books?" Esme asked. I wanted to object but how can I say no to the woman that both Bella and Edward looked to as a mother. Of all the people in the world to read their story from their point of view, it would be Esme they would mind the least.

"Not to read, dear. Just to see them with my own eyes," she said gently. I nodded and headed down to the basement without another word. The vampires all followed me -Ginsie was starting to think this was some sort of game- as I went to mine and Gabriel's closet. Gabriel. Dear God, how was he going to take this?

I pulled out a small Tupperware container that use to have a lot of fabric in it. Now it still had a few pieces, but it also contained all things Twilight. Well, not my wallet or any of the jewelry… That's when I thought more on it. I had the movie. Dear God, I had the movie! That wouldn't be…well, nearly as bad. I might have a solution then.

I yanked out the books –two paperbacks, two hardbacks, and the manuscript- along with a couple of pieces of merchandise, like the umbrella. After I handed the books to Esme and Alice, I opened the umbrella to show it to Rosalie. "This won't make sense right now, but the boys still won't be back for a couple of hours, right?" I asked.

"Not until midnight!" Alice stated, sounding more like her happy self. "And Edward is going straight to Bella's," she stated easily. I smiled slightly at her while I twirled the umbrella.

"What is that?" Rose asked, glaring at me.

"It's an umbrella, Rose," I stated, knowing, some how, this had to work. Casually, as she scowled at me, I tossed her the DVD.

"You shouldn't open umbrellas indoors, dear," Esme reprimanded me absent mindedly while she glanced at the books. I quickly closed it.

Rose looked over the DVD cover and her expression began to change. I knew what she was thinking. It didn't take much to know. There was no way a crazy person could make a movie like this and not have the Volturi or the Cullens' themselves know about it. Especially given that I already figured out Robert Pattinson existed here too. Gabriel and I watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the other night and couldn't understand why I found the death scene so hilarious. Cedward can't die!

"How did you do this?" Rose asked. "Is this even for real?" she continued. I shrugged.

"We can put it in upstairs as long as you swear not to breathe or think a word of it to Edward until Saturday," I stated firmly. Rose gave me a look and then made a mad dash for my living room. Ginsie barked at her; the pup really hated it when the vampires moved too fast.

I looked over at Alice. "Don't worry, she'll be careful," Alice told me before skipping into the living room.

I looked at Esme, worried about what the vampire mother would say. She simply, carefully, handed the books back to me, a small smile on her face. "Well talk later, dear," she said, kissing me on the forehead. At least that gave me hope.

I put the books in the Cullen crest bag and leaned it back up against the wall of the closet. I'd need to get them out again tomorrow and hand them over. Following Esme, Ginsie at my heels, I walked into my bright cherry red living room and sat down on the overstuff sofa next to Alice. Alice was back to being giggly. I guess this would work to a degree. It's not like I could make up a _movie_.

Rose pressed start and sat down elegantly on the chair near the TV, still vexed. Esme scooched in next to Alice but looked concerned over at her other daughter. I just half held my breath as the movie started. There was Bella and the familiar music. I think I heard Alice mutter something like "doesn't really look like her" but I ignored that. My stomach was all in knots and I was trying to stave off a panic attack.

My panic attacks didn't hit me right away. They tended to come when the worst of the worry and the fright was over. I'd accidentally hyperventilate –get too much oxygen in my system- and start to look like I was having a stroke. I'd wrench my guts and end up nauseated. I'd get a migraine. Right now, it felt like I was starting to shake so it was going to be panic attack a: hyperventilation! Fun. I just needed to calm down. I guess Alice and Esme saw because I soon felt a small cool hand on my arm and a cool glass of water at my side. I smiled weakly at them both.

We sat there, watching the entire film. It felt…odd. I was watching a movie about my vampires with my vampires. I could see Rosalie's scowls and watch them as she mirrored them back on the TV. Alice would giggle and seemed to find it all amusing. Esme's face would change from curiosity to worry to amusement; I suppose like any mother watching over her baby boy's love life.

Of course, there was the odd comment here or there. Such as the "That's supposed to be me?" from Rosalie to the "That doesn't look like Carlisle" from Esme. There was the one "ugh" comment when Bella and Edward kiss from both Alice and Rosalie. Seeing someone that is even supposed to be your brother make out on screen is disturbing. Now that I know he's my cousin, I found it slightly disturbing. Of course, I smiled broadly when the vampire baseball scene came on. That was just too cool. And I really hoped to be able to see that one day in person….

When the movie ended, everyone was quiet. And still. It was like I was sitting around with Ginsie and three statues. They rarely were this bad. It was Rose that broke the silence first. "So, I…guess you couldn't make that up," she whispered. I shook my head.

"This is all known in your universe?" Esme asked me. I nodded in reply.

"It's really popular," I started to explain.

"Huh. Almost like how Destiny is here, I suppose," Alice mused and then grinned at me. It was another half second before she hugged me tight. "We get our own Elizabeth French!" she said, her voice full of tickling bells. I rolled my eyes slightly at that.

"I still don't believe you," Rose said, getting up and coming over. Esme was about to stop her but Rose wasn't glaring anymore. "But I can't ignore that _that_," she said, pointing to the TV, "would be something easy to pull off either." She scowled at the ceiling. "Really!" she muttered to no one in particular. "Nikki Reed! She's not even really a blond," she continued. I giggled at that. Of course, that would be what Rose was concerned about –who played her in a movie.

Rose turned to me again but her expression was soft. Esme got up and looked at me, a slight smile on her face. "You said you plan to hand the books to Bella and Edward tomorrow, dear?" she asked me. I nodded.

"Good," Esme stated before turning to her two daughters. "You must keep this from Edward for now. Not a slip," she ordered the girls. Rosalie looked down but seemed to go along with it. Alice giggled and nodded. "I'll just think about Elizabeth's _wedding plans_," she told me.

I groaned. Great, Alice was going to help me plan my wedding. Fun. …I wonder if I can get some cobwebs for the pews. Make it as ironic and as Corpse Bride-ish as I could. After all, I was marrying a vampire and there was just something about taking the whole Halloween/goth thing to a new level that appealed to me…

* * *

**Author's Note**: And from here on out…it will be nothing but the books. Or, at least, the next few chapters. I'll have another fluffy Gabriel/Elizabeth chapter in Astoria (where Goonies was filmed!) and Portland in there but the books will be heavily on her mind. I think. Elizabeth's mind is just so weird sometimes….


	32. BII Cv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! I love reading reviews and I try to respond to as many as I can. I hope ya'll will enjoy the next few chapters. As always, please tell me if you like 'em, hate 'em, or are completely indifferent. Now, to see if Elizabeth will finally settle on a wedding dress style! Ugh! She's driving me nuts about that…

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Five

Rose was still mad at me but she was madder that I kept this from them than anything else. Alice told me to give her a couple of weeks and she'd cool off. Esme sat with me until Carlisle, Gabriel, and the rest of the boys came home Thursday night/Friday morning. I couldn't sleep thanks to all an anxiety I had built in me.

We blankly watched the TV screen as I curled up on the couch, Esme near my head, gently brushing my hair back every so often. I wasn't paying the least bit of attention as I had seen it all before. Rather, I was thinking on how odd it will be now that they know who I am. Granted, Rosalie still doesn't believe me but she doesn't think I'm completely insane anymore either.

Alice, between my evidence and her visions, almost easily accepted who I was. I found out later than Alice had read the books and found Estelle to be a twit. Rosalie read them too and Alice told me that she loved them. Maybe that's why it was so difficult for Rosalie to accept that I was who I said I was? She was just a big a fan of my books as I was of hers? Alice continued to inform me that Rose even went to far as to go to the Washington Renaissance Festival just to get an idea of what is was all about in the books. I heard that the Renn fest would start next in either July or August. Too bad I'd be a raging newborn by then. I'd love to go, dressed up, and drag Gabriel.

Esme had been relatively quiet. She wasn't saying much of anything about it and I was curious if it was just her desire to keep her family together that caused her silence. Not that I was really family –well I was Edward's cousin and Edward was her baby as far as Esme was concerned- but still, I don't think she'd want me to go too far from home.

"Esme?" I piped up during one of those tremendously long commercial breaks. Really, do they need to have commercials about so many private problems all the time? Can't they just have brochures at the doctor's office where I don't have to hear about it if I don't want to?

"Yes, dear?" she asked, taking a coppery and dark brown lock of my hair and placing it behind my head. I sat up a bit so I could look at the maternal vampire. I wasn't sure how to ask her what I wanted to. I knew what Alice thought about everything I showed them. I also knew what Rose thought. But Esme? I wasn't sure.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" I blurted out. She looked at me, shocked, before her expression softened into a small smile. Gently, she smoothed out my hair like any mother would her child's in comfort.

"No," she stated clearly but softly. I was about to ask her why not, given that I thought I was crazy half the time. I was just getting use to the idea that this was real, that I wasn't going back, and that I had a fiancé. Some small part of me still wanted to think this was all nothing more than a dream. A ridiculously awesome dream that I never wanted to wake up from but a dream nonetheless. Tomorrow, I'd wake up in my tiny townhome, clothing strewn across the floor, and Ginsie at my feet looking at me like I should have gotten up hours earlier to let her out and feed her. I'd go back to my little cubicle, grumble about work, and read over threats all day to see which door the agents should go aknockin' today. My life would be positively boring and mundane and I wouldn't have anyone but me and Miss Ginsie around. Sure, my parents weren't far but I stopped feeling like I was a part of a family a long time ago. I had just lived there because I had nowhere else to go.

"To make up a movie, books, and the umbrella with the meadow on it would cost too much and be far too hard to keep as a secret. With the actors, someone would have mentioned something, leaked something," Esme explained. "And then there are certain things you do, tics, that I doubt you realize you even have," she continued. I sat up straight to look at her curiously. Esme smiled warmly back. "It would be far too hard for someone to fake the way you stretch, my dear," she teased lightly. Stretch? I thought about how I cracked my back, a lot, and would pull my arms back…oh. My arms. I didn't have ligaments in my arms either from birth or from that horrible riptide I was caught in when I was seven or eight. Because I was so young, I learned to move without them. I didn't need physical therapy, I just moved differently…which included popping my arms out of their sockets every so often. I could move my arms, hands clasped, over my head and down my back without a single thought. I probably had accidentally shown that my arms weren't, well, normal, on more than one occasion. Really? That was in the books?

"That's in the books?" I asked. I didn't remember reading about it but I had been skipping huge chunks because it was too hard to read about high school again. I was starting to put faces back with some names I had forgotten like Andrea and how her and Gizelle fought one day, but over all, it was just too much pain to remember. I didn't want to remember.

Esme nodded and kissed me on the forehead before getting up. "Would you like some hot tea, sweetheart?" she asked. I nodded and stood to go upstairs with her. Automatically, I stretched and blushed when I realized what I was doing. Esme just laughed at me before ushering me up the stairs. It was in the kitchen that we waited for our men to arrive.

Approximately a half hour before the boys came home, Alice came running down the stairs with her arms filled with wedding magazines. I didn't even bother asking her when she got them and just gazed over them without saying much; flipping through the pages. The more I looked through the magazines, the more I realized I truly wanted a December wedding, but that just wouldn't be possible so I pushed the thought from my mind. No matter how pretty an ice blue velvet medieval dress lined in white rabbit fur would be.

"Why do I keep seeing you change your mind on the wedding day?" Alice asked. I looked at her, startled, as I was looking over centerpieces. Did I even need those? Of the people that might come to the wedding, two of us ate. Assuming Charlie would let Bella come… Heck, assuming that Bella would want to come after tomorrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Change my mind about what on the wedding day?

"You keep having a winter wedding and then change back to a summer wedding," Alice stated disgruntledly. I offered a small smile in apology.

"It's because I always really wanted a Christmas wedding, with the snow and the smell of Christmas trees," I said, trying not to give over to my ideas. I had always thought that starting a new life with my husband would be a beautiful way to start the new year. And the decorations for a December wedding would be super simple –big red bows everywhere.

Both Esme and Alice looked at me. "So why not have it then?" Alice asked, concerned. I flipped another page, seeing some pretty floral arrangements.

"Because I can't," I muttered.

"Why not, dear?" Esme asked, concerned. I looked back up and smiled weakly at the vampire that was like an older sister to me. I thumbed toward the basement.

"It's in the books," I started to explain. "Bella and Edward will get married in July. I mean, I guess, Gabriel and I could move out until I end up a half crazed newborn too," I muttered. I got a resounding No at that from both women. I looked up at each of them, curious.

"Edward will purpose to Bella soon?" Esme asked, joy all over her face. I nodded. It was funny how she couldn't contain her motherly joy. Alice was squealing at the top of her lungs beside me which made me cover my ears.

"I knew he'd ask soon but I didn't know when," Alice stated, bouncing in place. "But that still doesn't explain why you can't have a December wedding," she continued. I sighed.

"And do what while Bella's a newborn, Alice? I have to be changed in a year too, ya know. It's not like the Volturi are exactly happy about me being alive, let alone, being human," I muttered grumpily. I felt Esme move to embrace my shoulders.

"Yes, a year. December is in that year, Elizabeth," Alice told me.

"Alice, it doesn't make sense to wait until December. It's going to be easier on everyone if Bella and I are changed around the same time and I know Bella won't budge on the whole 'over 19' issue," I stated before flipping back through the pages of the magazine. "So, having a ridiculously easy date to remember is just as much fun."

Esme squeezed my shoulders before returning to her spot on the other side of the counter when she saw Alice back off. "Fine," Alice stated. "But you will get a December wedding eventually," she continued. I half smiled, half rolled my eyes at that. One wedding was enough for me but I suppose a December wedding, maybe a few decades down the road, wouldn't be a bad thing either.

About ten minutes after that, the boys –minus Edward who had already gone over to Bella's- came home. Once in the basement, I hugged Gabriel fiercely, not even realizing how badly the entire "the girls know" plus the slight wedding date argument had affected me. "Elizabetta?" he whispered, holding me in his arms as I tucked my head beneath his chin. "Che cos'è, amore?" he asked me. I hadn't even realized I had tears in my eyes until I tried to look up at him.

"Can I tell you tomorrow? After we are on the road?" I asked, praying he wouldn't press.

Gently, he wiped away my tears with his thumb, pulling my left hand up with his other hand to kiss the top of. "Claro, cucciola mia," he said softly. That was the first night he stayed with me and held me while I slept.

The morning came with Esme making me breakfast. We had all agreed to keep everything quiet until I came back on Sunday from Portland for Edward's benefit. I knew if we worded it like that, Rosalie would stay quiet. Despite it all, she loved her brother dearly and just wanted her family to be happy.

I chowed down on the eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns while Gabriel stayed at my side. He was eyeing everyone suspiciously despite my telling him it wasn't any of their faults. Still, he kept muttering about the "Bianca" and would squeeze my hand a little too hard anytime Rosalie came within ten feet of me. Esme he was okay with after about five minutes since I'd smile around her, and Alice…well, when she got home, he'd still stay close but he'd mumble about "fastidiosi fatas" to which Alice would stick out her tongue. It was really quite amusing.

The day went by quickly but I noticed Edward could tell us girls were hiding something. I wasn't sure what the others were thinking about but I tried to keep my mind on plans for this weekend with Gabriel, like going to Astoria. I wonder if there really was some old cave system buried beneath the summer restaurant that would lead to a big old 17th c tall ship. I serious doubt it but it would be fun to explore. Kissing in the wishing well like that would be awfully romantic…

"Do you mind?" Edward muttered under his breath to me as he went to give his mother a hug before heading over to Bella's. Was it that late already? I know Gabriel had loaded up everything in the car earlier. Emmett had agreed –almost begged really- to watch Miss Ginsie while we went to Portland. I made sure Carlisle was aware that Ginsie had seizures. He may not be a vet, but the procedure for anyone with seizures –human or animal- was the same. He'd have a better clue of what to do and whether to take my pup to Port Angeles or not than anyone else in the house. Carlisle, amused by me and by Emmett, agreed to help if anything happened.

"Sorry," I muttered and kept my mind on Miss Ginsie instead. She was a fairly safe subject.

"Now, be nice to Charlie, Edward. He's only doing what he thinks is right," Esme warned her son.

"Yes, mother," Edward stated with a hint of a smile. I slid off the barstool where I had been snacking on chocolate chip peanut butter cookies and went to go find my fiancé. We'd have to leave soon.

Gabriel had been reading the newspaper in the dining room when I came in. He immediately stood up, the newspaper nicely folded on the table in a blink of an eye. "We should head out," I stated.

"If you so wish, cara mia," Gabriel said, kissing my hand, before heading to the basement to get the last of our bags. I went to get the one with the books, trying to keep my mind on pirate ships while descending the staircase. It was about ten minutes later that we got out of the house and headed down the road.

"We need to stop by Bella's," I whispered, looking out the passenger side window.

"For what reason?" Gabriel asked, curious.

"I need to give something to her and Edward. I promise I'll explain when I get back in the truck," I said, picking up the black and silver Cullen Crest bag that contained all the books and the movie. I figured that would help to solidify what I would say later. I wrote a short note to each of them, explaining that I wanted them to read these; that they were from my time and where I was from. I also warned Edward that the girls knew already. I just prayed no fights would break out and that Edward wouldn't kill me for this.

Gabriel pulled up in front of the two bedroom home next to the woods. Carefully, I stepped out of the truck, clutching the bag, and just praying that everything would go well. Deep in the pit of my stomach, I doubted it would. Edward would be furious with me. Bella would be hurt, confused, and terrified that someone could get into her head, even if it was from another universe. And I was trying to prepare myself for it all.

Slowly, I knocked on the door and tried to look as chipper as I could. A man with curly brown hair, around his mid forties answered, still wearing his uniform. "Yes?" he asked in a gruff voice. I could only assume it was because there was a stranger on his front stoop and Edward in the kitchen with Bella.

"Chief Swan?" I asked, as way of confirmation that I did, in fact, get the right house, despite the shiny Volvo in the driveway.

"That's me," he stated.

"Sorry, I'm Elizabeth. Esme's sister?" I told him. His eyes light up with recognition and he opened the door for me to come in. I slid past him mumbling a thank you. "Sorry to come over like this but I wanted to say goodbye to my nephew before headin' out of town," I explained. Charlie lead me toward the kitchen where Bella was busily writing out more college applications and Edward was supervising. I managed to smile a bit at that.

"You leavin'?" Charlie asked, somewhat curious.

"Just for the weekend. But I couldn't leave without giving my nephew a hug," I teased lightly. Edward smirked but came around and hugged me, probably for show in front of Charlie. I had to stop by to make sure I handed over the books to Bella and to Edward before I left.

"Goodbye, Aunt Elizabeth," Edward said. I inwardly cringed. It should be Aunt Sissy. It's what I was called in my time.

Bella watched curiously. Bella. So that's what she really looks like. I stopped monitoring my thoughts, given that it was all going to go to hell in a breadbasket in a matter of minutes anyways. I thought on the Twilight book and how Bella described herself. Edward was right, she was beautiful. I ignored Edward's puzzled but pleased expression.

"Hello, Bella. I'm sorry we haven't gotten a chance to meet yet," I told her before pulling out the books.

"Hello," she said shyly.

"I heard you like to read," I said as I placed a couple of the books down. Twilight and New Moon, the paperbacks. Everything that has already occurred. "So I hope you don't mind that I brought these over for you," I said with a slight smile. It didn't escape my notice that Edward was eyeing the bag strangely. Of course, the fact it said Cullen on it and had what was supposed to be the family crest in the movie probably would confuse him. I could see further puzzlement on my cousin's face.

"Oh, no, thank you," she said, fingering the cover of the clearly read Twilight book. "Um, these are yours?" she asked, swinging slightly to the side of the chair and loosing her balance a bit as she did so. Bella hit her elbow on the counter and inhaled as the pain shot up her arm. Edward's lips became a thin line as he moved, at human pace, to help her off the barstool. I just tried not to laugh, remembering a time when I was that bad. Edward shot a look at me at that.

_I was terrible at Ballet. My teacher said I looked like a perfect Degas…and then I moved._ I explained, remembering bits and pieces of falling down, why I was scared of stairs, and how I use to have bruises all over me until I was about 22. After that, I stopped growing and figured out how to balance.

"Yes, but you can keep them for as long as you like. There are a couple more of the series in the bag here," I told her, setting the bag on the counter.

"Thanks," Bella stated shyly again. I carefully took out the Midnight Sun manuscript and handed it to Edward.

"This is what we were talking about earlier," I started as, in my mind, I tried to explain to him to play along. It would make sense when he read it. At least to a degree. "That paper you wanted to read more on?" I continued. I flitted through images of Edward and the rest of the kids at the school cafeteria. Edward looking angry. The meadow. Edward's eyes went wide for a second but he managed to re-compose himself for Charlie's sake.

"Thank you," he said quietly, questions swimming in his eyes.

_It's partly in a note. Don't bug Alice about it until after you and Bella have read it all. You might want to sneak her out of her room tonight to watch the movie in the basement at our house. _Assuming it will still be my house when I get back. I just prayed Gabriel wouldn't leave me over all of this. He wouldn't think I was crazy too, right?

I turned to Chief Swan and extended my hand. "Sorry to just drop in like this and run, Chief, but I think my fiancé might get a bit impatient at waitin'," I told him. Charlie smiled a bit.

"Nice to meet you, Elizabeth," he told me. Something in his tone made me think that Edward had spoken at least a bit about me around here before.

"You too, Chief," I said as he lead me to the door. My stomach was turning into knots although I tried to hide it. Bella and Edward had the right to know. They needed to know. Maybe we could figure out something to stop the Volturi before it escalated like that in the books. Although with Jane and Alec out of the picture, who knows how it would turn out now. I had changed things and I needed to make it right. To make it right, everyone involved had to be on the same page.

"Call me Charlie," he said as he opened the door to let me back out of the house.

"Thank you, Charlie," I said before leaving. I made it two steps before I heard Edward's voice again.

"Aunt Sissy?" he called. I turned, my heart turning to pure mush at that name. Sissy was my nickname my brother's gave me growing up because Lee couldn't say sister.

"Yeah, hon?" I asked. _Please, forgive me for all of this, Edward. I'm so sorry. I'll try to explain when I get back, I promise. Forgive me._

Edward hugged me again, which surprised me. "I'm not sure what is happening," he whispered. "But I would like it if you came home tomorrow night so we can all talk, cousin," he continued softly. I looked at him and nodded, my face betraying my emotions for a second before I walked back to the truck.

When I climbed in and shut the door, I didn't even look at my fiancé. "Drive," I whispered painfully. I was desperately trying to hold back the tears, keep my face at least content, until we were out of sight. Edward, Charlie, and even Bella, watched as Gabriel drove away. It was no more than a block away that I broke down. I had done it. I had handed over the books. Now, it was all out of my hands and up to God and fate as to what would happen next. I just prayed that they wouldn't hate me for this. At least Alice, Esme, and even Rose, to a bit, were on my side. I prayed that this wouldn't turn into a family fight over me. I couldn't take that. I'd much rather be dead than to cause the slightest hint of trouble in the Cullen family. Much rather be dead.

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**Author's Note:** A bit shorter than normal but the next chapter looks like it might be a long one. Please, don't forget to review! I like seeing the review count go up and up. It makes me stay out of the bunker… Well that, and spiders.


	33. BII Cvi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! Sorry about the cliff hanger. This chapter won't be much better in that regard. I think it will be at least another couple of chapters until we get our favorite bronze-haired greek god of a vampire's reaction as well as his pretty little Bella's thoughts on the books. (It will all still be from Elizabeth's POV but Bella will be vocal.) So, until then, enjoy the rollercoaster ride!

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Six

Gabriel pulled over at the Olympic National Park. He took a couple of turns off before, at vampire speed, getting out and taking me into his arms. "Quello che è successo, amata mia?" he whispered as he pulled me out of the truck, walked to a fallen log in the forest there, and sat me on his lap. I wasn't sure what the Italian meant but I guessed it was the equivalent of what's wrong.

I grasped at his t-shirt, holding it in my hand, as I began to quiet down. My crying sessions never last long. I was always terrified, growing up, that Dad would find me and yell again or give me more punishments for crying too much. So I learned to control my emotions, reign them in. It was all second nature now and I stayed curled up –safe- in my fiancé's arms.

"I…I need ta get somethin' outta the truck," I whispered as I moved to uncurl myself and head the ten or so yards back to the blue truck. Just as I started to move, I felt myself back at the truck, sitting in my seat, with Gabriel right before me, gently wiping the tears from my face.

"Tell me, tesorina," he stated, pain clear in his voice. I looked down. I hated causing pain. I didn't want to cause anymore pain. All those memories of my former life slowly came to the surface. All those thoughts of suicide when I was a teenager just so I would be able to get out, all those feelings of worthlessness because I –a girl- was born first and not the boy. I remembered the yelling, and wanting so badly to runaway. But how was I supposed to leave with no money? If nothing else, in that house, I had some clothing, a place to sleep and food. I was still nothing more than the sailor that he couldn't transfer, that had the promotion he didn't think I deserved. I was born first. It wasn't until I was at graduate school it got better. It was then he realized he had a daughter…

Slowly, I looked at the small overnight bag I had packed. I gave Bella her books and Edward Midnight Sun but I kept the Director's Notebook for Twilight. It would help me to explain this all to Gabriel, I hoped. Reaching down, I opened the pink duffle bag and pulled the book out, placing it in my lap before looking up at my worried vampire. I could only pray he wouldn't leave me over this. Thinking of him leaving immediately made my stomach wretch and I almost went into a dry heave. Gabriel, alarmed, wrapped his arms back around me. "Elizabetta? What is wrong?" he asked, almost frantic now.

"Remember in Dunkirk? Ah told ya that Ah'm from 2009 but a different timeline?" I started, looking up into his now more butterscotch eyes. The human blood had left his system. He was a vegetarian now.

"Si, cara mia," Gabriel said softly. "Your clan believes this as well," he continued.

"Do you believe it?" I asked, curiously.

Gabriel was silent for a bit and I was worried he didn't. Of course, if he didn't, then he'd have to believe that his mate, his betrothed, was completely out of her mind. I looked back down at my hands, half covering the book in my lap.

"Si," he said after about a minute. I looked back up at him, trying to keep the hope that was building in me from overtaking my reason. I needed to be able to remember that this might not turn out well and go to plan b. Leave and never come back.

Reaching out, he touched my face lightly. "I believe that you are not from…here, but that matters little to me," he told me. I lowered my head but grasped his hand, needing to hold on to it. A part of me thought that if I held tight enough, he wouldn't be able to leave. He'd never be able to go. I'd still have my vampire forever.

With my other hand, I held up the book. "This is extremely popular where Ah am from," I started. Almost scared that he'd disappear in a second, I looked up, wanting to memorize his face one more time. My beautiful mahogany haired Gabriel…

"It's a movie, based on a set of novels that Ah just dropped off at Bella's," I continued. Gabriel took the book from me with his free hand, eyeing it curiously. His pale skin looked perfect to me. I memorized the shape of his jaw, his eyes, how his eyebrows cocked when he was puzzled. I didn't want to ever forget the soft waves in his shoulder length hair or the feeling of his hand holding mine. "All the books are mostly written from Bella's point of view," I said softly, looking back down.

"Bella's point of view?" he asked, curiously, thumbing through the pages. He stopped at one page but I couldn't see what it was. I only nodded in response, squeezing his hand tight, my stomach in completely knots –something I'd pay for later- as my fear of his leaving, of the Cullens saying they didn't want me anymore all came to a head.

Quiet. That's all there was for what seemed for ever as my stomach muscles clenched and forced my nausea to come back. Gabriel was still as could be, almost like the girls after the movie. However, this was different. I loved the Cullens, dearly, but Gabriel was my own. He was my destiny, as cliché as it sounded even in my head. He was what I wanted and needed so terribly. If he left me, I'd be lost and I doubt I'd ever come out of it again.

Slowly, I got the courage to look up and see what page he was on. Maybe it would give me a clue. All I could see was that it was towards the back of the book so it would have to be one of the scene directions, I think. Before I could move to really see the page though, I felt a slight squeeze of my hand. I looked down and saw, as well as felt, that Gabriel was now holding my hand as tightly as I was holding his. It gave me hope.

"This is how you knew?" he asked quietly. Something in his voice made me fearful. Looking down again, I nodded. I wanted so badly to explain but how to start?

"Do they know? Is this how you found them?" he asked, his voice rising slightly. I shrunk back against the seat and felt Gabriel's hand lessen it's hold on my own slightly. I was even more scared, for a second there, he'd let go completely. I needed him. I needed to know, physically, that he was here.

"The girls know," I whispered, fear creeping into my tone. I tried to find the courage in me, the ability to tell him the whole story. "They know who I am too," I started.

Quiet again, but only for a moment this time. I felt a cool finger beneath my chin and saw a puzzled expression on my vampire's face. "I'm fiction here just as they are fiction in my universe," I whispered. That was it. He would run. He would think I was completely off my rocker and run. I'd only want to die if that happened.

I watched as a thousand expressions passed over Gabriel's face. Some gave me hope but others wanted to make me curl up and die. I wouldn't live without him, I couldn't. Let the Volturi kill me for knowing so much. Great, I'd totally pull an Edward because of Gabriel. It must be in the genes.

"Explain," he said, his face stoic but still holding my hand. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my wits about me. That wasn't easy when you are pretty sure the love of your life might leave you because of the truth.

"Muh name is Elizabeth French," I started, looking back down. I couldn't look him in the eye like this. I couldn't see those emotions cross his face again. It hurt too much. "Ah was travelin' up to Ithaca when Ah got caught in a lightenin' storm," I continued, my accent thick on my tongue. I was too nervous to care and I started to shake, proving it. Damn.

"Ah pulled ovah 'cause Ah was getting' one of muh migraines and when Ah…" I started but stopped the second I felt Gabriel's hand leave mine. I looked up, panicked, which didn't help the shaking. I had been hyperventilating. There was too much oxygen in my system and it was interfering with my neural pathways. I knew this. I had been told this all a long ago. But that didn't change the fact that I was sitting here, my stomach muscles clenched so tight that I was in pain, while I couldn't control my own motor functions.

By the time I could think an entire sentence, Gabriel was back, wrapping a blanket around me tightly. Relief filled my system. He thought I was cold; that's why I was shaking. "Continue, cara mia," he whispered, touching the side of my face with his thumb. I calmed slightly, but not enough to stop the shaking completely.

I shook my head. "Ah'm not cold. Not that bad at least. It's just nerves," I informed him. The next thing I knew, I could feel the air on my face, and I was back in Gabriel's lap, sitting on the fallen log. Did this mean he wasn't going to leave me? Had he already decided that?

Holding me as tightly as he dared to his chest, he kissed the top of my head. "Please?" he whispered, pain hinting in his tone. I wasn't sure what he was saying please about but I figured he wanted me to continue.

"Ah pulled over 'cause of the migraine that was threatenin'," I whispered, knowing he could hear me just fine. It was such an odd thing, for people to be able to hear me. Growing up, I was always told to speak up around people because they couldn't hear me.

"Ah fell asleep. When Ah woke up, Ah saw a big ole jeep barrelin' down the highway that reminded me a lot of the jeep Emmett drove in the books I read," I stated. I clutched to Gabriel's t-shirt, praying he wouldn't leave me here. He wouldn't leave me.

"The books, ya see, are popular in my…universe, Ah guess. Just like the Destiny series is here," I told him. Slowly, I moved my head, hope starting to fill me as I felt almost nothing but safe in his arms. "Have you heard of the Destiny series?" I asked him, curious. It might help.

Gabriel offered me a weak smile and kissed my forehead. I didn't scowl this time –much. "Si, amata mia," he told me. "I have heard of it."

"The books are told mainly from Bella's point of view," I repeated. "And they tell of her learnin' about the Cullens and how she falls in love with Edward," I whispered. I moved to be as close to my vampire as I could. I closed my eyes, his scent filling my nostrils, as I prepared to continue with the story.

"So these books? You gave them to Bella just now to read for herself?" he asked. I nodded.

"Ah've been reading my own books. She needs to know. She needs to be prepared for what's going to happen," I blathered out.

"What books are your own, Elizabetta? What will happen that your clan have not prepared her for?" he asked me.

"The Destiny series. It's written mostly from my friend Estelle's point of view but I get a couple of chapters in there too," I stated, my confidence returning as I sat there in Gabriel's arms. My shaking wasn't even noticeable anymore.

Quiet again but I could feel my vampire around me. It wasn't as terrifying now. "And the preparation? For what?" he asked again.

This was the other part I was nervous over. I clutched his t-shirt more, leaning my forehead against the crook of his neck. "That vampire males can have children," I breathed.

"Vampires cannot have children, cara mia," Gabriel said, matter of factly, as he pulled at me gently to look me in the eye. "If you wish for children, then I suppose we might find a way. I would not be…against some of the modern methods," he said, very stoic but I could see the pain in his eyes. I shook my head.

"Vampire women can't but vampire males can…with human woman," I said, looking down as I blushed. Despite him being my fiancé this wasn't really a subject I wanted to talk about; partly because of all my nerves from this entire conversation and situation.

"That is…how?" Gabriel asked.

"Um, vampire females can't go through the monthly change, they are frozen. However, vampire males, like human males, don't have to change in order to produce children," I mumbled. I'm sure I was turning red, talking about this.

"There are…children like this?" Gabriel asked. "Monsters?" he said a bit louder.

"They aren't monsters, Gabriel," I told him, anger slipping into my voice. My vampire looked down at me.

"You want one of these…hybrids? But if it is half vampire…,"he started. I cut him off with a shake of my head.

"Yes, I want a child. One that is both you and me. Yes, it will hurt and yes, it may…kill me. But that is when you change me," I said. "Immediately after the birth of the child," I informed him.

"I will not do that to you! I cannot believe that you would wish for such a thing! A child! I would be like the immortal children of old," he started to rant.

"No!" I screamed, a bit loudly given the screeching of some bird as it flew from its nest. Gabriel calmed, slightly, and wrapped his arms back around me.

"The children, cara mia, they were the worst plague our kind has ever known," he began. I shook my head again.

"No, Gabriel. I know about them but a child created by vampire male, carried by a human woman…they aren't the same as the immortal children you know of," I told him. He looked down at me, curious but worried at the same time. "They have a beating heart," I stated softly. His eyes widened slightly at that. It encouraged me enough to continue.

"They grow. Faster than human children but they grow. When they look to be in their 20's, they stop changing and become immortal. But they continue to have a beating heart, can either eat food or drink blood," I told him before Gabriel interrupted.

"They still need to drink blood. When they are still as a child, the thirsty would be uncontrollable," Gabriel interjected. I shook my head again.

"No, in the books, the child Bella carries is fine around humans from very early on," I informed him.

Again, the quiet formed around us almost as if it was thick fog. I huddled in the blanket Gabriel had gotten me, staying tightly pressed against him in his arms. I hated the quiet. My ears would automatically listen for the slightest hint of sound and it only brought back bad memories of being in my room, waiting for those footsteps that would indicate my Dad was home.

Gabriel squeezed me slightly before speaking again. "This is…what you wish?" he asked sadly. I was nervous. Would he not want a child? Did he not want one? Would he leave me over this rather than the whole this-is-fiction thing?

"Yes," I breathed. I wanted a child. I wanted many children but if all I could have is one then so be it. I wanted a little girl whose hair I could play with and have faux tea parties with. One I could dress up in any pretty outfit and give her all the things that had been denied to me. Knowing me, I'd end up with a boy just because God seemed to love playing jokes like that on me. Maybe he'd let me dress him up as a knight and go see the jousting at the Renaissance Festival? That could be a lot of fun…

"Then I cannot deny you," Gabriel whispered back sadly. I turned to look up at him, both happy that he agreed and worried considering his tone. His face was stoic again but his eyes were pierced with sadness. He didn't like this idea.

"I will be alright. You'll change me after the child is born," I told him affirmatively.

"I do not even know if I have the power now to change you, cucciola mia," he whispered. "I do not know if I am that strong."

Placing a hand on the side of his face, I tried to force him to look at me. Thankfully, Gabriel complied with my unspoken request and his golden eyes found mine. "You don't need to bite me. There is another way," I explained. Of course, getting the baby out would be hard without the biting but I wasn't going to mention that yet.

"How?" Gabriel asked, surprised.

"An injection of venom, straight into the heart," I told him easily.

Looking at me, Gabriel's face again twisted into a myriad of emotions; this time, however, they weren't ones of disgust or anger, but of curiosity, puzzlement, and possibly joy. I waited while he sorted through everything he was feeling, re-grasping his hand to hold with my own as I sat in his lap.

"That…may work," Gabriel finally stated.

I nodded. "It will. But umm, the hard part is that the baby will need an emergency c-section," I told him, blushing at bit.

"The child cannot be delivered naturally?" Gabriel asked.

Shaking my head, I squeezed his hand again. "The womb becomes similar to your skin," I tried to say but found my voice growing softer. I was scared of what he would say next.

"Then it must be…bitten out," Gabriel told me. I nodded again. We were both quiet, this time, the sound of my own heart beating in my ears.

"You have told me much today, amata mia," my vampire said, breaking the silence. I didn't say anything in response. Gently, Gabriel cupped my face. "Are there any other secrets I should know of prior to our marriage?" he asked. I think my face must have betrayed me because Gabriel smirked at my reaction.

"You aren't going to run away? You aren't going to leave me?" I asked rather pathetically.

Suddenly, I was regathered into Gabriel's arms, my forehead against his throat as he held me almost too tightly to him. "No matter what you may say, I shall never leave your side. Have I not told you this already?" he asked me almost rhetorically. "Unless you wish for me to leave, I will always be your consorte."

I looked up at him, curious. "Even with all that I told you? That I'm a fictional character? That all this is fiction to me? I mean, granted, there is that whole MWI theory and the idea that, given the quantum physical applications, that every decision creates a new universal division to which we get multiple universes. Each slightly different from the next and nearly infinite. I tend to think that there are people in each universe that," I began to ramble. Gabriel placed a finger to my lips to stop me.

"It does not matter to me what you think you are or what you are. I shall love you just the same," he told me. I looked at him, shocked, before I spoke again.

"I love you too, Gabriel," I whispered. At those words, his lips fell upon mine. I could feel the smooth cool skin of his lips press and fight slightly with my own lip gloss covered ones. My arms found their way around his neck, pulling him as close as I could with my own strength. My body pressed against his, moving slightly, so I could hold him even tighter to me. Gabriel gently pulled at my bottom lip with his own, causing me to moan ever so slightly. It was about then he slowed and I began to pout.

"Do you still wish to go to Astoria, amore?" he asked, a smirk on his lips. I nodded in response.

In less than a second, I found myself back in the passenger side of the truck and Gabriel climbing into the driver's side. I glared at him for breaking off the kiss like that and then plopping me back into the truck without another word. He chuckled at me.

"We do not want to loose our hotel reservation, do we?" he teased, picking up my hand and kissing it. I sighed and looked out the window. When the heck did it get so dark? Looking at the clock on the dashboard as Gabriel pulled out, I noticed the time. 10:00 pm. Oh. I guess we were out there longer than I thought. And with that, we sped off to Astoria. Time to go play look for the pirate ship!

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**Author's Note**: So umm…only Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle are out of the loop now. Of course, that won't last for long. Time to go hide in the bunker! I have sewing supplies down there now…


	34. BII C vii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Wow, ya'll! I have over 300 reviews for this story! Not bad for something I thought would be kind of fun to play with while I was bored at work! Thanks!

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Seven

The car ride down was quiet. I stayed curled up in the passenger seat, fighting sleep, while Gabriel drove down the 101 towards Astoria. Despite the fact he said he wouldn't leave me, that we could have a child, something was worrying me in the pit of my stomach and it wasn't how Edward and Bella would react to the books. I had already decided that, no matter how they react, I'd at least have Gabriel. However, if Gabriel thought I was crazy or was planning on tricking me out of having our child….

It took me about an hour to realize that my IPod wasn't plugged in. The radio was off too and the only sound I could hear was the engine as we went along the highway. Slowly, I moved to steal a glance at my vampire. His jaw was tight and his knuckles were whiter than normal as he held the steering wheel.

"Don't break my steering wheel," I muttered for what felt like the millionth time since I first allowed him to drive my truck. Thinking back, I began to wonder about each little touch, each little word. I still had yet to look up cucciola mia on google to find out what it means. I guess I could just ask Carlisle, if he'll allow me to stay once this is all over.

Gabriel smirked slightly but loosened his grip on the steering wheel. I hugged my knees, the heels of my feet on the edge of the leather seat, and looked out the pitch black window hoping to see anything that would distract me from some of my more gruesome thoughts. What if Gabriel only thought I was his mate? What if he was planning on biting me and changing me before we could have a child? He did seem to take the whole alternate universe thing a bit too easily. It was the idea of an immortal child that freaked him out more….

"Gabriel?" I whispered softly. If he had been human, I doubt he would have heard me.

"Si, tesorina?" he answered. I moved my head to look at him. He loved me. I knew that much but would he try to protect me from myself like Edward tries with Bella? Did he think I was crazy and that's why he let the whole "I'm a fictional character" off so easily?

I bit my lip, trying to think of the right words to express everything that was inside of me. My worries, fears; fears of him, fears of us…. I didn't know how to say exactly what I wanted to say without sounding overly blunt.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" I asked him. Considering, half the time, I thought I was crazy too, I wouldn't blame him but I did know who I was. I knew where I born, all the places I lived, and had memories of things that weren't in the books; like how I wanted to have a Victorian tea party for my 13th birthday.

Gabriel looked taken back but I watched as his jaw slowly relaxed. "I think," he began, his eyes turning to mine and away from the road, "that you are different." I half sighed, half scowled at him as I turned away from his gaze and refused to let him take my hand given his non answer.

It was a couple more cycles of the wheels before he spoke again. "I thought you were mentally unstable," he whispered, his tone suggesting he was searching for the right words. I noticed he used the past tense which was the only reason I continued to listen and not yell at him. After all, who takes someone who is crazy as a mate and doesn't put them up in a medical ward? Or, at least, get them checked out…

"But it seemed such a small thing. I thought it was what allowed you to be so close to me without a hint of fear," Gabriel continued sadly. He thought _that_ was why I could be near him? My lack of fear had nothing to do with anything being mentally wrong. Instead, it had everything to do with knowledge –knowledge that, at first, the Cullens would probably rip him to shreds if he killed me. Later on, that he'd be begging them to do just that if he did hurt me.

"But that book!" he said angrily. "The boy in it, the one who plays Edward, is he not the same from the movie regarding witches and wizards we saw two weeks ago?" he continued, his voice filled with barely controlled anger. I nodded, not looking at him. I didn't want to see my steering wheel get crushed.

"Then how is it that the Volturi do not know of this? How can such books be written, such a movie be made without one of my kind discovering it? Surely if," he started, growing angrier. I interrupted him, also angry. Did he not hear a thing I said while we were in the forest?

"I told you! I'm not from this universe! That's why they don't know. This book," I said, holding up the offending object, "Is just one of the many popular ones in my universe." I slumped back into my seat, arms crossed over my chest. "Heck, I don't think you can go into a grocery store or a Walmart without seeing at least something _Twilight_ related," I muttered. "I think I got one of my Cullen crest t-shirts from there," I mumbled, more to myself.

Gabriel looked at me. I refused to look back over at him but I could feel his eyes boring into my shoulder as I sat, hutched against the passenger side window. Of course, the whole nagging, guilty feeling that was brewing in the bit of my stomach didn't help at all. Slowly, although I didn't want to –it was just to get rid of that annoying guilt trip I was giving myself-, I turned towards Gabriel. His face broke into a soft sad smile. "Cullen crest?" he asked. I sighed and nodded, turning back towards the windshield.

"Yeah, it's really popular," I informed him. We were both quiet for a moment but I felt that I had to explain further. "It was very big in the movie and now everything Twilight has it. I think they even came out with a thumb drive that had the crest on it," I told him.

Gabriel raised his eyebrow at me. I took a cursorary glance at him before looking down at my hands in my lap now. "It's like a disk for a computer but with more space," I told him.

"Ah," he answered to indicate he heard me. I listened as the rain started to hit the car. One of my favorite things about having a sunroof was watching to rain fall down. Of course, you couldn't do that while you were driving and it was terribly difficult to see in the dark so I didn't even bother to look this time.

"So this…universe that you claim to be from," he began.

I interjected, angrily. "That I _am _from."

Gabriel smirked slightly at me which caused me to scowl at him more. If looks could kill, I'd be roasting marshmallows over him right now. Slowly, he reached for my hand but I turned away from him. I was angry, hurt, and worried. Although I needed him, I knew he couldn't really go anywhere inside the truck. He'd have to pull over first.

"That you are from," he corrected. "It is written in those young girl books, the Destiny series, you said?"

I nodded, again. "How can it be if you are here and yet those books are upon every bookstore shelf?" he asked.

"How can it be," I started, using his own words against him, "that this exists but so do the Cullens?" I asked angrily.

Gabriel glanced at the book again, the one I shook, again, just now to prove my point. There wasn't a way for them both to exist; some other explanation had to be possible. Gabriel shook his head slightly as his calm, stoic exterior began to melt again. "But there must be…," he started before looking at me. "Another universe?" he asked incredulously.

I nodded once. "What other explanation is there?" I whispered back.

The next sound I heard was a long string of what I can only assume to be Italian curses followed by a loud, resounding crack. My head shot over to Gabriel who was now looking paler than usual and eyed him. The first thing I checked was the steering wheel but that looked to be okay. What did not look to be okay was the lack of a center consul between us. Looking into the back seat, I saw parts of mangled plastic –the front of which had a perfect fist sized impression in it- embedded into the leather seat.

"You…broke my truck?" I asked with barely contained anger. "You broke my truck!?!" I screeched more loudly. Gabriel better be glad I love him or else he'd be a bonfire right now.

"I shall get it fixed or I shall get you a new one, if that is your wish," Gabriel said lowly, a hint of fear in his voice.

"I tell you not to break the steering wheel how many times," I started to yell at him.

"53," Gabriel interjected. I glared at him again.

"Yet you go and break the freakin' consul!" I shouted. In a huff, I crossed my arms again and took to glaring at Gabriel's reflection in the passenger side window. "You better damn well get this fixed," I muttered. "Stultae lampia," I said under my breath, knowing he could hear me.

"It's not like you can repair the back seat either. Now I'll need to get new ones!" I continued to berate him.

"I promise you, I will get the truck fixed, amore," Gabriel said quietly, sadly.

"You better," I reiterated in a mumble. I tried to hold on to my anger, keep glaring at Gabriel for daring to harm my truck, but I found it was next to impossible. I just couldn't stay angry with him. He was a vampire; he didn't know his own strength half the time. I mean, when is the last time Gabriel actually rode in a car before meeting me? I know he had the motorcycle –which was still in Ithaca- but you can shake your fist on a motorcycle and not worry about ripping a hole in the roof.

By the time we got to the hotel, my anger had faded to a mere whisper of what it had been and my excitement over being in the same city as Goonies was filmed was growing. Well, technically, we were south of said city. However, we were a stone's throw away from the famous rocks and the summer restaurant. It would be a simple walk up the beach to go check those places out and that's what I loved about the hotel. Gabriel loved that it was at least four stars and I agreed to stay there. It was also relatively cheap, given it was the off season.

Quietly, I went to pick up my bag only to find it not thudding down on my shoulder. Instead, I found the strap being pulled backwards and turned to see Gabriel behind me with a weak smile on his face. I didn't say anything and closed the car doors before heading into the lobby with him.

The suite we got was on the second level. It had a kitchenette, a fireplace, and a nice queen sized bed. The décor reminded me of that like my parents' beach house down in North Carolina; bright white and pretty aquas with sort of a cozy country touch to it. It made me sort of homesick and that didn't help my mood any.

I was still angry at Gabriel but I was getting more depressed at myself. I sat down on the blue and white plaid sofa and hugged my knees, straining to hear the ocean just outside through the glass of the windows. My handsome mosquito –how long was it since I thought of him like that?- knelt in front of me, his hands on the tops of my knees. I instinctively glared at him. Like I said, I was still angry. Just not as angry.

"You should get some sleep, cara mia," Gabriel whispered. I could see the pain in his eyes from my glare at it cut me to the core. Despite that, all I could do is look away.

"Not tired," I muttered, lying through my teeth. I was dead tired. This day, heck this past 48 hours had taken a toll on my emotionally and that was affecting me physically. I was bone tired but I still wasn't satisfied with Gabriel's answer. I wasn't about to sleep until I was.

Sighing, Gabriel stood and went to the curved window that gave us a 180 degree view of the Pacific Ocean. Of course, all I could see was dark and more dark. He could probably see each lap of a wave for miles.

Tentatively, I looked up at him. He stood like a perfect statue, sculpted by Michelangelo himself, dressed in modern clothing like some sort of effigy, while the light from the room illuminated the side of his face. My perfect vampire's jaw was tight. I could just make out the clenched muscles in the upper part of his arm that showed off his strength. Even if he was human, he would have been strong. I tried to imagine him with a beard and was glad it no longer covered his perfect face.

"Gabriel?" I whispered. I immediately looked down when he turned to face me, too scared of any hurt I might see in his face.

"Si, amore?" he asked, walking at a human pace over to me again. He put his hands back on my knees as he knelled before me. I couldn't help but to look into his golden orbs.

"Do you still think I'm crazy?" I asked. All the anger had left me now. If he still did then there was little I could do about it. It didn't look like he was going to put me in a hospital and I doubt Esme would let him. My main concern now was him going back on his promise to try and have a child.

He was silent for a moment but I saw a smile creep upon his face. "Si," he began. I started to object but he beat me to the punch. "But so am I. So is any human that may love a vampire and any vampire that may love a human as much as I do you," he told me, gently lifting one of my hands from around my knees and kissing the top of it. He could tell by my face he was no longer in trouble. Well, he was about the car but that was fixable. If he left me, there would be nothing left to fix. I know I would die of a broken heart.

The next morning, I woke up to the sounds of my vampire on the phone. Groggily, I got up and puttered over to the sofa to listen to his whispered argument. Once he saw me, he smiled in apology, kissed my cheek, and went back to arguing with whomever it was on the phone. I just yawned and curled up with one of the navy blue throw blankets.

"And in Portland?" Gabriel asked, louder. He mumbled a few "Si"s here and there. I was desperately trying to figure out who was on the other end of the phone. "I shall return with her tomorrow, as we did originally plan," he said, almost angrily. I shook my head vehemently to which my handsome vampire looked at me curiously.

"Tonight. I promised Edward," I explained as I still was trying to wake up. Gabriel's expression changed a bit before he spoke again.

"Elizabetta agrees to come home tonight. Will all be controlled by then?" he asked. My stomach muscles automatically tightened. In my sleep induced haze, I had momentarily forgotten about all the consequences that might happen from giving Edward and Bella the books. Did Edward hate me? Did Bella? Had they told the rest of the boys yet? What had I left for Esme, Alice, and Rose to deal with in my absence? I should have stayed….

"Then we shall deal with it when we return. Until then, I will not worry her with such matters," he continued. I looked up, worried but Gabriel just smiled at me gently.

"Of course," he stated before hanging up and rushing to my side.

"What was that about?" I asked, worried, as Gabriel took my hand and kissed it.

"Nothing of consequence, amata mia," he whispered, kissing each of my fingers.

"Gabriel," I warned him before my eyes went wide. "It's not Edward, is it? He's not gonna try anything, right?" I blurted out, terrified that he might do something rash to stop what was going to happen in the books –like rip off Jacob's head.

My beloved vampire smiled at me and gently placed his hand behind my head to bring me forward before he kissed my forehead. I scowled him on principle. "No, cucciola mia," he stated softly. "The wolves have…heard of my arrival and wish to discuss the treaty with me, nothing more," he continued.

"Oh," I put ever so eloquently. There could be problems with that given the whole no biting rule. Yeah, there was a way around that and I was a very willing participant if it meant I got to be with Gabriel forever -and have the Cullens around forever to boot- but explaining that to a bunch of teenage werewolves with more balls than brains? I'm going to need my sword…

"I'm coming with you," I told him matter of factly.

"Absolutely not!" Gabriel roared. I rolled my eyes at him.

"I've killed one werewolf," I pointed out.

"That was half starved and a child of the moon. These are not the same creatures according to Carlisle," he informed me.

"So? I've also gotten two vampires," I continued.

"By surprise, amore," he countered.

"I'll bring my sword and a blow torch but I'm coming," I stated, getting up from the sofa so I could stand and look Gabriel directly in the eye, sort of. I was a good seven inches shorter than he was.

"Cara mia, it will be dangerous," he pleaded with me.

"And living in a house full of vampires isn't?" I asked with my eyebrow raised. Gabriel sighed and opened his mouth to say something more but I quickly added, "Or anything else I've done in the past month?"

"The Ghost Town wasn't dangerous," Gabriel muttered.

"Ha! And who was it that knocked out a wall while I was leaning against it?" I asked.

"It was old and rotted and I didn't let you get hurt," Gabriel pointed out. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, if he hadn't been kissing me at the time, I somehow doubt that old rotted wall would have given way quite like that. I swear there were finger marks in one of the splintered boards.

I crossed my arms and gave him my best "you know I'm right" look. "I'm going," I stated.

"Tesorina," he continued to plead.

"I know more about these wolves than you do," I pointed out. Gabriel grimaced.

"We can discuss it tomorrow. They wish to meet Monday night," he muttered before turning back to the picture window.

"Monday night?" I clarified. It might not be such a good idea if I went on Monday night. Two days before the full moon. I had been watching that day very carefully. I'd be hiding in the basement, refusing to come out for at least two days.

"Si," Gabriel more asked than stated.

"Oh, um, maybe you should go without me then," I whispered. "I thought it was tonight," I stated. Thank God Gabriel didn't press.

We spent the morning looking over Haysack rock, straight from the Goonies movie. I was highly disappointed to find out there wasn't a summer restaurant and I'm not sure if there ever was, but I found the spot where it would have been. Gabriel took pictures of me in front of both places.

Although I wanted to check out Chunk's bowling alley and the Goonies' house, the sun decided to make its appearance. We went straight to Portland around noon where the cloud cover was ever increasing and I only prayed I'd be able to find the perfect silk for my dress.

I dragged poor Gabriel from store to store. The Fabric Depot was the biggest fabric store I had ever seen –bigger than the one up in Western Maryland- but I found the silk I loved at the Mills End store. It was a perfect Robin's Egg blue until you moved the fabric ever so slightly and you could see it was shot with silver thread making it a changeable silk. It was gorgeous. It was also $100 a yard. The thread was real silver thread which increased the cost ridiculously. Considering the other fabric I liked –embroidered organza with real silver embroidery- was $150 a yard, I was getting better. I had been thinking maybe $20 a yard?

"Is this what you wish, amore?" Gabriel asked, whispering in my ear. I could only nod.

"But it's too much," I said once I realized he was walking away, with the bolt of Robin's egg blue silk.

"Nothing is too much for your wedding gown, cara mia," he smiled before placing the bolt on the counter.

"Gabriel," I sighed as the lady came over to cut the fabric.

"How much would you like?" the lady asked. I raised an eyebrow at my vampire, trying to remind him that I didn't necessarily need the best. I hated money being wasted on me when there were perfectly viable alternatives.

"The whole bolt," Gabriel stated when I didn't answer.

"Gabriel!" I yelled at him before turning to the lady who was already lifting the heavy bolt to put it in the automatic yardage counter. "Wait, please, ma'am," I told her. She threw the bolt back down on the counter with a resounding thud.

"You must tell the gentlewoman what measurement you wish or I shall simply buy the bolt, tesorina," Gabriel stated smugly. I groaned. "Oh, and the embroidered piece as well," he stated, pointing to the $150 a yard fabric. I wanted to melt into the floor and die. There was no arguing with my mosquito when it came to issues of money. I had tried. Earlier. Many times. His latest argument was that, since I was going to be his wife, what was his was mine as well. When I pointed out I wasn't his wife yet, he shrugged and told me that this was all practice. Lovely.

Caving in, I sighed and looked to the widths of each of the fabrics. I had settled on a gown style earlier today –not that it might not change again by the end of the day- but I'd get enough to be safe either way. "Six of the silk satin and four yards of the organza, please," I said, cringing. Well over a $1000 wedding dress already and we hadn't even gotten to the accessories for it. At least freshwater pearls were cheap.

"That is better, cara mia," my handsome vampire told me, squeezing my hand. I scowled at him.

With the fabric picked out and a ton of pictures, we hit the road again. I kept looking to put my arm on the center consul only to find it gone. My eyes would narrow and my anger from yesterday would return just a bit. I guessed Gabriel knew I wasn't completely angry with him this time because he would just give one of his sarcastic smiles and pretend to ignore my glares. Stupid drop dead gorgeous vampire…

By the time we hit Forks again, however, my anger faded to fear. What if Edward was upset with me? What if he wanted me to leave? What if he hated me? What if Bella did? What if Carlisle asked me to leave for the betterment of the family?

Worry plagued my every thought and I tried to prepare myself for every possible bad reaction I could think of –and there were a lot. Although I doubted, severely, that Edward would try and eat me, I did give it a passing thought. I also figured he might rip the car door off the second we got there and that would bring back a lot of bad memories from my universe that I'd much rather not think on now.

By the time Gabriel pulled into my spot in the garage, I was a mess. I was already shaking from hyperventilating, and knew I had to calm myself down; if for no other than Jasper's sake. Gabriel rushed to my door and took me into his arms, which helped a lot more than I'd ever believe, and simply held me. "I will not leave you, consorte mia," Gabriel whispered so low in my ear, I barely heard it. "No matter what happens, I shall never leave you alone."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So the big "What will Edward do?" will be the next chapter. I *think* it might be a long one but I'm not sure yet. I know all the Cullens will get in on the action. Poor Bella is still grounded until next week though but someone might be able to sneak her out. It's not like with Alice around that they won't be able to see if Charlie goes to check on her or not….


	35. BII C viii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Okay. This is it. What will Edward do? Everyone got their popcorn?

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Eight

By the time anyone came out of the house, I had calmed down on my own. Slowly, but gently, I pushed Gabriel away so I could leave the confines of the passenger seat. He asked me if I wanted to go in and I nodded without looking up. It was then that I felt even more calm, more determination overtake me and any left over anxiety I felt be lifted away. Jasper.

I knew I should be embarrassed that he felt my panic attack and also should be horrified that Edward's been able to hear everything I've been thinking since we turned off the highway, probably, but Jasper wouldn't let me feel anything other than calm and determined. As I looked up at him, I also saw Carlisle, already reaching into his bag for some sort of medication or another. I shook my head and grasped Gabriel's hand. My beloved fiancé was standing slightly to the side to let Carlisle near me.

"I'll be alright," I muttered. This whole calm and determined feeling felt so terribly wrong but I couldn't be mad about it either. I glanced at Jasper who shrugged unapologetically and kept his distance about three yards back. "It's over," I whispered, looking up at Carlisle.

"Still, I'd rather take your blood pressure, Elizabeth," Carlisle told me seriously. I shook my head again.

"It'll be low but normal. It's an excess of oxygen that interferes with the neural-pathways," I informed him. It took six or seven different doctors and a week long trip to the hospital to figure that one out. Still, it was the family doctor that realized what was wrong with me, why I looked like I had a stroke and why I couldn't stop shaking. The anxiety over being sick only made matters worse so I never got better until I was put on anti-anxiety medication. Of course, that made me sick so I learned how to cope on my own. Once I realized what to look for, I could stop it in its tracks…usually. Being somewhere calming and familiar also helped a lot.

"You've had many of these?" Carlisle asked, no longer reaching for the blood pressure cuff. I nodded again.

"Do you have any medication for them?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I made me sick," I told him, hopping out of the truck now, ready to go inside and face the music…literally. After all, Edward was the musical person in the family. "It increased my headaches," I continued. It didn't pass me by that both Carlisle and Gabriel exchanged a look. I wonder what that was all about.

"Alright then, Elizabeth. I would like to ask you more about this later, if you don't mind," Carlisle told me, closing up his old black medical bag. Maybe I could make him a new one, assuming all goes well inside. The fact he wanted to ask me more later meant that he actually expected to see me later. I hoped that was a good sign.

"Sure," I said, looking past Jasper, towards the house. The taller blonde moved slowly closer to me and smiled slightly.

"We have questions but no one is upset with you," Jasper told me softly. I shot a look at him.

"Are you sure?" I asked. He nodded once before Gabriel took my arm to lead me into the bright white mansion of a house. I should have been nervous as could be but Jasper was still keeping an eye on my emotional state. As the taller blond vampire passed by to go in the house, I put a hand on his arm to stop him. Jasper looked at me, slightly confused. "Thank you," I whispered. He smiled a bit more at that but went inside, quickly, to take his spot next to Alice on the loveseat. I guess my emotional state probably was a bit much for him since his eyes were gold and he seemed okay with me around normally.

When I got inside, I saw everyone gathered in the living room. Ginsie got up and padded her way straight to me. I knelt down, slightly, to pet the furball that I missed terribly. It turned out the hotel we had stayed at allowed pups after all. I'd remember that for next time.

Standing up, Ginsie in my arms, I took a look around the room. Esme was in the oversized chair with the one next to her empty. I guess that's where Carlisle was sitting. Rose and Emmett were on the sofa. Rose looked positively bored, for which I was glad, and Emmett looked bewildered. I noticed he had a DVD case in his hands and was flipping it back and forth. It didn't take too much to guess which DVD it was. Quickly, my eyes fell on Edward.

His eyes shot up when I thought of his name, just like I figured they would. He was standing near the TV on the other side of the loveseat.

_I'm sorry, really._

Was all I could repeat in my head. I hated this. This shouldn't be. None of this should be but yet, here we all were. Edward nodded once in my direction but his face was a grim mask. If it weren't for Jasper, I'd probably be back to shaking a bit with nerves. Instead, I remained calm and determined. I tried to hold on to that calm, make myself calm, so that I wasn't the source of pain for Jasper. I hated the idea of Jasper having _my_ panic attack.

"Take a seat," Carlisle said gently. Gabriel, kept an arm around my waist as we entered the room, and guided me so I could sit on one of the two cushioned chairs from the dining room brought out. I wondered why they weren't gathered around the table and figured Alice must have seen something bad there. The living room was a more relaxed atmosphere.

Sitting down, with Ginsie in my lap for all of two seconds before she decided the floor was far more comfortable, I glanced around the room again. Rose still looked bored. Her fingernails impressed her more than anything else at the moment. Emmett looked bewildered but gave me a smile that I tried to return. Jasper looked pained but I figured if he was trying to take in all the emotions that must be in the room, that that would explain that. Alice was…Alice. She was nearly bouncing in her seat which gave me hope. After all, Alice couldn't see anything too bad if she was that…bubbly. Esme and Carlisle were to my right, so I couldn't get a good look on them but Edward was almost directly across from me. He spoke first.

"I read your letter," he started. My letter was rather simple. All it said was that this was the unfinished book, told from his point of view upon meeting Bella. I also included my family tree –which was partially Edward's- since I had that saved to my computer. Thank God for Family tree maker. It had all the dates, places, and names going back for centuries. Unfortunately, Edward and my common branch only went back to my great-great grandparents who would be his grandparents. He nodded at that.

"Yes, I checked that too," he stated. "Which makes it a bit more strange."

Well, yes. But the theory that multiple universes could exist might explain that. If all it took was one decision to make a new universe, then there were a near infinite number of universes created every second. Timing that by millions of years, and it would be impossible to calculate all the possibilities. So if all it is is that my maternal great-grandfather never took the boat over, it might explain why I don't exist here.

"Possible," Edward said softly, thinking.

"Ugh!" Emmett grunted. "Not you two now! I thought Edward and _Alice_ were bad enough," he grumbled. I half smiled at that. Edward gave his brother his crooked grin that Bella loved. Well, the good thing was, I didn't have to guard my thoughts as much. Edward chuckled at that.

"Interesting," Carlisle murmured. All sets of eyes were on him. I felt Gabriel gently squeeze my hand to which I squeezed his back. Not only was Jasper keeping me calm, but so was having Gabriel near. My fiancé wouldn't leave me. I saw Edward twitch slightly, in pain, and I remembered New Moon. Myself thinking of the one person I loved leaving probably reminded Edward of himself leaving Bella.

"Sorry," I muttered out loud. Not only for reminding him of things he'd rather not think about but for this whole mess.

"It isn't your fault, Elizabeth," Edward stated softly. Immediately, that made me feel better. Just hearing those words was all I needed. His tone suggested that he wasn't just mentioning this small incident but that none of this was my fault. Everything else was workable as long as no one blamed me for all of this.

Some of the vampires watched us, others kept their eyes on Carlisle. Carlisle just smiled warmly to both myself and Edward. "Edward, you said that the books show it might be possible to forge a new alliance with the wolves?" he asked.

"Yes, at least some of the wolves may be amiable to a new agreement," Edward stated with a simple nod of the head. I narrowed my eyes in curiosity. So Bella had let him read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn?

"Yes," he told me simply while looking straight at me. Oh. Huh. So then he knew about Reneesme, Victoria, the Volturpi…er…Volturi. Edward chuckled a bit at my slip up. Vol meant a winged thing while turpi, in Latin meant evil or malignant. I thought it worked. It also meant he got to read all my notes I added to the inside of Eclipse…explaining to Bella why Jacob is an idiot and not to be trusted.

"Is there any one of them that we should discuss it with directly?" Carlisle asked both of us.

"Sam," I stated easily. He wasn't always the brightest but he'd be easier to deal with then Jacob right now.

"Jacob," Edward said at the same time as I said "Sam". We looked at each other, confused.

"Perhaps," Edward told me. "But Jacob is the true Alpha of the pack," he continued.

"Yes, but what are you going to do? Tell Jacob he can break away any time he likes? That won't be helpful when going after Victoria," I pointed out.

"They can still work together. They seemed to do fine during the confrontation with the Volturi," Edward stated. I heard a couple of gasps in the room, but ignored them for the most part. Apparently, he forgot to mention that part.

"So did you," he muttered. I heard Gabriel say something too low for me to hear. I shot him a look before anyone else could. Picking up my fiancé's hand again, I squeezed it slightly to let him know I was okay.

"There was no actually fighting then and no one knows what they'll do now with Jane and Alec gone," I pointed out. I felt a slight bit ashamed that it was my fault that they were gone. Not that they were exactly good vampires, but more because we'll never know exactly what will happen now; if they will even come here.

"We can prevent the entire confrontation from ever taking place," Edward informed me, as well as everyone else. "We simply need to inform the Denali sisters of everything that has transpired and will transpire," Edward told me. Gabriel stiffened slightly and I squeezed his hand again. I'd protect him from big bad Irina. I'm sure I still have enough fuel left in fire cutter.

Edward rolled his eyes but was smiling.

_So this means you've agreed to have Reneesme with Bella?_

I had to ask. Edward looked down at my thought. Jasper chuckled a bit. I only asked because it would be nice for whatever little one I have to have someone around the same growth rate to play with. Edward's eyes shot up at mine with that thought. I shrugged.

"What on earth are you thinking about, Elizabeth? He's being worse than you are!" Jasper teased. I looked back at Edward.

_Have you told them?_

I asked quickly in my mind. Edward shook his head once so I just smiled and shrugged at Jasper. "Just reminding him of some more detailed points of the books. That's all," I said innocently enough.

"Are they that _bad_?" Emmett grinned. I shook my head, pretty much lying if you consider the whole black lingerie scene, which was now highly disturbing in my mind given that Edward was my cousin and he looked somewhat like my baby brother. Not something I'd like to read about again, anymore, thank you. Edward smirked at that. Emmett only sat back down, disgruntled over the whole exchange.

"So, like, all of this is in the books but the movie was different than what really happened," Emmett started. "Right? Because the house was all wrong and ," he continued. Rose looked at him with a sigh.

"Since when are movies _ever_ accurate, Emmett?" she asked, miffed. I had to bite my lip a bit for that one, to keep from laughing.

"Oh, right," Emmett stated, scratching his head as he thought. "So is everything in your books right?" he asked. I looked down, holding Gabriel's hand as tightly as I could. I nodded in response.

"So there is an Estelle and Gizelle and all of them?" he continued. I heard someone hiss but couldn't tell by the time I looked up.

"It's alright, dear. We already explained as best we could to the boys," Esme told me gently, giving me one of her motherly smiles. I turned back to Emmett, determined to explain my side. It was only fair.

"From what I've been able to read, yes. It's all true," I told the assembled group.

"What do you mean 'able to read'?" Rose asked, forcing malice in her tone. Even I can tell it was half hearted.

"It's not exactly easy for me to read and remember all of that, Rose. There's still a lot in there I'd much rather never think about again," I muttered. I didn't want to remember how it felt when Sophia called me up to tell me her latest boyfriend almost raped her. Or how she thought it was her fault and she wanted to drop the charges. Or how Estelle wanted to claim sexual abuse when there wasn't any. Or the fight Estelle got into with my father. I didn't want to remember any of it.

When I looked up again, Jasper's eyes were concerned. I felt him start to play with my emotions again but I shook my head. I didn't want my emotional state to be anything other than it was. As long as no one was telling me to go away and never come back, I'd be fine.

"No one would ever do that, Elizabeth," Edward said emphatically. I offered him a weak smile. I'd had people tell me to leave too many times before because of small things, ridiculous things. I stopped myself. I didn't want to think about that and particularly not now.

"Why would the wolves confront the Volturi?" Carlisle asked, bring us back to our discussion. Edward and I looked at each other. Did he want to tell them the truth, right now, or just the whole Aro-is-a-collector part? One wouldn't go over too well right now and the other wouldn't go over too well in the future. Maybe just take everyone aside rather than right here? Right now?

Alice started to make faces at us as she rubbed her temples, looking into the future. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she had a huge smile on her face. "Really? But why can't I see if…" she started before another vision took her. Edward smirked. "Oh," Alice said before knitting her eyebrows together. "I suppose it's worth the headache's I'm going to get," she continued before squealing like a high pitched set of bells. "Oh! We've got to go shopping! Rose, Esme! You'll love that!" Alice said as she began to make plans. I opened my mouth to stop her but Alice already began to rattle off a list. "We should get blue too because you don't know what you'll have, Elizabeth," she stated. I looked down, embarrassed. Apparently, Edward did too.

I felt Gabriel squeeze my hand again, reassuring me. It didn't little to dispel my embarrassment, however. "Blue?" Esme asked, curious.

"What do you mean what Elizabeth will have, Alice?" Rose asked her sister.

"Both Bella and Elizabeth will give birth to hybrids," Alice said simply, cheerfully. It was then the chaos of voices started. One over the other, some low to the point it was nothing more than a buzzing noise and others were shouting.

"It's not possible!" Rose shouted. I tentatively looked up during the maelstrom of words to see who was shouting at whom. Edward was the only other person in the room staying quiet and he was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"How? I mean, I know _how_ but what's a hybrid? You mean like half vampire half human?" Emmett asked curiously.

"Yes, or so I have been told," Gabriel stated. That shut everyone up. And all eyes turned to myself and my fiancé, which made me more uncomfortable.

"Explain, if you would," Carlisle asked, his curiosity over taking him. I wanted to explain but I could feel the embarrassment slowly creeping up again. I was how old and this embarrassed me? Maybe it was just because it was _me_ and not some general pregnancy we were discussing. Slowly, I felt my embarrassment slip away altogether. I'd really have to thank Jasper later.

"The body needs to change, adapt, for a growing baby. A human can do that," I told Carlisle, avoiding Rose's gaze. I didn't want to see the sadness I was pretty sure would be in her eyes. I'd have to talk to her later. Maybe Bella would help?

"Hmm, but genetically," Carlisle mused.

"There are already four such children known in the Amazon," Edward quickly interjected.

"Four? Are they like the immortal children? " Carlisle asked both of us. I shook my head.

"No," Edward and I answered at the same time. "They grow and seem to have a control over their thirst from a very early age," he continued.

"Elizabetta mentioned they have a heartbeat and may eat either human food or blood," Gabriel interjected, smiling gently ad me. I squeezed his hand again in response.

"A true hybrid," Carlisle mused as he sat back in his chair, thinking. Esme's eyes were overfilled with joy. She'd get to be a grandmother…and an aunt, I suppose. It's everything she ever wanted. Of course, it's also exactly what Rose wanted too. I took a cursory glance over at Rosalie to see Emmett hugging her shoulders while Rose looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. Yes, I'd have to talk to her later.

"If they are not like the immortal children of old, why do the Volturi come here?" Jasper asked. Again, back on topic. I shot a glance at Edward. I could take this one, if he wanted. He shook his head.

"It was something I saw in Aro's head, only briefly, while we were in Volterra," he began. All eyes were locked on him. "Aro has become a collector of sorts. He never wanted anything more than he wants to add Alice to the guard," he said, nearly repeating the words from the book. Jasper stood up, angrily at that. Not angry at any of us, of course.

"That won't happen," Jasper stated defiantly.

"Of course not," Alice said with a sigh, trying to pull her husband back down next to her.

"But he wouldn't just come and try to take Alice," Carlisle stated.

"Irina is supposed to see one of the hybrids and mistake the child for an immortal one, from a distance," I explained. There were a couple of nervous murmurs but I didn't catch them.

"It will give the Volturi the perfect excuse. If we created an immortal child, than the entire coven would have to be destroyed," Edward informed everyone. "In the book, Eleazar mentions a pattern he saw develop over his years in the Guard, one in which all the ancients would attend to see the destruction of this coven or clan. Aro would always find one vampire whose thoughts, he would say, were particularly repentant. He'd offer the vampire a seat within the Guard and, of course, it was taken gladly. The vampire always had some sort of _gift_ that Aro had been coveting for a while before."

The room was silent. Only myself and Miss Ginsie were breathing. Ginsie, noticing the uneasy calm, began to growl lightly at everyone. I gently bent down and petted her pretty white head to calm her.

"So," Rose said, a trace of sadness still in her voice, "we fight them."

I shook my head, sitting back up. Edward looked over to his sister. "No, we talk to our cousins in Denali and then Irina won't go to the Volturi," he explained easily.

"We should also think on another plan," Carlisle said calmly. "If you are correct, Edward, then a confrontation may be unavoidable," he stated, clearly thinking. Edward quirked an eyebrow at his father. "These hybrids, there are four of them in the Amazon? Do you know their names?"

I nodded as did Edward. "Nahuel is the name of the boy. The three girls are mentioned in passing only," Edward stated.

"He has an aunt. Hoo-E-len I think is how you pronounce it," I tried to say. Edward smirked and muttered a 'close enough' followed by "Aunt Sissy". I fought back the urge to roll my eyes at him while Emmett chuckled. I know Latin and some ancient Greek. Everything that is not derived from an Indo-European root is something I can't pronounce. "She's a full vampire," I continued and looked to Alice. Would having a name even help her to look? She could see Huilen even if she couldn't see Nahuel.

"Interesting. Then perhaps we may look for him and have him speak to the Volturi and we will speak to Irina," Carlisle said. "Until then, we should all think of any way that will peacefully allow us to speak to the Volturi and avoid and conflicts," he stated with a hint of finality. I watched as everyone started to get up and mull around. Emmett turned on the TV but Rose got up to leave the room.

"Hey, babe?" he called out, confused. I stood up and kissed Gabriel on the cheek. I'd talk to Rosalie right now. I'm not sure if it would be easier or harder for her to hear me speak, rather than Edward, about having a child but I knew I wanted to talk to her.

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Gabriel. And now that I knew I wasn't being kicked out, facing anything else seemed easy. I wanted to speak with Edward but I think he'd be okay until I spoke to Rosalie first. So, with that, I made my way up the stairs and to Rosalie and Emmett's room.

* * *

**Author's Note:** A few hours later than I wanted but Edward was being stubborn! He wouldn't tell me what he wanted to do so I made Jasper make him more…agreeable and that seems to have worked. I hope. Like it? Hate it? Please tell me before I make it down to the bunker. I have silk down there now! Oh…silk…drool.


	36. BII C ix

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm slowly coming to the realization that this will be a long story. Slowly. I want to get to a couple scenes but I can't until the family drama is cleared up and that means everyone talking to everyone else and with Alice bouncing around and making her shopping list…ugh. Just ugh. Silly vampires and sabbatianoi. This is a long chapter, everyone.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Nine

As I crept up the stairs, I thought about what I was doing. Rosalie didn't like me but she didn't like anyone. I was human and that was a problem. The fact that I was a human and knew right off the bat that they were all vampires was a bigger problem. Her self loathing was what she took out on everyone else around her. Her vanity she showed with egotistical pride. She never quite grasped that it was her vanity that was part of her downfall.

And now, I, the human, get to have the chance to have the one thing she always wanted but can never have; a child with the man I love. In the books, she didn't hate Bella for it since it was the same choice she'd make but would she be jealous of me –of either of us- now? Rose's jealousy knew no bounds.

I understood the animosity that existed between Rose, Bella, and Edward. It was actually rather simple. Rosalie had always been told she was the most beautiful, most perfect human ever. She was a queen and she held on to her beauty crown with all her might. So to be treated that garbage, like common trash, to be beaten, raped, and left for dead in a gutter was a very hard, very fast tumble down from her pillar. She must have felt ugly, diseased, and confused by the whole thing. And then to hear Edward sneer at her name while she is lying on the table going through Hell? It only confirmed that something was wrong with her in her mind. For someone to not praise her, to not treat her like a princess, so soon after being so horribly shattered only furthered to crack her very soul.

I got Edward's point of view as well. For someone as vain as Rosalie to join the coven… She had nothing in her head but thoughts of herself. She never seemed to care for others and stopped at every reflection to admire her own beauty. She was a narcissistic spoiled little girl who didn't even realize the pain of others around her during the time of the Great Depression. Her ego, her lack of any ability to even consider anyone other than herself would be horrifying to anyone. True beauty was on the inside and all Rosalie was –at least that the time- was a shallow dumb blond. And Edward, if you are listening in on this internal monologue, I will so burn a pinkie off of you if you ever breathe a word of the dumb blond thing to anyone.

But, of course, Rosalie wasn't just a "dumb blond". Okay, so the whole shallow narcissistic brat thing still holds true but she did and does have hopes, dreams; some of which were completely shattered along with her soul in that gutter that night. She wanted a husband –which she got in Emmett- and a child –which she could never have. Yet I could. And I would, hopefully. But the whole thing, the unchanging versus me, who could change, would once again bring up those feelings of inadequacy in Rosalie. It might make her appear even more vain, promenading her beauty like a she was a model or a prized horse, because it was all she had that she truly cared about that she would see I didn't have –or at least enough beauty to even begin to measure up to her. Although, I thought I totally had the better hair.

I made my way up to Rosalie's room and saw the door was cracked open. I saw little point in trying to be silent –in trying not to disturb her- since she'd either be able to smell me or hear me a mile away. It's not like I was ever exactly quiet.

"Rose?" I asked as I knocked lightly at the door. I didn't hear an answer so I peaked in to see her, hands clasped on her lap, looking down. The very picture of sadness in all it's beauty, of course. She just needed a black dress on to make the picture complete. Maybe an above the knee black jumper with organza sleeves in black? Ugh, I've got to get fabric off my brain. Focus. Babies.

The idea of being a Mom always appealed to me. I wanted children. If I could only have one that was of my own blood –so to speak- so be it. I'd take that one child easily.

It wasn't that I had glorified ideas of motherhood or anything. I knew it was tiring. I was the oldest of four children. My youngest brother and I were ten and a half years apart. I helped to change his diapers, give him bottles, take care of him when he was sick and throwing up everywhere. I'd wake up to my brothers' screaming in the middle of the night because they were hungry or wet. Sometimes my parents were too tired to get up and I had to take care of the baby. Not fun when you are only eleven.

So I knew. But then again vampire hybrids would be different. Being a vampire would be different. I'd have no need of sleep so being to tired to get up and help the kid would never be an issue. Given the vampire part of their physiology, diapers weren't an issue, I don't think. I don't remember THAT in Breaking Dawn. Bottles of blood would work for food and that was easy enough to fix. Butcher's sell pigs blood by the pint for Black pudding. Also, given the vampire half, the child would never get sick which would be a blessing. I don't think there was a year from the time I was born until I was twenty four that I was admitted to the hospital. Even if anything did happen, we had Uncle Carlisle around. Hmm. Hybrid babies would be way easier.

Slowly, I walked towards her, waiting for any indication she'd want me to go away. She sat there in stony silence, the perfect picture, never wavering of giving any indication that I should continue my trek towards her or leave quickly. She was a perfect statue and nothing else. "Rose?" I whispered to her quietly, reaching my hand out to touch her cold, sweater covered, shoulder.

She moved her shoulder just slightly, to nudge my hand away before turning back into the perfect statue. I gave a weak half smile; I knew that method. I had perfected the whole look grumpy and gently push people away despite that you don't really want to by the time I was twelve. She just wanted to show that she was sad, or so I hoped. "Mind if I sit down?" I asked, waiting for some sort of response. I didn't get one after five seconds so I sat down on the edge of the bed, about a foot and a half away from Rosalie.

I knew what she must be feeling. To see someone else get something that you've wanted for so long, that you've begged for, pleaded for, found anyway possible to get, only to have it gifted over to someone else who didn't want it nearly as much as you; it was beyond disappointment. It created self doubt. What did you do that was so wrong that everyone around you gets precisely what you've wished for and yet your wish is still denied you? Were you truly that black, that dark and evil on the inside, that God or whomever else saw you as completely undeserving? It took me forever to realize that it wasn't that God saw you as less deserving, but that you were given trials to show how strong you really were. Rather than take what you wanted from the person that got it, you are given the chance to share in that person's joy. Knowing that never helped, much.

I wasn't sure how to start. Sorry, Rose, but I'm having a baby with my soon to be vampire husband? I know you can't but hey, you can help shop? That didn't seem to be too terribly tactful or even really sound like what I wanted to say to her. There wasn't any words to start off that would make this right, words never made anything right, only actions did. Sighing, I turned to her, one leg tucked up under the other as I sat on the side of the bed. Slowly, I reached a hand out and placed it under Rosalie's chin to see if she'd let me turn her head towards me. I smiled a bit when she did.

Her perfect golden orbs were undeniably sad. If she was human, she would be crying. Of course, if she was human, she'd have no reason to cry. Emmett could stay a vampire and yet they could have a child. All would be well in the world of Rosalie. But the one fact, that simple bit of venom that made her different from me for now, made all the difference in the world. She couldn't have children of her very own and I could. At least one.

"Want to talk?" I asked, figuring letting her start the conversation would be the best way to go about this. If I started it, it might make her more upset. I didn't need angry Rosalie right now.

She pulled her head out of my hand and I let my hand drop as I waited for her to say something. She looked down at her hands again but it was clearly she was trying to form words. Maybe all she could still think of was that curly haired kid of her best friend all those years ago when she thought of children. She was too young when she was changed and hadn't been around young children for long enough to know all the problems associated with parenthood as well.

"Do you plan on staying human?" she asked quietly. That was a tricky question because I couldn't. Even if the birth of the child wasn't as complicated as it was then the Volturi would be out here soon enough for my neck. Either way, I was going to be a vampire or dead. I much preferred the former to the latter.

"The birth of the child will be…traumatic," I started to explain. Rose started to give me one of her looks, one of those ice glares that seemed to scare everyone but me and her vampire parents. "So no," I said softly.

"Traumatic how?" Rose asked, her curiosity peeked despite trying to sound cold.

"The child is half vampire. It will take a toll on the human mother's body," I started to explain. "The womb becomes more like your skin while the child grows. Once the child is ready to be born," I started to explain. The only way I could think of to explain was that once seen in Aliens. "You've seen the alien movies? Ya know with Sigourney Weaver?" I asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Rosalie asked me, frustrated.

"When the alien pops out of the guy's stomach? It's sort of like that," I explained. Rose just looked at me for long minute. I looked down, feeling self conscious. "There will be precautions, of course," I muttered.

"Carlisle practically has a hospital in his study that wouldn't be hard to reconfigure. I'm sure that with everyone's medical knowledge and the information in the books that you and Edward both seem to know, it won't be nearly that bad," Rosalie stated. I noticed she said Edward's name with a slight hint of a sneer but I still had to smile. She'd go along with it. Even though she hadn't said as much in words, she'd go along with it.

"I'm hoping so. Bella will probably need a lot of help, Rosalie. Assuming Edward will still let her go through with it," I told her.

"Of course he will! He can't deny her a chance at motherhood. I won't let him. If he dares to even think that he shouldn't go through with this because it's too _dangerous _I'll tear him apart myself," Rosalie stated with a huff while crossing her arms. I had to smile. This was the Rose I knew, not that sad looking girl. "And what do you mean Bella will need help? What about you?" she asked, eyeing me.

I shrugged. "It'll be too dangerous for one of us to be newborn and the other stay human," I stated simply.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed further. "What do you mean newborn?" she asked.

I sighed and hugged both of my knees, sitting on her bed. "No one has survived giving birth to a hybrid. The human body just can't take that kind of trauma. So, you have to sorta do emergency vampirism right then and there the second after the baby is born," I explained. I looked back right at her. "And it's not like any two pregnancies are the same. I'd like to time it close together but we'll both be at least a few days off," I said, starting to blush. That wasn't something I'd like to think much on. I mean, myself getting pregnant, no problem! But Bella and Edward, not so much. It's too bad the books ruined that for me. I knew the dates already, assuming they were sticking to those.

"That is nothing to blush over. Having a baby is perfectly normal," Rosalie said in a huff. She calmed down quickly and her voice was soft again. "Would you go to Denali? I'm sure they wouldn't mind you being up there," she stated. I raised an eyebrow at her and she smirked in response.

"I guess it would be better if Edward and Bella went," Rose told me thoughtful. I shook my head.

"I know what to do. Edward and Bella both need their family, all their family around," I told her.

"But that still leaves you," Rosalie said. "I suppose we could keep you or Bella locked up for the first few days until you are both turned. It would be hard but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible."

I just looked at her. "And what, Rosalie? Not breathe for the first few days of our new life? I know enough to know a newborn isn't something to be trifled with," I told her.

Rosalie glared at me and I rolled my eyes are her. Granted, if Bella got changed first, then locking one of us up would be possible. I just wasn't sure if I would have that kind of control. Maybe if we got an air sealed door for the basement and I just stayed down there until Bella had her little girl. I guess that might work.

"Well neither one of you should be without family around. Really! Just you and Gabriel? What does he know about babies anyway?" Rosalie told me. I smiled slightly but ignored to slight jest.

"I guess," I started, getting Rosalie to turn an eye toward me. "We can order air seal doors for the basement?" I asked. Rosalie smiled at me.

"Now, you are thinking!" she said. For almost an hour, Rosalie and I sat there, thinking up everything from sealing of the basement to blood storage in the basement to making up the baby's room. I wanted the theme to be just colorful. I desperately wanted one of those circular baby cribs I had seen when shopping for my best friend Kit's baby. Complete with white flowing canopy curtains. I wanted the room to have a classic feel and not look overly modern. I only hoped that Gabriel would agree although I couldn't see my handsome vampire picking out something like Curious George or Winnie the Pooh for a baby room theme.

After discussing themes and the basement with Rose, I went downstairs to search out Edward. I wanted to talk to him, make sure everything was alright and try and hammer out a way to at least make things peaceful. I didn't want him to hate me because of the books; because I knew. Based on his behavior earlier, I doubted that he hated me, really, but then again I also doubted that I was the only one in the room with whom Jasper was trying to keep calm. Calm and collected –that's never been me-, I've always been a wreck on the inside.

Coming down the stairs, I saw Alice's smiling face. I couldn't help but smile back to the five feet if you gel her hair girl. "He's at the piano," Alice told me. I nodded once, I could already hear the soft sounds of music floating up. The piano stayed near the back of the house and you had to crank you neck around the fireplace/TV wall to see it from the staircase.

"Thanks, Alice," I said softly as I walked by her towards the piano. I could see Gabriel, my beloved fiancé, discussing something with Carlisle near the dining room but I didn't pay much attention. Instead, I listened as Edward began to play a tune I hadn't heard before. I always loved listening to classical music when I was small. I would think every piece was part of a ballet and imagine the dancers acting out a scene. I didn't want to interrupt him but I also wanted to talk to him. Maybe later.

"No, now is fine," Edward told me, not turning around, as his fingers continue to flit over the ivory keys. I remembered the lovely old piano I had growing up that I used to play on. I cried for hours when my parents sold it without tell me. They claimed that, since I didn't practice, that there was no use for it. Between school, homework, crew, and Girl Scouts, I had always been too tired to practice.

"Girl Scouts?" Edward said with a smirk, turning his head slightly. I grimaced. Girl Scouts had been a less than pleasant experience for me. I begged and pleaded to leave it but my parents constantly made me go to the meetings until I was out of High School. Too many of the other girls were just…freaky. Tree hugging in your underwear in the middle of the night at camp wasn't my idea of fun. At all. Edward stopped playing then and turned around on the piano bench to look at me, eyebrow raised.

"You asked. I can't help what I remember of it," I told him easily. There were good times too, like when Abigail and I met and recited the entire three movies of Star Wars because we were bored. Very bored…and probably suffering from lack of sleep.

"All three? There are six now," he teased.

"Do those even count?" I pointed out. The costuming was good but the directing and script were abysmal.

Quickly, I switched my thoughts. Did he want to go outside and talk or go downstairs or upstairs? Talking in the living room didn't even offer the semblance of privacy.

Edward nodded and got up. He started to lead me outside when Gabriel said something too low for me to hear. I shot a look at him. I was going outside with my cousin. Edward went into the mostly harmless category.

"Mostly harmless?" he asked, amused. Yeap, Douglas Adams. Earth: Mostly harmless. Great five book trilogy if you ask me. Putting "42" down on a philosophy test honestly helped me pass in college. Edward smirked again before leading me outside. Gabriel looked like he was about to follow until I waved him off. I'd be fine, I think.

We went down towards the river and Edward climbed up on to one of the rocks in a flash. I glared at him. It's not like I could climb that fast. I remembered climbing Big Rock at my house in Connecticut that was at the bottom of the hill when I was only 12 or 13. They tried to blast the thing away but that didn't work and the Navy just decided to leave it. They could build houses elsewhere. So, the rock became sort of a base of operation for the neighborhood kids. It had a tiny ledge that you could just climb up on to get the top. I remember spending hours up there or out in the woods. I hated living in Connecticut but I loved playing in the outdoors.

I started to pull myself up when I felt a cool arm on mine and was suddenly up at the top of the rock Edward had climbed on to. I looked at my cousin. "Thanks," I stated before grimacing and sitting down. It was still so odd to think that this was all real and not fictional…and that Edward Cullen was, in fact, my cousin. Just odd.

"No worse, I'm sure, than Elizabeth French being my cousin," he teased, sitting down beside me. I smirked slightly.

"Did you get to read my series?" I asked, curious. Not that it was really that interesting unless you were into High School drama and the idea that fighting against your destiny only makes you insane or worse. It was totally a physiological book series with no clear resolution in sight for any of them other than their constant hope that life might get better. The characters –my friends from High School- were fools.

"No, and do you really think so?" Edward asked curiously.

"Why not?" I answered. I wanted to know why he hadn't read it, given that it was clear I had read his and Bella's books a few times over, before I answered.

"I believe it to be rude," Edward said with a small smile. I rolled my eyes. Turn about is fair and all that. I could care less if anyone in the family read them.

"Maybe I should borrow them from Rosalie," Edward smirked. They're boring. Edward raised an eyebrow and I sighed. Okay, so maybe reading about four different girls going from hopes and dreams that get shattered every three seconds to still hoping and dreaming that maybe not all is lost isn't that boring but it gives a bad precedent. Hoping and praying for things to happen never made anything happen until you've exhausted every other possibility.

"Yes, and I'm told that's what your series is about; gaining independence despite the tribulations," Edward told me. I shrugged. To me, it was boring. Well, except the comments I made to Maya. I had forgotten a lot of those. I remembered that I teased her endlessly because she really was a total airhead. So much so that when she told her boyfriend what I said to her one morning, he congratulated me on making him laugh rather than yell at me like she wanted. She had not been pleased.

Slowly, I started to think about the Twilight series. I had a very different perspective on it now that I was here in it. The giddy fangirl side of me was still well, giddy, but there was also a side that felt horrible for reading someone else's personal thoughts.

"Neither of us blame you for that, Elizabeth," Edward stated. Really? Bella wasn't upset?

"Not at you, no," Edward told me. Oh. I looked down. She was upset but not at me. She was probably upset with the entire situation and I felt horrible because I was the one responsible for telling them about it or at least handing over the books.

Edward smirked at me. "Don't worry, no one kills the messenger anymore," he teased. I managed a small smile at that. Still, I kept the books hidden until Friday.

"Yes, I was curious about that. Why drop off the books and run? But I believe I may have gotten the answer, at least in part, from when you came home," he began. I looked at the bronze hair boy curiously. What reason did he give to my actions?

Edward gave me one of his crooked smiles. "You truly believed that we would disown you for something as simple as a book?" he asked me incredulously.

I looked down. I was still human. I wasn't really part of the family, at least not in that sense. Yes, Edward, you are my cousin but I'm just…me. Finding a reason to get rid of me is all anyone has ever done. Why would you all be any different?

Edward's face turned severe, it was almost scary but not quite. "You are wrong, Elizabeth," he told me firmly but softly. "Esme has been telling all the ladies at her garden club how happy she is to have her _sister_ back home with her," he continued.

"Saying and doing are two different things, Edward," I muttered, hugging my knees.

Raising an eyebrow at me, Edward started again. "Has anyone –other than possibly Rosalie- given you an indication that you are not apart of this family?" he asked me seriously. I shrugged. I wasn't a mind reader like him. I had been around too many people that would pretend to take me in, let me talk to their friends and family only to later shun me or tell me how horrible I was and how they didn't want to be around me anymore. I almost never saw it coming and the few times I did, I had wanted to work on the friendship but that was never possible unless both parties agreed.

"We all love you, Elizabeth," Edward said quietly. "Nothing can ever change that no matter what you do," he told me. I wanted to badly to believe that but how could I? I had been in this universe for what? Two months now? It seemed…wrong to get everything I always wanted in two months. To get a family that loved me, a sister who would bake with me and go places with me, nieces and nephews, a brother who was also the only doctor I would ever really trust, and to get a fiancé? I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"The other shoe is that we are all vampires," Edward said lightly. I rolled my eyes.

"Good thing I'm a sabbatianoi then," I muttered back.

"Very much so," Edward smirked. I was still worried though. I had this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was still wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it, just a feeling. Was there something Edward wasn't telling me? He wasn't upset that I handed over the books but what about that I read them?

He sighed. "I was, at first, I will admit," he informed me. I listened, hugging my knees. I could picture Edward, in Charlie's kitchen right after I left, reading over the first few words on the Midnight Sun book I had handed him and his eyes going wide. I bet it would take everything to not just run –vampire speed- after the truck right in front of Charlie. Edward looked at me quizzingly.

"What?" I asked. It wasn't like I was thinking anything bad, right?

"It's simply that, that is almost exactly what occurred," Edward said with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity tainting his tone. I shrugged. I just had a good imagination, that was all. That, and I knew my vampires well. I had to smile after thinking that knowing Edward would smirk at me. He did, right one cue which caused a roll of the eyes.

"So you were saying you were mad at me?" I tried to get him back on track, a bit of sadness coloring my tone.

"Yes," he started, looking out over the river. It was pretty in the backyard even if it was only maybe 55 out at the most. I'd look like some china doll by the time we got back in; red cheeks and a pale face. "I suppose I should have brought out a blanket for you," he murmured. I rolled my eyes. Back to the subject, please?

"But I realized, who were you? You had given me the family tree which I compared to the one I have in my room and noticed it matched in names and dates. It would be too difficult for a human to make something that complex up without doing a great deal of research –far more than a couple of months- and I knew you hadn't gotten into my room," he said. I had, just not his room here. His room in Ithaca was dreary.

"So says the goth girl," he teased. I shook my head. I was hardly a girl and I wasn't that bad about the goth thing. I just wore lots of black and reds. Sometimes pinks.

"And yet, you want to have your _wedding_ on June 6th, why?" he pointed out. Because it's funny. Because no one can ever forget that for a wedding date; not that any of the guest would exactly forget anyways. Back on subject. Stop trying to distract me.

"Yes, Aunt Sissy," he teased. I rolled my eyes again but could tell he was about to get back on the subject. I wanted to know what happened after I left.

"Realizing what the books you had given Bella most likely were, I asked her to go outside to the backyard with me, out of ear shot but not out of eyesight of Charlie," he continued. I could imagine, Charlie sitting on the couch, watching the game, while Bella and Edward head out back to study the books. He nodded at me.

"I asked her to read the first few pages of her book. When she did, she didn't understand how this could be anymore than I could. I flipped through my own manuscript, which I noticed was incomplete, and searched through the bag for any other indication of what you may have been up too. I wanted to know that you didn't simply have my ability, somehow magnified as a human, and thought it would be a good jest to write everything you could hear down. I realized how impossible it might be given that you had not met Bella until Friday and had only spoken with me upon the phone until a week ago, but still, I needed some sort of proof that this was not an elaborate joke," he told me. I knew that feeling all too well. I had it from the second I got here until I managed to put two and two together. After that, I just figured I was crazy. Now, I just think there are multiple universes and I slipped into one physically rather than just mentally as Stephenie Meyers or Megan Rodgers must have done.

"A probable theory given what we know now," Edward agreed. He looked back towards the river, thinking. "When I found the DVD in that little black bag –exactly how much merchandise do you have?- I realized that your note was correct. You couldn't have made this up," he told me. I did have a lot of the merchandise but that was because I was into heraldic crests. Combining the medieval with my favorite book series? I had to get as much as I could.

"Obsessive," Edward teased.

"Hey, I can say with all truthfulness that you are my favorite cousin. So what if I'm a little obsessed with the books and everything history?" I half mumbled, half stated. Granted, Edward was my only cousin –by blood- that I knew of that was still around. I hadn't even bothered with my Dad's side of the family. I'm not sure what I would find there. Edward smirked but went back to his story.

"I told Bella I would bring her to our house that night once Charlie was in bed. She didn't like the idea of disobeying her father like that but reading the first chapter of Twilight made her curious enough to know that watching the movie might be necessary," he told me. His face scrunched up a bit before looking back at me.

"I'll buy you a new fainting couch. Esme was not too pleased about that," he said with a hint of remorse and shame. The fainting couch? I liked that olive velvet monstrosity. It clashed with the walls so much it went from being down right ugly to almost being pretty in an artistic way. I guess if it's trashed, Bella and I can burn it and have s'mores…

Edward chuckled at that one. "You really destroyed the fainting couch because of the movie?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I have a temper sometimes," he said unabashedly. I thought of when he said that in Twilight, Port Angeles, and when he destroyed the TV at the end of New Moon.

"Tell me about it," I muttered. I could feel his golden eyes on me again and I looked over at my cousin. He was cute but he really did look like Nickie. The hair color was exactly the same as well as the face shape. Nickie was a lot taller than me too. Of course, he learned quickly that that didn't mean I wasn't stronger.

"How did you know about the Television?" Edward asked. "That was not in the book."

"Oh, um, the outtakes and extras and all that stuff on Stephenie Meyer's website," I told him. She had all sorts of things from the chapter from Rosalie's point of view from the extra money Edward sent Bella during New Moon. Edward flinched.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Quite alright," he said softly back. We both sat there for a few more minutes. I thought on all the things I'd miss, like Nickie, but also started to realize how glad I was to be here. Maybe I should go ask Carlisle if he has any of his justacorps anymore…

Chuckling, Edward offered me a hand to help me up. "I don't think he does but I believe he has a waistcoat or two from that era," he told me. My eyes got wide with excitement.

"Really?" I asked. A real early 18th century waistcoat? I wonder if Carlisle would let me study it. Even if it wasn't the pretty embroidered type, I could still learn about seem construction and stitching techniques. Laughing, Edward lead me back to the house.

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**Author's Note:** Yea! All is right in the world of Cullen…for now. Because I'm evil. And I want to have some fun. With the wolves. Jacob fans? You'll want to brain Elizabeth. Just a warning.


	37. BII C x

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Hi Everyone! Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and alerts. I really enjoy every one of them. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter Ten

Almost the second I stepped back into the house, I found myself in Gabriel's arms again. I found out that Gabriel and Carlisle had been discussing something about me. I wasn't sure what exactly but I wasn't too pre-occupied with it. Carlisle wanted me to come over to the hospital on Wednesday to take some blood samples and run routine tests. Fun. But he did need the DNA so I wasn't really going to argue about it.

By the time Edward and I had gotten back to the house, it was already getting dark. The rest of the Saturday was spent sitting around and watching movies. I personally love the Italian Job and found it even more fun watching it with the vampires. They were discussing how the weight of the gold bars would make it impossible for the Mini Coopers to navigate like that through any sewer system.

Sunday morning I found myself sprawled across the bed and slowly waking up. I practically had to force my eyes open even though I couldn't sleep a second longer. I could feel the soft white fur of Miss Ginsie, lying right next to my shoulder now which meant it must be late. Ginsie liked to scoot up, starting from my feet to my head, before finally nudging me awake when she wanted to get up and play. Combining the fact it was late –if Miss Ginsie was an indication- and the fact my body was starting to hurt from trying to go back to sleep when I really didn't need it, I pulled myself up. I was about to stumble out of bed when I felt a familiar cool hand grab my arm.

"Perhaps you should sleep a bit more, tesorina," Gabriel's operatic like voice whispered softly into my ear. I shook my head and yawned as I stood up. Ginsie hopped off the bed and probably went running to go find Emmett or Jasper.

"Nuh, need ta get up," I mumbled. I could feel Gabriel supporting me by the elbow like I was a little kid and I glared at him the second my eyes were fully open. He offered a small smile but kissed my forehead before letting me go. I scowled and headed over to my closet. I needed to get dressed for church. According to the alarm clock, it was already 8:20 and mass started at 9.

Gabriel stood there, watching me as I tried to decide what to wear. I knew I must look a wreck this morning –puffy eyes and probably blochy skin- if the way I felt was any indication, so I started to feel self conscious. I didn't want my future husband to see me like this; especially since this was very temporary. Not only would I look okay in another few minutes –waking up helped a lot- but I wouldn't have that problem when I became like him. I half turned my back to him, so all he could see was my messy braid and not my face.

"Um, Gabriel? I promise I'll be ready in a few minutes. You don't have to stand there," I mumbled, my voice still clouded with sleep. Rather than hear him leave, I heard the familiar sound of him moving at vampire and felt two arms encircle me from behind and his lips upon my neck. I immediately relaxed into his embrace despite all the self-consciousness I was feeling.

"Gabriel? What's wrong?" I asked him. He normally didn't even see me until I stepped out of the bedroom. By that point, I was brushed, washed, and dressed. Right now, I was still waking up and wearing PJ's. I wasn't even close to looking anything reasonably nice.

"Nothing, amore. Why?" he asked in-between kisses along my neck and jaw. I placed my hands over his and gently tried to pull them apart so I could look at him. He wouldn't let me and I sighed.

"Normally, you don't see me until I come out of the bedroom," I whispered. It was hard to talk with him acting like this. "And well, right now…I'm probably ugly as can be," I continued. He stopped his kisses then and I was worried that my smell was too much for him all the sudden. I felt his hands loosen from around me but, just as quickly, I felt him turn me around to face him. I looked at him confused.

"You are never anything other than beautiful to me," Gabriel stated emphatically, his voice dripping with sincerity but I knew I wasn't exactly beautiful right now. I sighed and shook my head, looking down.

"Gabriel, you don't have to lie like that. It's okay. I know I'm not _beautiful_ right now. If you let me get dressed and wash up, I'll pass for decent in a few minutes," I told him with a half smile as I looked up. His face was grim and I wondered if there was something else going on. Maybe he was worried about the meeting with the wolves tomorrow or something like that.

Slowly, he raised his hand to cup the side of my face and run his thumb across my cheekbone. All I could do is stand there blindly, looking straight into his butterscotch eyes. "You are always beautiful," Gabriel stated softly but firmly. All I could do is offer a half smile, I didn't feel like arguing anymore.

He let me get dressed and washed up. With some eye drops, lip gloss, and teeth brushed, I looked a lot better; at least in my opinion. I pulled my hair back into a simple bun with a couple of hairsticks, and then went out to the living room where Gabriel gathered me in his arms again.

"Where are you going, cucciola mia?" he asked, amused by my haste. It was 8:45 now and it would take at least ten minutes to get to the church across from the Hospital. Thankfully, Carlisle knew exactly where the local Catholic Church was since he passed it every day on his way to work. He gave me directions rather than trying to search for it on the web. I can't wait until Google Earth becomes mainstream…again. Mapquest just doesn't cut it.

"Church. I'm going to be late," I said, trying to move around him before stopping and looking back. "You want to come?" I asked, figuring he'd rather stay here and bond with the boys or something like that. He looked nervous, as he always did when the subject of churches came up, but didn't say no.

"If you would have me come…?" he began.

I sighed and started to walk up the rest of the stairs. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, Gabriel. I'm use to going alone," I told him. I made it to the top of the stairs when I felt a breeze and the door opened automatically. Rather than seeing just my beloved handsome mosquito –as he was being right now- holding the door open for me, I also saw a familiar crop of black spiky hair.

"Alice, I'm late. I need to get to church. I'll play or shop or whatever later, okay?" I asked impatiently.

Alice cocked her head to the side, a finger on her chin in thought. "Oh shopping would be fun but I want to go with you right now!" she stated. I stopped and looked at the tiny pixie with an eyebrow raised. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down. "That is, if you want me," she said with such undeniably cute sadness that my heart wretched at the scene.

"If you want to come, you are welcome to but all it is is a bunch of reading, speaking, and singing," I told her, wondering why the heck she wanted to come to church. Alice's face lit up and she began to bounce in place on her toes before hugging me.

"Can we all come?" Alice asked with delight. I raised an eyebrow. Okay, so what was going to happen at church, normal Sunday Mass, that has got her so worked up.

"Sure…," I said with a shrug before heading towards the door. When I found out all actually meant _all_ I was beyond curious and looked directly at Alice. She just smiled without saying anything.

"Alice had a vision," Jasper began.

"Yeah, got that part," I stated without taking my eyes off of the giggling pixie.

"She told us that if we wished to hear you sing, that we should come to church today with you," Edward said off-handedly with a slight chuckle to his voice. I shot him a surprised look before glaring at Alice who was completely unaffected by my look.

"Come on, Elizabeth! It will be fun!" She said, taking my hand and leading me out to the cars. Oh great, Catholic Mass with a bunch of mostly protestant vampires. Fun isn't quite the word I'd use.

"Perhaps sacrilegious?" Edward offered, teasingly. Gabriel even came…and Esme, and even Carlisle. I looked at the family patriarch with a questioning look.

"Alice," Carlisle said as way of explanation. I couldn't help but give into my evil side just a bit.

"Really, Carlisle. Going to a Papist ceremony? What would your father say?" I teased before getting into the passenger side of the truck. I heard Gabriel laughing as he got in to drive. Carlisle looked a bit shocked by my response but didn't have time to form one of his own before we drove off. Alice and Jasper ended up in my truck. Rose and Emmett took his Jeep with Edward, while Esme and Carlisle took the Mercedes. It looked like a freakin' procession going to the church.

Of course, like I should have known would happen, I did start to sing during mass. I normally tried to keep my voice down but I simply _knew_ I had a far better voice than the lady next to me. I'm all for "making a joyful noise onto the Lord" and all that but when you sound like you are murdering Donald Duck, could you at least keep your voice down?

Edward let out a chuckle. I shot him a look and then started to sing louder, which only made the lady next to me sound like she had gone from strangling Donald Duck to trying to drown him. This continued until the song ended and I looked over at the lady in question, who was a pew in front of us. She seemed blissfully unaware of her lack of any singing ability whatsoever.

During the homily, like usual, I began to think on how the interpretation was wrong. Edward started smirking at me and Emmett kept looking between the two of us, curious what the joke was. "It's nothing Emmett. The priest just has it wrong. I guess he didn't read it in the original Greek or the Vulgate," I whispered.

"You've read Greek? Why?" Emmett asked, curious.

"I got extremely bored in college," I answered teasingly. It wasn't too far off the mark. Really, I had to take it for my degree but I found the ancient Greek terribly interesting.

"And Greek helped?" he asked slightly to loudly. Esme, ever the mother, looked at us misbehaving children. Carlisle looked like he was torn between joining the conversation and admonishing us for speaking during services. We were all the way in the back, it's not like any one would hear us. Still, Rose elbowed her husband which sent about half of us into giggles…and made Esme give us another look.

By the time mass was over, we were all rather giggly. It didn't help that Gabriel was encouraging me to try and over sing the lady in front of us. Not that I wasn't doing that on my own but he really didn't help. And then every time the lady hit a very high, very off key note, all the vampires would cringe. Even Carlisle who was supposed to be all compassionate and understanding. Emmett started to whisper, asking why he couldn't just ask her to stop. Wasn't it ruder for her to deafen everyone around her with her singing then it was for him to ask her to shut up? He got another look from Esme and an elbow from Rose for that.

"You should join the choir," Rose told me once mass was over. I looked up at her questioningly. "You sounded…pretty, for a human, I mean," she continued. I laughed lightly at her and smiled.

"Thanks, Rosalie," I stated before hopping down the stairs. It wasn't like I could join. I'd be married –and changed- before the Fall. A bloody thirsty newborn on the church choir wasn't exactly something that would go well together. That, and I'd probably start demanding better translations of the Latin with some the songs.

"You sounded perfect, amore," Gabriel said, wrapping his arm around my waist as he lead me towards the truck. Edward smirked and I shot him a glance.

"Did you have to translate every song you saw in Latin and in Spanish from the song book?" he teased. I grimaced. My Spanish use to be perfect, fluent even, when I got out of High School. I use to go to Sophia's house and play translator with all her family from Guatemala and all the neighbors her parents would have over. I got really good at it but then Sophia changed and…well, it was a long time ago.

"They had some of the songs translated wrong. I can't help it if I want to correct them," I answered truthfully.

"Spanish, Greek, and Latin?" Carlisle asked before getting into his car. I grimaced again.

"Latin, yes but I don't remember much of the Greek anymore and I can only remember the Spanish if I'm around it for a couple of days," I told him. I really couldn't remember more than a phrase here or there of the Greek. When I first got out of college, I would have the Greek running through my head as the reader read the Gospel. I wish I could still do that.

"What other languages have you taken?" Carlisle asked, curious. I shrugged.

"Just French, really," I told him. Maya had tried to teach me Japanese and I also picked up a few Irish phrases but that was it…I think. Oh, I was starting to understand Gabriel's muttering enough to know when to hit him and when to glare at him but that was just because of the Romance language connection.

"Hmm," Carlisle mused before getting into his car. I hopped into the truck and we headed home.

Carlisle and Gabriel both questioned me more on the language stuff when we got home. I didn't understand why it was so fascinating. Yes, I've taken a lot of languages but I've also traveled a lot. They wanted to know why I took the languages I did and I explained it was simply because it helped to understand the older texts and read the inscriptions when I was doing archeology. Eventually, Esme kidnapped me from them and made me lunch. Potato salad. Yum.

"What have you planned to do today?" Esme asked me as I took another bite of the salad.

I shrugged. Gabriel came in right then and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Hiking," he stated. I looked up at him. Hiking didn't sound too bad and I would love to get to see this place more.

"Would you like to go shopping with me tomorrow then, Elizabeth?" Esme asked, complete with dimples. I nodded and slid of my chair, full. I realized at church that I had all the dates wrong in my head. I guess I was thinking maybe 2009? Who knows. But today was the 7th. The full moon would be the 12th. Two days before that, I'd want to hide away from the vampires and not come out until the full moon. The problem living in a house full of vampires was being a human female that wasn't menopausal or pre-putrescent! Sigh.

"Sure, Esme. What for?" I asked. It didn't really matter. I'd be just as happy going to the grocery store with my big sister as I would going to the stores in Port Angeles. It didn't matter much to me.

"Groceries but I also wanted to go to Port Angeles to pick up a few things if you don't mind?" she asked.

"Of course not. What time did you want to leave?" I wanted to know so we could further hash out our plans. Once 9 am was decided, Gabriel lead me away by the waist and held out my pink leather coat.

"That's for below freezing temperatures, Gabriel," I said, eyeing my trench coat. That wasn't practical for hiking. "I'll just grab a sweatshirt from downstairs and wear my scarf," I told him, heading towards our little basement apartment.

"Wait here, tesorina," he said. I didn't even have a chance to really wait when I felt my purple fairy sweat shirt in my hands and my pink strawberry scarf being placed loosely around my neck. I sighed and put the sweatshirt on before following Gabriel outside.

It was overcast, of course, and wet but it was fun to go tromping around these alien woods. I've been through the woods up and down the East Coast and the Gulf. I remembered going to British Columbia when I was maybe four to go camping but I didn't remember the woods looking so odd, so off. The bark of the tress was completely different from anything I had ever known and the amount of green was disconcerting.

Once we got out of my visual range of the house, Gabriel gently took my hand. "Would you allow me to take you somewhere I found the other day?" he asked. I scrunched my eyebrows together, trying to figure out what he was planning, but nodded in response. The next thing I knew, I was on his back and he was racing far into the woods. I just held my eyes shut, not wanting to get any of the mist that was around in my eyes.

When we stopped, I quickly backed away from him and crossed my arms. Gabriel looked at me, confused. "Warning, Gabriel. You need to give me warning before you do something like that," I told him. I wasn't terribly disoriented, just upset he didn't even ask to pick me up and run. Really! Silly sparklepires just carrying around their favorite humans like we were china dolls to play with!

"Oh, my apologies, cucciola mia," he said before smiling and kissing the top of my hand. I sighed and began to look around. The place was completely foreign but beautiful. Unlike the Spanish Moss I was use to in the Carolinas or in Mississippi, the moss here looked like fur growing on the trees. It was odd to see against the reddish brown trunks of the trees. We had stopped at a small creek that curved it's way through the forest and had a tiny waterfall cascading over some moss covered stones. The area was stunning.

"I should have brought my camera," I told him as I walked closer to the waterfall. The moss on the ground was a bit slippery but I learned to walk on the Virginia mud back home while carrying a screen and a shovel for archeology digs. It didn't take long for me to remember how to walk on this type of ground.

"I'll remind you next time," Gabriel whispered as he watched me looking at everything. The trees were ridiculously tall and some of the trunks looked huge. I wasn't sure what kind was what but I knew at least one had to be a redwood. Given the hair like moss and the totally alien world I was in –and the fact I had a mythological creature right next to me- I half expected an Ent to start talking or come walking up to us!

"Do you like it?" Gabriel whispered, pulling me to him. I smiled at him, the mist slowly turning to a very light rain and hitting my face.

"It's perfect. Thank you," I replied, reaching up to kiss him. It was just a small kiss, just long enough to let him know I loved him and that this was beautiful by my estimation. He held me to his chest for a long minute after that.

"There is a lake as well. Would you wish to see it?" he asked, excitement coloring his voice. Despite being well over 500 years old –physically 35 years old-, he sounded almost like a little kid wanting to show off their latest discovery. I smiled against his dark gray shirt.

"Sure," I told him. Gabriel spun me around easily and reached to pull me to his back again before he suddenly stopped and looked at me with curious eyes.

"Do you mind if I carry you there? It will take less time," he stated. I rolled my eyes and let him pick me up again. This felt so odd but there really wasn't much of any other way to travel. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his neck because of the rain. I'd keep my eyes open next time if there isn't any water falling from the sky. Like that will happen. In Forks.

We stopped a few yards from the edge of the lake. I could just see it maybe 25 yards away. Slowly, I made my way from Gabriel. The colors and the reflection of it somehow reminded me of that scene in the Princess Bride when Wesley and Buttercup make it out of the Fire Swamp. Well, at least my "Wesley" didn't have to save me from sudden popping noises, ROUSs or sandpits!

"Wow," I breathed before turning around and smiling at my Gabriel. "I should do a photo shoot here of my gowns!" I told him happily. This place would be perfect for it. The best part would be that no one had seen my work before and it would all be perfectly new. I'd have to start up a new blog.

Gabriel laughed at me but wrapped his arms around my waist. "They will be the loveliest portraits if you pose in them," he said lightly before starting to kiss me. I felt my hands wrap their way around his neck. My right hand moved through his hair to cradle the back of his head and pull him closer to me. With only the slightest bit too much force, Gabriel pushed me up against one of the trees, his lips locked on mine. It knocked the air out of me a bit but I held him to me when he tired to pull away. Gabriel easily complied to my silent request.

So, I didn't understand, a split second later, when he jumped around and had his back to me, still pushing me against the tree. It was another second before I realized he was growling. "Gabriel?" I whispered, wondering what was wrong. Did the Guard come back?

I saw my answer before I even finished saying my fiancé's name. There, in front of him, were three wolves. I easily recognized each. The black one, who looked like he was ready to snap at my vampire, walked up to him slowly; Sam. To one side was Quil, based on his chocolate brown fur, and the other was a russet colored wolf that I almost immediately wanted to hit with a crowbar; Jacob. I had issues with the way Jacob treated Bella in the books. Granted he hadn't done anything _yet_ but I wanted to give him a very big lecture on "No means no" and regarding sexual assault given he forced himself on Bella when she broke her hand. Yeah, crowbar.

Before I could interject into the vampire/werewolf standoff, I felt a pair of eyes almost behind me. I looked to see a very worried, rather confused sandy colored wolf; Seth. I tried to pull away from being behind my vampire but Gabriel placed his hand on my side to prevent me from leaving. I sighed.

"Gabriel, if you don't let me go, Sam, Jacob, and Quil there will probably have a conniption fit," I told him. That stopped the growling from the werewolves at least. Good, confusion was a good thing here. "And poor Seth isn't quite sure what to do, I don't think," I said, gesturing to the wolf nearly behind us and the tree. Gabriel spun his head to take a very quick look and growled in the direction of Seth. I glared at the back of my vampire's shoulder.

"Don't you growl at Seth. He's probably under orders of that lughead," I told him, point towards Sam. Sam tilted his head and looked at me quizzingly. Even if he couldn't speak, I knew what all of them were thinking.

Slowly, Gabriel released his hold on me and let me at least stand next to him. Just like on the beach –man, that felt so long ago even though it had only been a few weeks- my beloved vampire placed his arm around my shoulders in such a way that he could easily spin me right back behind him again if it came to a fight. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything with me that would be a very useful weapon against mythological creatures. I need to start carrying a lighter and a can of spray paint with me wherever I go. Maybe a sword too.

Jacob and Quil were still growling but I could see Seth out of the corner of my eye. He had trotted over closer to see what was going on. Sam just looked perplexed. I glared at the assembled wolves before us. "You will back off NOW, Sam. Got that?" I told him. Sam, shook his head and gestured, while growling, at my vampire. I think I shocked them all when I growled right back. Gabriel gently squeezed my shoulder.

"You get over your stupid idiotic testerone filled prejudices right now, you jackass," I began to spit every word at him. I heard my vampire stop growling and hold me closer.

"It is not good to anger a werewolf, amore," he whispered. I shot a look at Gabriel and watched the smile fade from his face completely.

"I don't care. I've killed one," I said defensively. That shut the werewolves up again.

"Si, amore. But that was not like these. They are not half starved creatures of the moon," he said carefully, his eyes never leaving the wolves in front of us. Seth was sitting down now, finding this an interesting conversation, apparently.

"No, these are bunch of idiotic teenage mutants," I spat in their direction. I knew what Sam wanted to do. He wanted, along with Quil and Jacob, to tear my fiancé to shreds and burn the pieces. I was not about to let that happen.

I turned towards the wolves again. Both Quil and Jacob were looking for Sam for direction. My eyes narrowed and I took a step forward much to Gabriel's chagrin. My vampire began his low growl again in warning. "Ya listen here, Sam Uley," I began, shaking my finger at him. "Ya have NO right to come bargin' in here like this. Ah don't care if ya aren't too keen on being a werewolf. Blame your genetics, not any member of my _family_, you stupid overgrown throw rug!" I yelled at him. Jacob let out a wolfy laugh to which my glare immediately turned to him.

"Don't ya even start, Jacob Black. Ya are lucky Ah don't have a crowbar with muh or else Ah'd knock your block off right now. Ya need to be taught some manners, boy," I said angrily. I thought on the letter he was about to write Bella in response to her own and on the forced kiss that causes Bella to break her hand. I wanted to kill him.

"If ya even _think_ of trying to divide Bella's attentions or think it's somehow appropriate to _show_ her how much you think you love her in that small minded brain that ya clearly never use, Ah will rip your head from your shoulders muhself. Is that clear?" I asked him sounding strangely calm but firm. Jacob gulped and looked at Sam. Sam looked from Jacob to me and then to Gabriel, who had stopped growling again and was probably trying not to laugh.

Sam, suddenly, trotted off into the woods, leaving the other three behind. Seth came a bit closer, looking at me curiously as he sat down. I would go over and pet him –it honestly was hard not too- but I didn't want to leave Gabriel open with these other two around. I think Quil could be reasoned with but Jacob needed a clue by four before he ever got any sense knocked into him. Stupid mongrel.

A tall, shirtless man came out of the forest wearing only a pair of sweatpants. So that was Sam. He looked angry. Oh well. I need to remember to carry a sword with me next time. "Do you even know what he is?" Sam asked me incredulously, pointing to Gabriel. Of course, my handsome vampire immediately returned to growling and pulled me back to him again. "And how the hell do you know our names?"

"Of course I know what my fiancé is!" I shouted at Sam, angrily. Sam began to shake when I said fiancé. I rolled my eyes. "Oh sure, believe all your legends without any research on your own part. You really are nothing more than a bunch of idiotic teenagers that need to go back to your schoolhouse until you can possible learn the difference between legend and reality!" I yelled at him.

"You! You are getting _married_ to that leech! Is it those filthy bloodsuckers that told you who we were?" Sam yelled right back. I was angry. Extremely angry. I bent over and picked up a large stick to whack Sam with –knowing it wouldn't hurt him…much- but Gabriel stopped me.

"No, cucciola mia. Calm, remember?" he whispered, holding me back. I fumed but dropped the stick. Gabriel turned to Sam and glared right back at him for me. "She knows because she is gifted in such matters," he stated coldly. I reached for his free hand, needing Gabriel to keep me from making wooden stakes to stop the werewolves. Wooden stakes might not work on Vampires but they might on werewolves, right? I know their skin isn't impenetrable. Just one nice deep cut and I'd be very happy.

"Gifted? She's not a leech like you," Sam said, but somewhat calmer. I glared at him. Sam actually took a step back.

"Elizabetta is condemned to become one of my kind, mongrel, by the leaders of all vampires," Gabriel seethed.

"Condemned isn't the right word, Gabriel," I muttered, still angry. I squeezed Gabriel's hand to keep me from saying anything more. Gabriel kissed me gently on the cheek, despite the situation we were in, which caused the werewolves to start growling again. Well, not Seth, but Sam started to shake.

"Don't you dare," I told Sam, accenting each word perfectly. "How dare you even think he might hurt me or do anything what so ever _dangerous_ after what you did to Emily! You vicious hypocrite!" I yelled at him. That stopped him from shaking. Did you know werewolves can pale really quickly? It's rather amusing. I felt rather smug about that actually.

It was then that the rest of the family showed up. Based to the fact that all the anger was being turned down I knew Jasper was around before I saw him. I tried to calm myself down, keeping inside of Gabriel's arms, based on Jasper's pained look. I didn't want to cause him pain.

"Sam," Carlisle said in greeting as he approached the Alpha wolf. Sam nodded in Carlisle's direction, still pale but his face a hard read now.

"This is the one that has joined your coven?" Sam asked Carlisle, gesturing to Gabriel. I wanted so badly to feel angry at Sam still, to hit him, but Jasper wouldn't let me. Okay, Gabriel wouldn't let me hit him but it's not like Gabriel could control my mouth! Well, not when it came to what I was saying, at least.

"No, Jacob, not entirely," Edward told the russet colored wolf with a slight smirk on his lips. Seth let out a little whine, titling his head to Edward. "Yes, something like that," he acknowledged the sandy colored wolf.

Carlisle looked to his son quickly before continuing his conversation with Sam…if you could call in a conversation. "Yes. I was hoping to discuss the terms of the treaty tomorrow night," Carlisle more said in question than stated.

Edward suddenly turned to me, eyebrow raised. "When did you kill a werewolf?" he asked me. I blushed and looked down as every single pair of eyes fell on to me. Gabriel gently squeezed me closer to him.

"A werewolf? Aww, man," Emmett said, actually sounding very bummed that I got to kill one.

"It wasn't one of these idiots, Emmett," I muttered. He chuckled in response. Not that I don't think Sam without his head right now would necessarily be a bad thing. I thought on New York, my pretty red dress, and the confrontation with the wolves. I squeezed Gabriel's hand again remembering how frustrated he was and how angry he was at the Guard for setting that up.

"In New York," I muttered. Carlisle's face turned slightly stern. I knew I should feel embarrassed again but Jasper must be controlling the emotional atmosphere with a fine tooth comb.

"I see," he said softly in thought before turning to Sam. I knew the look Carlisle had given me. It was the "we will talk later" look. Edward just chuckled and nodded at me. I guess I wasn't in that much trouble.

Sam looked at me, his face not regaining its coloring yet, and very slowly returned his attentions to Carlisle. He was about to say something when Edward interjected. "She's a sabbatianoi, a …vampire slayer," he smirked. I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at my younger/older cousin.

"A vampire slayer that lives with vampires?" Sam asked incredulously. "There are such creatures as a slayer?" he asked more curiously. I glared, most of the family just looked highly amused by all of this. I even heard Alice's twinkling giggles.

"Indeed," Carlisle stated, a smile on his lips. "She is the first known to any of us," he informed Sam. I wanted to be angry for them talking about me when I was right here but I couldn't. Jasper shot me a look and I sighed, relaxing into Gabriel's hold.

Sam looked at me and then back to Carlisle. "I will need to discuss this with the council before tomorrow," he informed my fatherly big brother like vampire.

"Of course," Carlisle said politely. "We shall meet tomorrow as arranged then?" he asked. Sam nodded. Carlisle held out his hand to shake goodbye but Sam pointedly ignored him. It was only Seth that lingered and let out a small yelp like sound before prancing off after his pack brothers.

Turning to myself and Gabriel, Carlisle gave us a stern look. "I would like to speak with both of you when we return home," he said. It was only another couple seconds before we were all off; myself being carried by fiancé. I was in trouble and I knew it. Slowly, a hint of an old fear began to bubble forth in the pit of my stomach but I didn't realize it until it was too late…

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**Author's Note:** See? A really long chapter! That's why it's a couple hours late. Sorry! Like it? Hate it? Please, tell me!

Next chapter, Carlisle gets to play coven leader/dad-in-law/big brother.


	38. BII C xi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This is so going to get fun! Elizabeth is extremely protective of her Gabriel and we know Gabriel is protective of his "consorte". Given that Bella is constantly trying to play Switzerland and Elizabeth just….doesn't, I don't think the wolves will know what to do with her. At all. It should be really fun!

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 11

Fear. Trepidation. It didn't get bad until I was actually in Carlisle's office. I'm not quite sure what the final trigger was but I remembered an old wood and metal desk, an ancient computer, and a green leather chair with my Dad in it, looking displeased.

Carlisle was already standing next to his window, looking out, hands clasped, when Gabriel lead me in. Despite my beloved fiancé's reassurances, the ball in the pit of my stomach grew. This was too eerily familiar and I didn't know why really. I kept picturing my Dad but my big brother in law of a vampire wasn't anything like that. He was always so calm, understanding. I didn't get why I was worried despite Edward telling me that Carlisle was more curious than anything and Gabriel saying that it was his fault for the confrontation.

When we got into the room, Carlisle turned and waved at the two chairs in front of his desk. "Please, sit down," he said gently enough as he took his own seat. Seeing Carlisle behind the desk was yet another trigger. My Dad, his face turning red, as he screamed at me. I wasn't even sure what I did wrong but I never was. I grasped Gabriel's arm a bit tighter before taking my seat. The chairs, unfortunately, were too far apart for me to hold Gabriel's hand any longer. My rock in my wave of emotions was gone. I'm guessing Jasper wasn't even in the house because my emotional state was going all over the place and I knew it.

"Although I am displeased about the confrontation with the werewolves, I am also curious to know why we were not informed about the child of the moon," Carlisle started. My fingers gently hugged the edge of the armrest, touching the small metal upholstery studs that created a decorative border around the seam lines of the chair. I could picture someone else here, maybe Jasper, while Carlisle told him he was disappointed but understood.

"It was not something I believed to be relevant given the circumstances," Gabriel answered for me. I could picture someone else standing near Gabriel's chair –Rosalie- commenting on how she didn't get why she had to be nice to the girl.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked, curious but firm. His golden eyes looked at me for a second. I felt one of my headaches starting to come on but I figured I could take some tylonel or take a nap once this was over.

"Aro was uncertain of the veracity of Elizabeth and my statements regarding her involvement in both Jane and Alec's destruction," Gabriel started. I could picture Edward again, this time Carlisle looked to be smiling although Edward was less than pleased. I could just picture him saying "I want very much to kill him". I recognized what I was thinking of this time. It was just after Port Angeles.

"He decided a…test was necessary," Gabriel almost spat. Carlisle's face became a thin line before me as he sat back in his chair.

"Aro found a way to force you to deal with a child of the moon?" Carlisle asked, a bunch of emotions playing across his face. He was in disbelief, curious, but also slightly angry.

"Two," Gabriel stated, forcing Carlisle's eyes to go wide for a moment. Carlisle placed his head in his hands while Gabriel continued the story, stealing a glance at me. My headache was getting worse. The pain wasn't bad but everything I could see was starting to take on a yellow tint. I knew this type of headache. I'd go through a variety of colors and rarely, very rarely, would I go completely blind.

"They were both half starved creatures. The moon was but a quarter so they were as wolves under their own volition I assume," Gabriel continued. The room was red now.

"The Guard stood downwind from me and watched," Gabriel said bitterly. "They did not intercede until Elizabeth had taken one wolf's life and I, the other," he continued before looking over at me sadly. I wanted so badly to take his hand but I couldn't. He was too far away. The room was turning a deep forest green. Although pretty, I was getting worried that this was one of those "five year" headaches that would make me go blind. I had only had them a handful of times before.

Carlisle shook his head. "I cannot believe that Aro would conduct such a test, risk so much. Where did this take place?" he asked us.

"New York," I said quickly. Purple. The world was purple and I could only make the outlines of objects. It was almost like looking through the world with tinted sunglasses indoors on a dark day; except, I didn't have glasses I could take off.

"In that public of a place!" Carlisle's voice rose a bit. "They would risk exposure?" Carlisle said more calmly, his head in his hands again. It was too much. It was all too much.

"They claim they know now," Gabriel seethed. I could picture someone else there –was it Rosalie again- worried about exposure? Had Alice seen something?

Carlisle sighed and then looked back at Gabriel. The world was getting darker still to me. Navy Blue. I knew I should say something but what good would it do? These things tended to pass as quickly as they started. That was the one good thing about these headaches. I swore, from the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie outside looking in. Why was she out there and why didn't she just come in? She looked to be out a bit, like near the rocks along the side of the river. Since when did Rosalie climb trees? I must be seeing things along with getting the stupid blindness.

"I warned you of the treaty line, Gabriel. You were close to it today and it nearly caused a fight that could have had disastrous consequences," Carlisle began. Gabriel raised one eyebrow at him.

"I am well aware of that Carlisle. I believe the bigger issue to be that of the wolves' reaction to Elizabetta and her reaction to them," he informed my fatherly big brother of a vampire. There was something shiny outside. I could just see it for a second and then it was gone again. I thought that my vision might be going back to normal –in which case the colors would lighten- but I could barely make out anything anymore.

Although I could feel two no…wait…three sets of eyes on me, I couldn't see them anymore. Damn migraine. "Elizabeth?" Carlisle asked, concern and curiosity in his voice. I could hear someone else's voice as well but it sounded too far away for me to understand. Curious, since it wasn't one of the family by the inflections, I strained to hear it.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel asked now, I could feel his cool hands on top of mine. I knew he was kneeling next to me although I couldn't see him. I squeezed his hand in response.

"Is there someone outside?" I asked, quietly.

"No, why would you…" Carlisle began. The window to the backyard suddenly opened and I could hear Alice scream but her words were too fast for me to catch. I could also feel Gabriel jump up and start to yell back. That was the last trigger. I was in the office because I was in trouble. I was too scared at some level to speak up and tell Carlisle that my head was bothering me. Although now, I felt that fear evaporate, I guess Jasper was nearby, there was still something wrong with the situation and it was more than just not being able to see.

I knew where everything was in the office. I had been in here enough times over the past week to know where the desk was. I stood up and reached out, feeling the edge of it. It was then I saw something but it wasn't here. It was hard to describe what I saw really. It was like looking at a 3d movie screen. I could see the smaller room the desk was in and saw Carlisle hunched over right where I was standing. He was wearing grey wool pants and …suspenders? Maybe my thinking about antique clothing too much was forcing my brain to try and picture what my vampires would have worn ages ago.

"I failed him, Esme," was all Carlisle said in this strange little hallucination I was having. I really hated my migraines sometimes. When I came out of the hallucination, I could feel Gabriel picking me up.

"What are you doing?" I asked angrily. I could just barely see a pin point of light as I felt Gabriel lower me on to a …bed? Great, they realized that I couldn't see. Fun. I felt Gabriel hold my hand, a bit to tightly. "Try to stay calm, tesorina," Gabriel whispered, brushing back my hair.

"Can you see anything?" Carlisle asked. I could just make out outlines again. Carlisle was flashing the pin light in my eyes. There were three other people in the room and…someone outside? That didn't make sense.

"I'm fine, Carlisle. It will go away in another couple of minutes," I told him. Everything was purple again. I could see outlines. Jasper, Alice, and Edward. Why did they all look worried?

Edward turned to me and then to Carlisle. "She honestly believes nothing is wrong," he informed his father. I crossed my arms. Of course not! I've had this happen before. It will go away and won't happen again for a few years.

"Elizabeth," Carlisle started, putting his pin light away, "I need you to tell me if you can see us again," he stated. My eyes narrowed as the world turned a rather lovely shade of blue.

"I only lost my sight for maybe ten seconds, Carlisle. It's just my stupid migraines," I told him. Carlisle shot a look at Edward. He shrugged.

"I know what I saw in her head. It was like she was _there_," Edward said, a hint of sadness in his voice. Carlisle grasped his son's shoulder in a fatherly comforting gesture. I was completely confused.

Slowly, Carlisle walked over and picked up what looked to be nothing more than a simple pocketwatch. He looked to Jasper and nodded once before handing it to me. I felt the eerie calmness lift and all my emotions, the fear, the trepidation, nervousness flood me again. I squeezed Gabriel's hand hard.

"Is this necessary?" Gabriel asked Carlisle.

"If our theory is correct," Carlisle said with a nod before turning back to me. "Elizabeth?" he asked softly but firmly. "I want you to tell me what you think of the pocketwatch," he stated. I looked at him like he was crazy. It was easy now that I could see. All the colors had pretty much lifted.

"Where do you think it has come from?" Carlisle asked lightly. I shrugged.

"I don't know. Why is it important?" I asked. I just had a stupid migraine that was going away and a minor hallucination. It wasn't that big of a deal. What did a pocketwatch have to do with anything? I heard another voice again, the one from earlier that didn't belong to the family, and looked outside. I swear I saw a flash of blond hair.

Edward turned his head to where I had been looking. "There is something outside that is distracting her," he told his father.

"Duh," I breathed which got a half hearted giggle out of Alice.

"Outside?" Carlisle asked before looking at Gabriel. Gabriel nodded at him and stood up to stand in front of me.

"Amore? Would you like to go outside and see what ever it is that is out there?" he asked. I narrowed my eyes at the group of five vampires. What were they up too?

"Ugh! It's so hard to see!" Alice stated in frustration. She turned to her father. "I'm not sure what is out there but it's something," she said, her lips a thin line like she was concentrating.

"Then, outside," Carlisle said, almost cheerfully. I sighed. Great, they wanted the human to run after her random hallucination this time just to have fun. Oh well, at least I amused them.

I handed back the pocket watch to Carlisle. Gabriel moved to pick me up again but I shooed him. "I can walk," I muttered, the migraine pain was still threatening but the whole colors thing was gone. Of course, now I got deal with auras. Oh the joy.

Gabriel kept a hold of my hand and guided me down the stairs. We all went outside and I felt completely ridiculous for this for about a second before Jasper interfered with my emotional state again. Calm. I was starting to hate calm.

Ginsie, who had been locked out of Carlisle's office, came trotting up next to me. I stopped to pet my precious puppy dog and looked at the white furball. "Wanna come outside too, girl?" I asked. The tail wagging and slight jump with a single bark for yes was my confirmation. I smiled and patted that side of my leg to indicate to her to follow us. If she tried to run, one of the vampires could easily catch her and Emmett, where ever he was, would probably think it was a fun game.

"Probably," Edward said, but without much humor. He didn't even smirk. What was really going on?

"Carlisle and Gabriel do not think you are having hallucinations and I'm inclined to agree," he told me finally. Okay, if they aren't hallucinations then I just have a really overactive imagination. Nothing too off the norm there.

When we got outside and down by the rocks, I could feel that sixth pair of eyes on me. I could hear the tone of the voice better but I still didn't understand it. Where was it coming from? I looked around and gently let go of Gabriel's hand. Ginsie, being the pup she is, began to growl at nothing a few feet away from me. Edward looked at her and then to me.

Alright, so Gabriel and Carlisle don't think I'm having hallucinations. Maybe this time they are right. I've seen ghosts before and heard them. This one was hiding and I didn't know why. I could hear her every so often and started in the direction of the voice but it would change. It was like she was playing with me. I grimaced.

"What is it, Elizabetta? What do you see?" Gabriel asked me, gently wrapping his arm around my waist again.

"Nothing," I said, straining to hear. "But are you sure there isn't someone else out here? Just us?" I asked the assembled group.

"Yes, why?" Carlisle asked curiously. I shook my head.

"I can hear something but I don't know what it is," I said. I swear I sounded crazy. You are just jealous because the voices talk to me nonsense.

Edward smirked. "Where?" Gabriel whispered. I furrowed my brow and was about to say that I didn't have a clue when the wind changed direction. I could see her or at least part of her.

Her hair was long and golden. The pale skin and black eyes looked like a hungry vampire but it was odd because her body itself was out of focus. She looked like maybe she was wearing a Viking dress but I couldn't tell. All I could tell was that I could see her face and she was trying to talk to me. The language was definitely Germanic in origin but I didn't speak a word of it…and she was angry.

I walked closer to her, could vampires really become ghosts? Was it possible? I was with Bella on the whole soul issue. It was hard not to see the souls around me, to feel their very presences even though I couldn't see all of them at once. I knew Alice and Jasper were to my left, Gabriel next to me, and Carlisle and Edward were to my right. How could I not think they had souls? Soulless creatures aren't capable of rational thought.

Ginsie started to growl in the direction of the bodiless ghost. I went even closer. She began to yell in my ear and I winced. For whatever reason, I was drawn to a set of three rocks at the base of a tree. The rocks looked harmless enough. I pulled them apart, the ghost vanishing the second I touched them.

"That isn't possible," Edward stated. It was the second time he did so but I was concentrating more on the ghost at the time than I was on him. He sounded like he didn't believe his own statement.

"It's gone, isn't it?" Alice asked, curious.

"What did it look like?" Carlisle asked. I wasn't sure if he was asking me or Edward. Edward must have seen her in my head, right?

"Yes, I saw her," Edward stated with a hint of doubt in his voice. "But it simply isn't possible that she could have been what you believe her to be," he continued.

Turning to his father, Edward began to describe my ghost. I didn't hear much of it because, beneath the three rocks, was a tiny well in the earth. It was almost like a treasure trove, really. A few old seed beads, some sort of claw or tooth, and, miraculously preserved in this wet environment, a small dark leather bag.

Ginsie came over to investigate with me. I was scared to touch the precious artifacts since they were clearly old. Maybe a few hundred years? Maybe even older? The archeologist side of me wanted to take pictures, document everything, and then carefully place everything in Ziploc bags before sending it off to be researched. However, the curious side of me was winning. That, and Miss Ginsie was sticking her head into the hole so I had to brush her to the side gently. I kissed the top of the puppy dog's head before reaching in to get the small leather bag.

Something happened the second my fingers touched it. I wasn't sure what but I heard screams. I thought, at first, it was Alice again, but it didn't sound like her and it wasn't words. There was also more than one person screaming. My mind took me to the story from Eclipse when Bella goes to the bonfire. Billy Black tells the story of the vampire who looked like the goddess of the dawn and wanted revenge for her mate. I could understand that. I wanted to kill Sam earlier for daring to even think of harming Gabriel.

The screaming sounded almost like how I would imagine the sounds of the villagers dying must have sounded. All of them running, scattered, as the vampire looked for revenge. They didn't understand her or her them. Two different worlds, two different languages, and all the vampire wanted was her mate back.

I felt someone pull me back a bit roughly and found myself in Gabriel's arms. I didn't understand until I saw Carlisle's worried expression and Edward's grim one. I looked around and even Alice looked worried. Jasper just looked pained but that was pretty normal for Jasper some days.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel whispered, worried. I furrowed my brow again. Had I been day dreaming and missed something? Ginsie came over and nugged my hand for me to pet her which I easily obliged.

"What?" I asked before pointing to the little stone well. "There's some neat stuff in there, that's all," I told them. Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and Carlisle took out his pin light again. Flustered at the lack of answers I was getting, I swatted the light away.

"Why is everyone so worried? I was just looking at the artifacts in there," I muttered. Note to self, no more day dreaming around the vampires. It scares them.

"That wasn't a day dream, Elizabeth," Edward stated.

Carlisle looked down to the tiny treasure trove and gingerly picked up the small leather bag as well as the beads that use to make up a necklace. It was then I recognized a couple of the beads. They weren't all native American. One was definitely glass…

"We should take these to the meeting tomorrow night," Carlisle mused. "I'm sure they will be able to enlighten us," he continued.

"Its part of one of their stories," Edward continued. "Elizabeth thinks she was just day dreaming on it but it is the ashes of one of the first vampires that the wolves killed. She massacred half the tribe," he informed his father.

"Hmm, interesting," Carlisle mused further, standing up. I started to get up too but Gabriel picked me up instead. I glared at my fiancé and crossed my arms.

"Put me down," I said firmly.

Gabriel looked from me to Carlisle. "Do you wish to take her to the hospital?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.

"There is nothing wrong! It's a stupid migraine. I get them all the time," I argued, frustrated.

"This was not just a migraine, Elizabeth," Carlisle told me gently. "The scene Edward described you as seeing upstairs was one from right after he left," he said sadly. Edward hung his head down a bit but Carlisle squeezed his son's shoulder again.

"And you saw a ghost and found an archeologist's dream right here in our backyard!" Alice said in her typical chipper voice. "You see them a lot, don't you? The ghosts, I mean," Alice asked curiously.

I sighed. I hated to admit it but yes, I saw them sometimes. Sometimes I'd go months without seeing anything and then it would be a new "ghost" every day. The only real ghost I could identify was Mr. Frank who lived at my parents house. He was nice enough except that he liked to come up and say hello in the middle of the night. He'd also like to smile and rearrange the bookshelves. Harmless but freaky when you are trying to sleep and you hear someone say "Hello!" with that much enthusiasm and there isn't a soul awake.

"Yes," I grumbled. Great, now would I get to go back to being labeled the crazy human.

"No," Edward whispered to me. We had started towards the house and Gabriel refused to put me down. Jasper, thank goodness, was rounding up the furry white puff ball and getting her to come back inside with the rest of us.

Once inside the house, I looked to the vampires for explanation. Gabriel placed me on the sofa and handed me a blanket. Granted, it had been cold outside so I wrapped up in it quickly after popping off my shoes. Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie came in too from where ever they had been. Esme took her spot by her husband's side.

"These…daydreams," Carlisle began. "You get them often?" he asked.

"Umm, I suppose," I said curiously. I thought everyone day dreamed. Wasn't everyone at least somewhat curious as to how things got to where they were? Who owned them previously? I just knew a lot of history so maybe my day dreams about objects were more accurate than some.

"It's more than that, Elizabeth," Edward began. "You have actually recreated exact scenes in your head. Yesterday, you did as much when we discussed the books," he told me. I remembered. Edward thought it was funny that I could picture him debating about running after me or not when I gave him Midnight Sun and he read the first page. He nodded at that.

"The ghosts," Carlisle started this time. "Have you seen any others in Forks?" he asked. I shook my head.

"A ghost?" Esme gasped, placing a hand over her heart. She looked at her husband and then to me. I shrugged.

"It's not possible," Edward muttered. Carlisle looked to his son as if this was an old argument. I suppose it was. If I saw a ghost of a vampire then that had to mean the all vampires had souls, right? That would shatter Edward's perceptions pretty quickly. He shot me a look but I just smiled a bit, rather smug. I, at least, could see them and he could see them in my mind's eye.

"Then what other explanation would you give?" Carlisle asked his son, curious.

"Another vision of the past. She simply wasn't close enough to the objects to get a full vision of them so she mistook it for a ghost," Edward answered. I rolled my eyes at him. Was it really that hard to believe that vampires just might still have their souls? Of course, what concerned me more was that they called what I had visions. No. It was just a mixture of an over-active imagination and knowing too much. Nothing more.

"Possible," Carlisle acquiesced. "However, given the circumstances, how was she then able to see such a vision from that far away?" he countered. Edward grumbled.

"Vision?" I interjected. "It was a ghost and I have an over-active imagination. Nothing more," I told them.

"Given what I have seen, cara mia, it is not your imagination but possibly far grander than that," Gabriel stated. I looked at him, curious as to what he was getting at. I could hear whispering to my right and looked over to Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie holding their own conversation. Rosalie crossed her arms and scoffed at whatever Jasper told her.

"Elizabeth, we believe you may have the ability to actually see the past," Carlisle told me. See the past? Well, I was, technically speaking, living in the past. I had already been through one 2006. But to see it in my minds eye? Really?

I wasn't sure what to think about it. I loved history and found it fascinating but was it because I could see it replay before my very eyes? Was that what my migraines were really about? It was just my "ability" getting out of hand? I did tend to see more ghosts around when I got headaches…

Great. An ability. Seeing the past in everything I touch might be a Midas like curse. I would never be able to simply hold an object, would I? Or would I only see things that had been imprinted up on the object? Of course, this was all assuming my vampires were right. An ability. A touch-see. Great.

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**Author's Note:** So, now you know the theory the vampires' have about our Elizabeth. It explains a lot of things about her and will come into play again. Like it? Hate it? Please tell me. Reviews help me not strangle the idiot at work that can't speak without cursing every other word. I have a theory on those types of people...


	39. BII C xii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! I was slightly worried about the last chapter but it seems everyone liked it. Some fluffiness in this chapter. :-) I figure we need some Esme/ Elizabeth sisterly bonding time before the whole meeting with the wolves thing. That will be interesting. I think Elizabeth is going to bring her sword.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 12

Monday morning started with a kiss. Now, normally, I wouldn't object to such a greeting except it wasn't Gabriel. It was Ginsie. "Ack! Dog! I'm up," I told her as I threw up my arms to shield my face from her. I opened my eyes when I heard Gabriel laughing.

My perfect fiancé was leaning against the bedroom wall, arms crossed causally, as he laughed. He shoulder length hair was tied back today and he had on his typical black jeans and light grey shirt. Despite how beautiful he looked just standing there, I glared at him as I sat up and gently pushed Miss Ginsie away.

Ginsie hopped off the bed and went to sit at Gabriel's feet, wagging her tail, like she was expecting something. I watched with a curious eyebrow, arms crossed. Gabriel held my gaze, a smile still on his lips, until the pup whined impatiently. Looking down at her, he sighed and took a doggie bone out of his pocket to give to her. Miss Ginsie ate it greedily. I continued to glare.

"She did wake you on her own, I promise you that," Gabriel told me. I raised an eyebrow at him, not entirely believing that story. Oh yes, Miss Ginsie has been known, once in a blue moon, to decide my face needs cleaning before I wake up, but given that Gabriel was in the room when she did this and the doggie bone, I was very doubtful to his story.

He sighed and moved closer, his hands on either side of my knees as he leaned in towards me. I kept my arms crossed and tried to glare at him while he was clearly going to try and dazzle me into a good mood. It wouldn 't work. I don't think. "Don't ya even," I started to try and say as Gabriel gently moved in and kissed me gently. He wasn't even going to bother to talk his way out of this one.

I knew I was mad at him. I knew that I had a decent reason to be mad at him. But none of that mattered the second his ice cold lips touched my soft warm ones. My hands found their place around his neck and in his hair. His hands skimmed up my spine over my thin top. I felt myself slowly start to go back, my head hitting the pillows again as Gabriel pulled at my bottom lip.

Just as his hand skirted down to my waist, he pulled away. I sighed in frustration. I knew why he had to; it was that my blood was too sweet and he was still very new to the vegetarian lifestyle. Kissing me on the forehead –I scowled appropriately- he offered a small smile. "You should get dressed, amata mia," he whispered before sitting up rather than hovering over me.

Sighing again, I went to the dresser to get my jeans, a long sleeved thermal shirt, a t-shirt, and underthings before going to the bathroom to take a shower. As I thought about how I woke up, I turned to look at my handsome vampire sitting on the bed like a model in a photo shoot. "No more teaching Ginsie new tricks," I told him with a hint of a glare before closing the bathroom door. All I could hear was Gabriel laughing.

When I stepped back out, dressed and all my wet hair pulled back into a braid, I saw my beloved fiancé speaking with Esme. Ginsie had taken her space at the foot of the bed and curled up, seemingly no longer concerned that she was right next to two vampires. As I walked up to them, Gabriel stood and pulled me into his arms, both of us facing Esme as he breathed in my scent from my hair. Esme smiled at me, Gabriel's arms around my waist. "Would you like to go shopping with me today? I was hoping we could get to the grocery store this afternoon but I'd like to go to a few antique stores this morning if you would like to come along?" Esme asked me.

"I'd love to, Esme," I told her. Going antiquing with the kids had been fun. I'm sure going with Esme would be just as amusing. Or she'd find me amusing. Probably both. "I just need to get my coat," I told her, gently trying to pry away Gabriel's arms. He wouldn't let me.

"Non c'è nulla di più importante che tesorina. Per favore, proteggere, quando lei non è in grado di proteggere se stessa," I heard Gabriel say before slowly letting me go. Esme smiled at him, looking delighted at whatever he said.

"Of course, Gabriel. We'll be back this afternoon," she told him before leading me upstairs.

"Don't forget to let Miss Ginsie out," I said down the stairs before grabbing my trench coat from the hall closet and following Esme out to my truck. It looks like she was going to let me drive. I wonder if Gabriel warned her I drive just as fast as they do most of the time. Well…at least 80 mph. 90 was a good speed.

Esme rattled of directions to the first antique shop, which, amazingly, was right in Forks. Off of the 101, of course, but in Forks. I parked and hopped out, following my big sister like vampire into the store. The bell on the door announced our arrival.

A lady sitting behind the counter looked up from whatever periodical she was reading and smiled at Esme. "Oh, hello, Esme. We just got a new shipment in from a couple of different Estate sales in Seattle," the woman told her before looking at me curiously.

Esme smiled back and wrapped an arm around my shoulder almost protectively. "Hello, Gertrude. I don't believe you've met my sister, Elizabeth," she told the older woman.

Gertrude's –as Esme introduced her- face filled with some sort of recognition and she smiled at me. "Well, hello Elizabeth! We've all heard so much about you these past few weeks," she said, eyeing my still bare left hand. I began to play with my pearl necklace that Gabriel had given me as a symbol of our engagement.

"Hello," I almost whispered back.

"Now, tell me, aren't you the one that had your own computer business back east?" Gertrude asked. Esme whispered that she was going to look at a few things before wandering off into the smallish looking store jammed with all sorts of fun old things. I watched as she left before turning my attention back to the older woman.

"Yes, ma'am. But I wanted to come out here with my family now that I'm getting married," I said. It was part of the story but it was also true. Still it felt so odd to actually say out loud that I was getting married.

"Have you not decided on a ring yet?" the older woman asked, looking at my left hand. Maybe I should start to wear my grandmother's engagement ring on my left hand. I did that in Egypt to stop the marriage proposals. It worked.

"Oh, Gabriel's from Italy. Apparently, they don't exchange rings at all until the wedding day in the region he's from," I explained sweetly. Really, I didn't get why it was anyone's business that Gabriel didn't get me a ring and I felt defensive of him when I saw the disappointment on Gertrude's face. I had to remember this was a small town and even the slightest bit of excitement would be fodder for the masses for days.

"Oh, well, I suppose that's different," she said. I gave a weak smile and then gestured to where I saw Esme head off too.

"I better go make sure my sister isn't causing trouble," I said lightly. Trouble like leaving me to a town gossip. Thanks, Esme. I pretty much left the scene before she could reply and found Esme looking over a couple of different wooden end tables.

Turning around slightly, Esme smiled at me. I could see a hint of a twinkle in her eyes before she went back to examining the tables. "You left me there on purpose, didn't you?" I half whispered. We were too far away, in the back of the store, for the woman to hear us.

"Gertrude's been curious about your arrival," Esme told me. "What do you think? Empire or late 19th century?" she said, pointing to the two tables.

"Sure, leave your sister to the town gossip," I half mumbled, half teased before stepping up next to her to look at the two tables. Esme quickly wrapped an arm around me and squeezed me into a one arm hug. "Which room?" I asked, trying to picture where these two would go.

"Either your living room or maybe Jasper's study," she told me, thinking.

"The late Victorian then. The Empire wouldn't look right with it's overly ordered lines," I told her. I figured it would go well in Jasper's study. I had snuck in there a couple of times since moving in. Jasper had a ton of philosophy and history books that I liked to borrow. Most of it was mid 19th c on up but there were a couple of earlier books.

We spent most of the morning just talking and shopping. Esme ran into a couple of her garden club ladies –both of whom were curious about me- and introduced me. I couldn't remember either of their names at all. It seemed I was the latest shiny new toy in Forks and everyone was curious about the additions to the Cullen household.

As we walked over to the next Antique store in Forks, we went right by a coffee shop…with Charlie walking out of it. "Good morning, Charlie," Esme called to him. The police chief turned and smiled at her. He was only upset with Edward; he still loved the rest of the family.

"Esme, Elizabeth," he greeted us, a thermos of steaming hot coffee in one hand.

"I hope everything is going well," Esme said cheerfully, making sure to adjust the bag she had in her right hand slightly as a human would with any heavy-ish object.

"Yeap, just heading back to see if the computer's working yet or not," Charlie told her. Some part of me caught the word computer very quickly.

"Computer problems?" I asked, curious.

"Yeah, not quite sure what though. Mark said it was just old but thing's worked great the past couple of years," Charlie told me.

"Would you mind if I took a look, Charlie?" I asked. I noticed he raised an eyebrow in question but Esme beat me to the explanation.

"Elizabeth owned her own computer repair business back east. She's quite good at it," Esme told me, giving me a small smile. I blushed at the pride in her voice and her complement.

"Wouldn't mind if you took a crack at it then, Elizabeth. Just come over to the station when you get a chance," he told me as he opened the cruiser door. I looked at Esme. There was nothing like a computer issue to distract me from shopping. Well, a sewing question would pretty easily but still, I wanted to try this now and then Esme and I could resume our shopping spree. Esme nodded to my unspoken question.

"Go," she whispered, gently patting me on the back.

"Charlie? I can take a look at it now, if you like," I told him. It was weird to not call him Chief. Actually, it was odd to speak to Bella's father at all but the giddy fan girl side of me was slowly coming to terms with the fact that she was here and that this was real and that she had to behave and not go all giddy fan girl.

The police chief looked from me to Esme and back again. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "If you don't mind," Charlie told me. I could see a slight blush to his face. Yeap, that's were Bella gets it from.

I shrugged and turned to Esme to see what she wanted to do. Did she want to just drop me off and pick me up later or did she want to come to the station too? "We'll be there in a couple of minutes. I'd like to put the bags in the car first," Esme told him, smiling.

"Sure," he stammered before getting into the cruiser and heading back to the station. I turned to Esme again.

"You sure you don't mind, Esme?" I asked. She laughed lightly.

"Of course not, Elizabeth. It will give me a chance to talk to Charlie about our children," she said, that slightly humorous glint back in her eye. I smiled back. This should be fun!

We got to the police station about five minutes later. Getting anywhere in this town didn't take more than ten minutes by car. It was a huge switch from what I'm use to; up to an hour just to go ten miles away because of traffic. Both Esme and I walked into the pre-fabricated like house structure. I could tell by the look on Esme's face she was planning something. I'm guessing it has to do with letting Bella off the hook and at least allowing her to come over –with Carlisle and Esme supervising, of course.

"Can I help…?" a younger looking man started to ask when Charlie came out of his office.

"I got it, Mark," Charlie interrupted his deputy. Mark shrugged and went back this newspaper. Ah, small town life at the local police station. This was a heck of a lot different from what I'm use to with the Metropolitan Police Authority. Where were the TVs showing all the street corners? Where were the constantly blinking phones? All they had was some old rabbit ears that was showing nothing more than the local news. Metro PD had five different TVs on five different stations that did that; surrounded by twenty others to show us all the Washington Mall, the Metro, and anywhere else there was a camera. I sort of miss working with the FBI now…

"Um, the computer is this one here," Charlie told me as he pointed to an antique monitor. I guess they still make and use the thirty gazillion pound monitors in 2006. I can't wait until pretty much everything goes to flat screen again.

I turned around the desk to look at it and the screen was frozen on some sort of automated police report that only had the date filled out. The little hour glass was still going and I could hear the fan going full speed from where I was standing. "The thing just won't move," Charlie said, frustrated. "Other than that little hourglass thing," he told me.

I looked up at him and smiled. "Don't worry, Chief. I can fix it," I told him before looking around the desk area. "You don't, by chance, have a small screwdriver so I can open the computer up?" I asked curiously. Before I knew it, I was being handed one of those really nice looking picture hanging hammers with the screwdrivers inside of it. You just had to twist the handle. I looked up and saw Esme holding it out.

"I was helping Alice to put pictures in her room this morning. I must have been in a hurry and put it in my purse," she told me. I knew which key words to pick up on. Alice said that it might be necessary today and told Esme to bring it with her just in case. Of course, we couldn't say that out loud.

"Thanks, Esme," I told her before unplugging the archaic beast of a machine and starting to take it apart. Just like I thought, no one had cleaned the thing in years if ever.

"Charlie? May I speak with you for a minute?" Esme asked prettily. I tried to keep a straight face as I tinkered with the machine. Ugh. Humidity and dust together is just gross. I had to throw the moist hairball looking things into the garbage. Gross!Gross!Gross!

Charlie made some masculine grunt like noise that sounded like a "yeah" to me. Considering both were still standing behind me as I pulled the guts of the computer apart to clean it –God, please tell me they have a half way decent restroom here so I can wash my hands- I could hear everything. And the gossip side of me was dying to hear this.

"Well, we were planning to go to the PNE this weekend for Gabriel and Elizabeth's engagement," Esme began. PNE? What the heck was that? I don't see anymore dust in this thing but just to be sure…

"We were going to take them to Six Flags but given the problems in Seattle right now," Esme left off with a slight shudder. Six Flags sounds like fun. I guess if we are going to the PNE it must be something similar just not in Seattle.

"You do realize I lived in the actual murder capitol of the world for a number of years, Esme?" I decided to get in on the discussion. It, hopefully, would add some credibility to the entire discussion. Were we really going to go to some amusement park? Or was this a ploy, brought on by Alice and Edward, to get Bella back over and off from being grounded. Somehow, I think it might even be Esme wanting to see her youngest daughter again.

I could feel Esme's eyes on the back of my head. I forced down a smile. "Do you really want to go to a city with what is it now? Four unsolved murders in the past two weeks? No leads, no evidence?" Esme asked me incredulously.

"Only four?" I teased. "DC got that in a week!" I found more dust hidden on the other side of the fan. Uck.

"I just don't feel comfortable going there right now," Esme said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Don't blame ya," Charlie stated as I started to clean my hands off using tissues from the desk.

"I know Bella is grounded but we were hoping she might be able to come to the PNE as well? The children would so love to have her along," Esme told him. I could tell by the way Charlie cleared his throat that he didn't want to say no to Esme. I could see him shuffling his feet out of the corner of my eye.

"I'll think about it," he mumbled. Even I had to grin at that as I started to put the computer back together.

"We really would love for her to come," Esme added again. Charlie grunted something and I began to plug everything back in.

"You got a sink I can use, Chief?" I asked him as I held up my hands as evidence. I had plugged everything back in before getting up looking both Charlie and Esme. Charlie's eyes widened a bit when he saw my hands and the dust in the wastebasket.

"Umm, yeah, third door right over yonder," he told me pointing to the only unlabeled door.

"Thanks," I said as I brushed by them and went to wash my hands. I could hear another conversation starting but wasn't sure as to what it was about until I came back out of the bathroom; hands clean.

"I think she's planning for June, right dear?" Esme asked me as I stepped out. Oh, the wedding. I nodded.

"June 6th," I answered as I headed back to the computer to see what else was wrong with it. The fan was only one of the problems.

"So, wait, your wedding date will be six six six?" Mark asked. I nodded absent mindedly. I was focused on getting this archaic piece of machinery working. What was it? A Pentium one?

"Yeah, I rather liked the idea of no one being able to forget that," I muttered as I brought up properties on the C: drive to see if this thing had ever been defragmented. It hadn't. I swear the thing was plaid.

"Nope, guess they wouldn't," Charlie stated amused.

"I really wish you would hold off to December. That always sounded so much nicer," Esme told me wistfully. I just looked at her, eyebrow raised. She knew why I couldn't have it then.

Sighing, I turned back to the screen briefly before looking at the police chief. "I'm going to let this run and it should help a lot. Looks like the computer was never defragged," I told Charlie. He looked confused. I tried to think of a logical way to explain the computer filing system.

"Imagine the computer like a big library. Now, when you delete files, it leaves a gap on the shelf. The computer doesn't fill the gap with the next file, it just continues on filing up the next shelf even if the file you just saved really goes somewhere else. Defragging the computer helps tell the computer where all the free space is and makes it put the files on the shelves they belong. It's like cleaning up a messy room," I tried to explain. It was an extremely watered down version but it made sense.

"oh, huh," Charlie answered, clearing thinking over the computer system. "So uh, just running this helps?" he asked.

I nodded. "Best to run the defragmenter about once every couple of months," I explained while looking at the screen. I turned around before talking to Charlie again. "I'll leave directions on how to get to it, if you like," I told him. It wasn't exactly hard. You just had to know where to look.

"Umm, yeah. That might not be a bad idea," Charlie told me. Esme smiled and gently squeezed my shoulder.

"Hey, Charlie? We might want to do that to all the computers," Mark told him. Charlie nodded to his deputy.

The rest of the time, I wrote down the directions of how to get to the defragmenter as well as my new cell phone number. Charlie took both and ran a hand through his hair. "What do I owe you for fixing all that?" he asked. I shrugged. I didn't do this for money. I just like fixing things.

"Maybe a recommendation?" I asked. "It would help when I finish making up my new website and all," I told him.

"You going to start business up here?" Charlie asked, a hint of excitement in his eyes. I nodded.

"That's great, Elizabeth," he said enthusiastically. Embarrassed, I guess, by his tone, he coughed slightly and said, "I mean, we don't really have any type of professional computer help around here." I smiled. I was hardly professional but I knew what I was doing.

"What's the webpage going to be?" Mark asked, pen in hand. I gave him the address but warned him it wasn't finished yet.

"Chief? Think she could put up some flyers here for that?" Mark asked Charlie. Charlie shrugged and muttered a "Sure". I grinned.

"Thanks, Charlie!" I told him. I turned to Esme and knew it was time to go. "It was nice meeting you, Mark," I told him.

"You too, Elizabeth," He said before nodding to Esme. "Esme," he said as way of farewell.

Charlie lead us both to the front door of the station, all two yards of the way, and held the door open. "I'm sure we'll be calling you when these things act up again," Charlie told me. Esme and I said our goodbyes and headed back out, this time to the grocery store.

Putting her designer bag in the space for a kid to sit, Esme pulled out a long list of items. Curious, I gazed over it myself. I got things like paper towels and detergent –vampires still needed to wash clothes and clean- but things like egg rolls and flour seemed a bit much. "What is all of that?" I asked, looking at the list.

"It's all of the things we need this week, dear," Esme told me. I raised an eyebrow at her. Esme glanced at the list and then back at me. "Is there something wrong with it?" she asked, nervously.

"Well, I doubt anyone in the house would need prune juice," I said softly. Where did she get this list? Looking at it quizzingly, Esme looked back at me.

"What would you put on the list?" she asked before her eyes brightened. "Why don't you get whatever you like, dear?" she told me. I looked around as a couple of ladies and a gentlemen walked by with their own carts. I guess it would look slightly more normal if I bought the food. At least I ate.

We went to the produce aisle first. Apples were always necessary in my book. Cut up apple slices with caramel or peanut butter? Yummy! I threw a bag in the cart. I wouldn't be able to eat the whole bag but I got the whole needing to look like a normal family. If Esme and I only bought enough for me, people would start to take notice.

I went to the strawberries while Esme was examining the bananas. I actually found a box of strawberries that looked good and brought those over to the basket along with the chocolate you melt in the microwave to dip the berries in. It was super yum. Esme threw the bananas in.

Next was salads, something I've grown to love over the past few months. With crotons. And lots of ranch dressing. I got a pre packaged deal that should be okay for a couple of days. Esme happily steered the cart to wherever we needed to go.

The deli and meat sections got funny. Apparently, they were not even allowed to have hot dogs in the house after Emmett found out how they were made. Sure, drinking blood was fine but eating pig intestines wasn't? Silly vampire. I totally have to tease him about that.

"Esme, think we can sneak corn dogs in?" I asked, smiling. I held out the box of frozen corn dogs. They weren't the best but they worked when I got hungry.

"What are they?" Esme asked, examining the box critically.

"Hot dogs wrapped in corn bread," I told her. She raised an eyebrow and I grinned more. "Emmett will never know."

"Do you eat these things?" she asked, taking the box from me.

I nodded. "They make for great quick lunches or dinners," I told her. She sighed and put that in the basket with everything else.

"I'd be happy to cook for you, Elizabeth," she whispered. "You don't need to get all these pre-packaged things," Esme told me. I looked in the basket and realized I did throw in a lot of pre-packaged meals and microwavable thing. I felt a little bad about that.

"It's just that," I started to try and explain. "I guess I've been on my own for so long, I forget what it's like to have home cooked meals," I told her truthfully. Yes, I could cook but, in my universe, I didn't have a dishwasher –well, Miss Ginsie but I still had to clean if she got anything. Everything I used –utensils, pots, plates, and glasses- had to be hand cleaned and I hated washing the dishes. Since I only went over to my parents maybe twice a months, I had to fend for myself most of the time. This meant paper plates and microwavable dishes. Nothing that would cause a mess later.

Esme squeezed my shoulders and began to pick up some flour and some egg noodles. "Do you like beef stroganoff? I saw a recipe for it the other day," she told me. I smiled. Beef stroganoff was one of my favorite dishes.

"I love it," I told her truthfully.

We ended up with a lot of food –more than I could eat in a month- and cleaning supplies. Loading it into the truck was a breeze though. Once all the bags were in the back of the truck, Esme paused and looked at the arrangement of bags and the table she got at the antique store. "This is useful for shopping, isn't it?" she stated. I laughed and slammed the tailgate shut.

"Just don't tell Alice that. I don't want her stealing my truck the next time there is a sale," I stated.

"Only if she agrees to take both of us!" Esme countered to which I laughed again. The drive home was quick and I got a couple of bags to take in the house despite Esme telling me I didn't have to.

I carried the bags to the kitchen island and put them down, unsure of where Esme wanted everything. Gabriel was there, on the phone, looking slightly angry. Worried, I went over to my beloved vampire and took his hand. He brought it up to his lips quickly before speaking again on the phone.

"I see," he said, his lips a thin line. I squeezed his hand, curious and worried as to what was going on.

"Then, please, mark it down for that date then?" Gabriel stated. There was another long pause before Gabriel gave the person on the other side of the phone his credit card number and hung up once whatever transaction it was was done.

"Gabriel?" I whispered, worried. He sighed when he got off the phone and looked down for a moment. It was about a minute before he looked up at me. He swung me around and his lips were on mine before I knew what he was doing. By the time I could react, he broke the quick but passionate kiss. Whatever that call was about bothered him a lot, I think.

"Esme?" he called out behind me. I turned around in his arms to see my big sister like vampire bringing in the last of the groceries. She smiled and looked up at him. "Thank you for bringing her back to me," he told her. I rolled my eyes. We went shopping. She didn't kidnap me like you did Gabriel. Silly sparklepire.

"I wouldn't want her anywhere but here," Esme stated sincerely. As we all began to put the groceries away -well, the vampires put the groceries away, I ate an apple- I realized how the tension that existed between the Cullens and Gabriel was melting away. I only hoped it would continue and I could have a real family around me –forever.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry this is a bit late. Between the Renn Fest (yea! Mediaeval Baebes! Squee!) and the power going out this morning, I had to wait to finish this one. That darn power outage! Agh! I had to reset all my clocks because of it!


	40. BII C xiii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! Bella will come into the picture soon, I promise. This chapter is all about the meeting with the wolves. Teehee! Oh those teenage mutant wannabe ninja werewolves. They have no idea what they are getting into, do they? Silly furballs…

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 13

We all arrived at the meeting spot for the treaty right along the edge of the Cullen/McCoy …err… Werewolf treaty line. All of us. Carlisle originally only wanted Gabriel as well as himself, Edward, and Jasper to go. I argued that I should be there too and Gabriel argued that if I was there, well, we needed more help to keep me away from the wolves and chopping their limbs off. I still totally believe that Carlisle is curious to see if werewolves can reattach their limps just as quickly as a vampire. After all, it would be a medical question, right?

Of course, Carlisle told me I couldn't bring weaponry. I argued back and we compromised. I was allowed to bring the sword but nothing incendiary. When I made him define incendiary, all the vampires looked at me. I explained that, technically speaking, a lighter and the cutter torch weren't incendiary devices. Carlisle made me promise I'd only bring the sword. The vampires all seemed to think that it was safer than the flame throwers until Jasper found out I actually had taken fencing. Now they were evenly split and Carlisle mumbled about not allowing me near weaponry again. Too bad I knew how to make even a shoelace into a weapon.

Edward raised an eyebrow at me when we got to the clearing and assembled. Since we weren't expecting a fight, no one stood back. "Shoelace?" Edward asked me. I shrugged. Sure, it was great if you had to choke another human. Might work against werewolves. I don't know but I wouldn't be totally against finding out.

Edward continued to look at me. "What did you _do_ before you came here?" he asked in disbelief. "A hitman for the mafia?" he added teasingly. I shook my head while Esme admonished her son. I caught Carlisle looking our way, curious and felt Gabriel's arm around my waist still.

"No, I worked for the FBI," I said with a hint of a smile before moving past Edward. We stayed in a loose line of sorts, right along the treaty line. I couldn't really see the invisible line that marked the two territories but it was there. Maybe if we built a nice, long stone wall it would help. Good fences make good neighbors!

Edward smirked but stiffened a moment later. I turned my head and noticed all my vampires seemed on guard. I guess the big bad wolf was coming. Maybe I should make Bella a red riding hood. Wool would be nice in this climate and it would give me something new to sew. I'd have to ask her later. …lined with rabbit fur. It would be pretty.

The wolves came out from the trees, a chocolate one, a russet colored one, the sandy colored one, and a few grey wolves. I recognized the smallest as Leah but I wasn't sure about the three. I'm guess those were Embry, Jared, and Paul. I wasn't surprised to see the entire pack here. What I was surprised to see were all the elders here as well; Quil Sr., Sue Clearwater, Sam, and Billy in his wheelchair. Billy eyed me curiously as did Sue. Quil Sr. looked rather stoic about all of it and Sam looked very cautious.

"Carlisle," Billy started, nodding in the direction of the vampire I was slowly starting to think of as my big brother. When he had gotten home from work today, he brought me cake from one of the hospital parties he had to go to knowing I had an insane sweet tooth. I teased him about it, a doctor giving someone enough sugar to put them in a diabetic coma? He pointed out that he was pretty sure I'd live. Diabetes is what caused Billy's problems. I wonder if he had gone to the hospital in Forks, rather than driving an hour away, if it would have helped him at all. A cane would be better than a wheelchair.

"Billy, I'm glad we could meet tonight," Carlisle said warmly. Billy grunted in response. Carlisle took one small step forward, which cause Leah to growl. I glared down at her.

"Shut up, you bitch," I told the smallest of the grey wolves. Of course, by smallest I meant pony sized versus horse sized wolf. They were kind of intimidating, honestly, but considering what I've been through so far and what I know of the wolves, giant werewolves just aren't that scary.

"Elizabeth!" Esme chastised me in such a way I immediately looked down. Still, I heard a couple of chuckles and they weren't just from our side of the line. "Apologize," Esme stated to me. I looked at the small grey wolf who growled something at me. I looked to Edward, who was full on laughing now, for an explanation.

"There is no way I am ever going to translate that," Edward quickly informed me, smiling. I narrowed my eyes at him and then glared at the small grey wolf.

"If you," I started but Carlisle interrupted me.

"Elizabeth, remember that you promised you would not needlessly antagonize the wolves," he reminded me. I sighed and took a step back to be right next to Gabriel's side. Gabriel gently wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to him. Sue Clearwater was watching all this with her mouth agape. I guess it probably was the first time she'd had to deal with everyone and everything. It had only been a couple months since her husband died.

Remembering that, I did start to feel a little bit bad about snapping at Leah. She was dealing with a lot. Her former boyfriend was now her leader and had imprinted on her cousin who she loved like a sister. Her father dies and she becomes the first female werewolf chronicled in the Quileute history. So, yeah, I guess she has a few very good reasons to be bitchy…literally.

Carlisle turned back to Billy to start the negotiations. Of course, there was a lot to negotiate. Bella, for one, me for another, and making sure that Gabriel agreed to the original treaty was a third. This might take a while.

"This is the one you which to have added to the treaty?" Billy said, pointing to Gabriel. I leaned in against my fiancé, feeling protective of him again.

Carlisle nodded without looking over at us. "Gabriel has taken to our ways and agreed to live by our lifestyle," he stated. I felt Gabriel squeeze my shoulders.

Billy nodded at Carlisle's words before pointing to me. I heard Edward smirk and bite back a laugh when Billy spoke. "And her?" he asked. Me? Other than the whole bite thing and the eating only animals after I was turned, I hardly saw how the treaty applied to me. I happened to like cheeseburgers and strawberry shortcake right now, thank you very much.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow, looked at me with a hint of a smile and then back to Billy Black. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Carlisle told him, obviously asking for clarification.

Billy looked up at Sam, who towered over him. Sam looked back down at Billy and nodded once. I noticed that a couple of the wolves had taken to lying down, like Seth. I guess they realized it was just a meeting and we wouldn't be fighting. Oh well.

"Sam informed us that she is what your kind call a sabbatianoi," Billy started, stealing a glance at me. I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing. They probably had to google it. Edward glanced at me and nodded once which forced me to let out a small laugh. I quickly had to bite my lip again. So they think I'm some sort of Saturday born mystical child? It really is too bad I was born on a Friday. This might actually make some sense otherwise. Except I am not having the wolves go out and kill goats or sheep or whatever it was so I can have lamb chops and not go insane. I'd much rather continue to eat cow and chicken…maybe I should make teriyaki chicken tomorrow for dinner….

Carlisle looked momentarily confused. "Yes, that is true," he stated. He raised an eyebrow in question at Billy who ruffled slightly in his chair.

"Then she is human?" Billy asked. Jasper let out a chuckle and Emmett pretty much belly laughed. The wolves reactions to the vampires were all even more hilarious. Seth grinned at them as did one of the grey wolves. Leah rolled her eyes –which is what Rosalie did at her husband- and Jacob looked confused, like he didn't get what was so funny. Edward was shaking his head at the entire scene.

Carlisle smiled at Billy warmly. "Yes, she is," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice. I could even see Esme biting her lip to keep from giggling. Alice's tinkling laugh could just be heard under Emmett's boisterous laughter.

"But she lives with you in your…home?" Billy asked. I turned and put my forehead against Gabriel's shoulder, unable to look at the wolf pack any longer with even a hint of a straight face. This was just too…stupid! Really, what was so hard to believe about their being _good_ vampires in the world? Were there not good and bad humans too? Gabriel further wrapped his arm around me and kissed my temple. I think I heard someone on the wolf side gasp at that.

"Yes, Elizabeth has become very dear to all of us," Carlisle told Billy simply. Billy grumbled but I couldn't see anything given I was burying my head in Gabriel's shoulder. I turned slightly to see what was going on. I wish I hadn't. All eyes were on me, of course. The only reason I didn't feel self conscious was thanks to Jasper. I wasn't sure whether to be glad or upset about that.

Gabriel kept an arm around me, still holding me tight. I looked over to the tribal leaders –Sam, Quil Sr, Sue, and Billy- who were all eyeing me curiously. I had no idea as to why. Bella came over all the time last summer. Edward leaned over and whispered, "They want to know why you choose to live with monsters when you are supposed to be able to kill us."

I rolled my eyes. Of course they'd think that, for now. I wish we could just fast forward to the part where at least some of the wolves got along with my vampires. It would be nice if they would let Carlisle on the reservation to help practice medicine and the wolves could come over the house. I know Esme would love it if someone other than me ate and she wouldn't have to throw away all the food. Why can't we just propose the idea of a truce and have them help against Victoria right now? Given everything that has happened, it didn't make much sense, really, to play along with this game and follow the books.

"No, it doesn't," Edward said softly before stepping up next to his father. I watched on curiously as did everyone else. Carlisle said nothing as Edward looked at him. Instead, I could see Edward ask something quietly and Carlisle nod once before both of them turned to the tribal leaders before them.

"We have some information that may be of use to you as it is to us," Edward started. Billy looked skeptical but the rest of the council kept their pretty much dead pan looks.

"What kind of information?" Billy asked, leaning against his armrest on his wheelchair.

Edward looked to his father first and whispered something very quietly. I could see the werewolves' ears perk up as well as some very confused looks on my family members. Carlisle smiled, looked to me, and then gazed on his son, squeezing Edward's shoulder.

"We believe that Victoria, the red haired vampire you have been trying to catch, to which I thank you, is behind the killings in Seattle," Edward told all of the wolves. Jacob grumbled something. Edward gave one of his crooked grins but continued on with his point. "She is planning on making an army of newborn vampires that will come here to Forks," he told everyone.

I looked over at the wolves when I heard a gasp –from Sue Clearwater it looked like- and then to my own family. Gabriel pulled me closer to him, but I could see Jasper stiffen and clench his fists. Alice looked completely horrified as did Esme. Rosalie just looked angry and Emmett looked up to the challenge, as usual. The wolves…the wolves had no idea what that meant but, unfortunately, I did.

"An army of vampires? What for?" Sam asked demandingly.

"Newborn vampires," Edward stated, emphasizing "newborn". "Victoria has a vendetta against myself and believes that killing Bella would be fair play," he said, clenching his own fist at the end, anger clear on his face. No one would hurt Bella. She'd live. Just like in the books. She's safe. We're prepared.

Jacob let out a whine at that and starting to come up to Edward, snarling. Edward looked completely unfazed by Jacob. "She believes it fair because her mate tried to kill Bella last summer. My family managed to stop him and kill him in the process. Mate for mate," Edward told Jacob coldly.

Both Billy and Sam yelled at Jacob before he could get another whine or snarl in. Jacob lowered his head, subserviently, and walked back to where he was, his tail between his legs, literally. Edward turned his attention to the tribal leaders only after he watched Jacob walk off. I could have sworn Edward almost looked sad.

"Because of this, we would like to offer a truce. My family believes that we would both be better served if we worked together against Victoria than putting our continued difference between us," Carlisle told the tribal elders.

The four leaders quickly looked at each other. Billy just shrugged at the other three and then turned to Sam alone. "It's up to you," he stated. Sam nodded and looked back at Carlisle.

"We accept the truce to protect human lives only," Sam said simply. I rolled my eyes and held tightly to Gabriel's hand as he squeezed my shoulders slightly.

"Are these newborn vampires different from you?" Sam asked. Edward looked to Jasper, who slowly came forward while Edward took a step back. It was better to make them look non-threatening I guess.

"Newborn vampires, vampires that have just been created, at almost feral and exceptionally strong," Jasper began. I could see him wrinkling his nose from being too close to the wolves. It was sort of a funny look. While I listened to the Texan drawl, I leaned against my beloved fiancé, and reached for his free hand which he gladly gave.

"They tend to be unpredictable and extremely volatile, thinking only of their thirst and nothing else," Jasper told the tribal leaders. They looked on at him curiously.

Carlisle gently placed an encouraging hand on Jasper's back. "Jasper, my son, has experience in regards to newborn armies. I believe he will be invaluable in teaching us all how to fight and how they can be defeated. If we are to coordinate, you may, of course, apply any skills to your own hunting style," Carlisle told Sam. I think I had heard that before. Eclipse? Before the army came? Sounds about right.

The wolves began to mumble amongst themselves. It was a really odd sound because dogs don't typically mumble. It was like a throaty growl but there wasn't any malice behind it. I wasn't sure what it meant.

"How many do you think there are and when are they planning on coming here?" Sam asked, curious.

"We know that about the time of June 17th is when they are to come to Forks, across the mountains. At that time, there will be 21, which included Victoria," Carlisle started. All the wolves and tribal leaders looked to Alice who grinned. Edward just shook his head. Yes, they'd think she saw something. Best to keep them thinking that, I guess. "Victoria will create more than that before then but the new ones fight amongst themselves," Carlisle stated.

"Can Victoria be stopped before then?" Sam asked. Edward nodded.

"I believe it may be possible, if we coordinate," Edward started. Sam, Billy, Quil Sr., and Sue all looked at him. "On the weekend of the 20th, Victoria will try to play up our boundary line. She knows or rather she has a talent for escaping impossible situations," he informed them.

Carlisle clasped his son shoulder tightly. "We are will to give permission to any wolf to cross over into our lands for the sake of tracking and destroying Victoria," Carlisle said sadly.

"You do not sound pleased to get rid of her," Quil Sr. spoke up suddenly.

"I do not relish destroying any sentient creature, no matter what she has done," Carlisle affirmed. Quil Sr. only nodded in response. Sam grimaced but looked at Carlisle.

"We will help to destroy her," Sam told him. Carlisle nodded once before Sam spoke again. "Do you know how many others there are right now?" Sam asked.

"No, the numbers are changing too quickly," Edward lied effectively. "But we know one of her associates will attempt to gain access to Bella's room sometime between June 1st and June 4th," he continued. Oh yes, the red shirt stealing, non-pillow eating vampire. Edward cast me an incredulous look. Sorry. There are some things that I can't help, like what I think even though it's not really something I want to think about. Maybe it's time to look at the ground. I wonder if I can find anymore hidden artifacts that will force my beloved vampires to challenge their assumptions on the afterlife.

"You think we can gain information from this creature?" Sam asked. Edward nodded.

"We may be able to reason with him, and ask him to conform to our lifestyle. We don't want to destroy anyone needlessly," Carlisle explained. Another mumble went through the ranks and Edward smirked. Carlisle looked to his son for explanation but Edward only shook his head.

"We will help with Victoria and her army but we still have yet to discuss them," Billy stated, pointing to my Gabriel. I immediately stiffened and tightened my hold on Gabriel's hand.

"The treaty says not to bite, not just not to kill," Billy reiterated. "We assume you have plans to turn her?" he asked. I glared at him. How dare they make any assumptions? Where is my choice in the matter? First, Aro says turn or die and then the stupid wolves say don't turn me or everyone dies? Freakin' Nazis!

"They aren't quite that bad, Elizabeth," Edward told me softly, a hint of a smile on his face.

Carlisle was about to answer when I, still glaring at Billy, took at step forward. I normally hated talking to large crowds like this but I was too angry to care. Carlisle watched me, curiously as I stepped forward. Gabriel hissed, "Elizabeth!" but let me go to stand near Edward and Carlisle. I glanced back at my fiancé, pleading with him with my eyes to not come forward. He seemed to understand and closed the ranks to stay near Esme.

When I turned back to the tribal elders, I continued my glare at Billy. "You dare to make decisions for me?" I asked him defiantly.

"Well, we only want the _Cullens_ to uphold the original treaty," he told me, nearly sneering my family's name. I wasn't sure if Jasper was having fun and making me more angry or if it was just my own temper but Billy should be glad I had my arms crossed so I actually had to think before reaching for my sword.

"And I don't get a say? No one does? Ya'll have been listenin' this entire time and been willin' to play nice and try to catch the big bad red-head but oh dear, can't change a human because that would be bad?" I ranted at him, glaring the entire time.

"When are you going to bother to learn to observe with your own eyes and not through those freakin' legend colored lens?" I almost shouted at him.

"Elizabeth," Carlisle warned me gently. I sighed as he placed a hand on my shoulder and felt Jasper sending me waves of calm. A lot of good that would do when I'm this upset.

"Being blinded by hate never did anyone any good," I mumbled, looking at the ground again. I felt Gabriel come up and gently pull me back. He knew I needed him. Even though Jasper could calm me artificially, only Gabriel could really calm me down. I didn't like being told what to do by anyone like that. Show me my options, tell me why it's a bad decision, but don't make the decision for me. Aro had already taken it away and, given that I have Gabriel, I didn't mind it so much anymore. I wanted him forever.

I could hear the tribal leaders whispering but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I didn't bother to look, I just stayed in Gabriel's arms, back near Esme. Esme was rubbing my back gently.

"We'll think on that part, if you can give us a few days at least?" Billy asked.

"Of course," Carlisle answered.

Both sides began their formal goodbyes. Before the formalities were over with, Gabriel picked me up and ran back towards the house quickly. When he stopped, in the middle of the very dark, wet, and cold forest, I realized I had started crying. Gabriel put me on my feet and lifted my head with a cool finger under my chin. "Tesorina?" he whispered. I looked up at him, hopeless. They had to think about it? They had to think about something that was my life and only my life? The only other person who could possibly get a say was Gabriel and that was because he was going to be my husband. He was going to be stuck with forever, really forever.

"Amata mia," he whispered, holding me tightly to him. I embraced him back, my tears now falling freely and starting to soak his shirt. "I have not agreed. They cannot hold to the treaty if I have not agreed to it," he said quietly.

I gently pushed back against him. "But ya hafta," I started to explain, shaking my head. "They'll have the right to kill ya if ya don't," I said, almost frantic.

"And they will not let me keep you forever if I don't," he said simply. I hugged him again, crying. Gabriel's hand brushed back my braid as he kissed the top of my head. "We will find a way. It does say bite so maybe if we simply point out the syringe option," he teased.

I gave a half hearted smirk to that. We were both quiet for a moment, lost in our own thoughts. "I don't want to lose you," I whispered.

Taking me by the shoulders a bit roughly, Gabriel looked at me seriously. "You will never lose me," he told me without a hint of doubt in his voice. "I will never leave you, cucciola mia. You are consorte mia," he stated. I gazed up at him, wanting so badly to believe that nothing could come between us. Yes, I knew that Gabriel wouldn't leave on his own –he wasn't going to pull an Edward- but what about the wolves? Would they force him away? Maybe if we explained the whole mate thing was similar to imprinting. Could they understand then why I so desperately wanted –and why Bella wanted- to be changed?

Gabriel watched me for a second before gently kissing me and taking me home. I just needed to be home, around the people I loved. I needed to curl up next to Gabriel, have Ginsie half on my lap, and listen to the commentary by the rest of my family as we watched some third rate sci-fi movie. I needed normalcy and I needed understanding. The wolves didn't understand; my family did.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I re-wrote this five times. I hope it came out alright. Some pieces are rather liberally taken from Eclipse. Yes, Edward explained a lot to his family before Elizabeth and Gabriel came back from their weekend and since then. They are all pretty up to date on what is in the books. I'm thinking of skipping ahead to the weekend so that they can all chill at the PNE in Vancouver. Eh, Canada?


	41. BII C xiv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So not skipping ahead. I wanted a fluffy chapter and then the wolves to answer and then PNE. I think. At least that's the plan until tomorrow where it is totally subject to change…again. ;-) This is a bit TMI but I don't think it gets too bad...

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 14

Curling up into a ball and dying sounded good right about now. Actually, curling up into a ball, surrounded by blankets, in a cool, dark corner and dying sounded _really_ good right about now. I hate this time of the month. I blame the moon. Just like all my ancestors did before me.

I woke up knowing that today would be the day it would start. Stupid evolution and stupid montly cycle. The entire lower half of my intestines felt like they had gone to mush and this only upset the rest of my intestines. I was nauseous on top of having very mild cramps. Oh the fun.

Normally, meaning before I came to live in the Twilightverse, I'd just suck it up and go do whatever I needed to, but here, that just wasn't practical. I lived in a home full of vampires and I was technically bleeding. Yes, it was dead blood and I was doing everything humanly possible for it not to be overwhelming but still, leaving the confines of my bedroom just wasn't a bright idea. I had a bathroom, I had a TV, and I had ordered my fiancé upstairs with the pup. He didn't need to be around me when I was like this.

"Elizabetta?" I heard his voice as he cracked the door open slightly. I groaned and toppled over into the pile of blankets and pillows I had made for myself. I could just see him in the doorway with one of my eyes over the edge of the soft fleece I had around me. Gabriel looked stunned and stopped breathing. He was as still as a statue for a moment before slowly, walking over to me. I covered my head with one of the blankets and mumbled a go away.

I felt his hand upon my back. He was trying to rub soothing circles, I think. We sat like that for about a minute. Gabriel, gently rubbing my back, and me, curled up in an awkward ball underneath a bunch of blankets. I really hated this time of the month.

Peeking out from my tiny cave of fleece, I looked up at my fiancé who was sitting on the edge of the bed, gazing at the TV. I turned to look and it was just the news. We already knew the murder count was going up based on the police figuring out that more unsolved homicides were connected. Even though we knew what was going on, no one knew exactly what to do. Did we just march in, get rid of the newborns, and leave? There were too many risks in that. Carlisle was disappointed in his old friends, the Volturi, now that he knew they wouldn't act until everything cleared up. Of course, with Jane gone now and Demetri had said they'd look into the Seattle murders but…

I shook my head and looked up at Gabriel. He smiled weakly at me and pulled me, gently, into a sitting position, holding me tightly to his side. Softly, Gabriel kissed my forehead and I automatically scowled at him. "You shouldn't be here," I grumbled.

"You are here, tesorina. It is where I should be," Gabriel answered.

I sighed and looked up at his face. He was watching the TV again and, slowly, I reached up to turn him so I could see his eyes. Despite hunting on Thursday and today being only Wednesday, Gabriel's eyes were dark. They weren't completely black but they weren't gold either. I let my hand drop and rest my head on his shoulder. Even though he shouldn't be here, I didn't want him to leave either.

"I don't want to cause you pain," I whispered, worried. I wasn't his singer –I knew that much- but I also knew that I didn't smell like just another human to him. Apparently, if Bella was a glass of ice cold water to Edward's dying man in the desert, I was a tall glass of lemonade to Gabriel's working outside all morning in the sun, in August, in the Carolinas. He had to work at saying no to just drinking me dry and demanding more.

"It's bearable," Gabriel told me. I looked up at him, somewhat angry. I didn't want to be bearable. I didn't want to cause him physical pain just to be around me. I wanted him to be immune to my scent and he was self flagellating to comfort me?

I pushed him, not that it did any good. "Get out, Gabriel," I told him. He looked at me, confused. "The entire reason I'm down here and the entire reason I will not come out of my room is because I don't _want_ to cause any one in this house pain. That includes you. Now, get out and go hunt," I told him, barely concealing my own hurt and anger. Why would he come down here, again, when I already told him to leave? Why did he want to bring so much pain on to himself? There wasn't any reason for it. I'd be fine in 48, well, 46 hours.

His dark eyes searched my hazel green ones. His face showed the amount of pain he was in for a moment before he seemed to become resolved. "A compromise," he offered. I raised an eyebrow, curious. "You cannot stay in here for days and not leave, cucciola mia. You need to come out and join the rest of your family, Elizabetta," he told me. I started to object but he put a finger to my lips.

"You smell sweetest to me. It is not as potent currently as you might think. It's only slightly more enhanced. I think the other fragrance I could not name before is that of ginger," he said with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Great, so I smell like tangerines covered in ginger with rose oil?" I stated, rolling my eyes.

Gabriel smirked. "Something like that," he told me before finding one of my hands beneath the blankets and taking it slowly into his own. His face became serious. "I will hunt, but I want you to join the others upstairs. I believe Esme is quite worried about you, tesorina," he said, kissing my hand.

I sighed. I didn't want to be down here, by myself, for two days. I was doing it for everyone elses benefit. Slowly, I lowered my head and whispered, "What is Emmett starts cracking jokes?"

Lifting my head with a single finger, Gabriel smiled at me. "If he does, then I shall deal with him," he told me. A strange look came across his face. "I believe his mother would rectify his behavior more quickly than I could," he told me seriously. I smiled. Esme was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be. Like every other family, Dad might think he's in charge but you never, ever, disobeyed Mom if you valued your life!

"You'll hunt?" I clarified. He nodded.

"If you come upstairs," he promised. I sighed and threw the blankets off me, still in my PJ's. Unfortunately, that sent my scent right in Gabriel's directions. Thank God he wasn't breathing at that moment.

"Oh! Gabriel! I'm so sorry!" I stated immediately, realizing what I had done. He gently took both my hands into one of his and cupped my face.

"Never apologize for that which you cannot help," Gabriel said. His face showed that he was in pain as he took a breath. I could tell his smile was forced and it only made me feel worse.

"Go upstairs. Stay with your sister. I shall hunt," he said almost curtly. I bit my lower lip and in a split second, Gabriel was gone. I fought the urge to cry. Causing my beloved Gabriel, my fiancé, my soon to be husband, any pain killed me more than I wanted to let on.

Slowly, I dragged myself to take a shower and get dressed. I'd shower twice a day if it would help but I'm not sure it would. I remember from the books that water sometimes enhanced the scent. That was the last thing I wanted to do.

Once I was in my jeans, t-shirt, and sweater –Alice had hid my sweatshirts- I slowly made my way upstairs and only prayed that I wouldn't hurt my family just by my very presence. I crept the door open and peeked out. Miss Ginsie was there, wagging her tail, looking at me happily as I existed on to the ground level. I gently pet her head and slowly looked around. I didn't see anyone or anything but the lovely view of the backyard.

Getting braver, I straightened up and smiled down at the white furball who was wagging her tail happily and trying hard not to jump up on me. Given that I was still nauseous, I'd probably kill her if she did. Or throw up on her. Either way, it wouldn't be pretty.

I took one step towards the living room when Esme suddenly stood before me. "Oh, you are up," she smiled. I weakly smiled back, worried that my smell would be too much for even my sweet sister like vampire. Instead, of saying anything, she hugged me tightly and then started to lead me towards the kitchen. "Carlisle called and was hoping that either Gabriel or I could bring you over to the hospital. I believe he'd like to try and conduct those DNA tests," she told me as I sat down at a barstool. A steaming hot cup of tea was placed right in front of me without another word. I looked up gratefully to Esme. Tea with extra honey was great right about now.

"Does it have to be today?" I asked. Friday would be better, much better.

Esme's look turned worried. "If you aren't feeling well, being at the hospital might be a good thing," she told me, worry coloring her tone. I shook my head.

"It's not that, I mean," I started to say as I began to blush. Esme was female. Even if she was frozen, at one point in time, she had to go through this too. Gabriel I could put up with only because he was my fiancé. Having any of the kids know or, in many ways, much worse, my big brother of a vampire know, horrified some part of me. Yes, it was natural for human females but that didn't make is any less of a embarrassing topic.

"Oh," Esme started. She came back around and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry about that, sweetheart. It's barely noticeable," she promised. I looked up at her, curious if she was telling the truth. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought you cut yourself this morning and it was just the wound healing," she whispered. I think I could deal with that. A scabbed over shaving accident didn't sound nearly as horrible.

"But, if you'd rather wait until Friday, I'm sure Carlisle will have an opening then," Esme told me. I sighed and shook my head. Playing with the spoon in my tea, I thought about it. Really, Carlisle was around all those other human females all the time and he was around blood every single day without incident. It shouldn't be too horrible except in my own mind.

"Can I just finish the tea?" I asked. Esme's smile brightened.

"Of course, dear," she told me. "Would you like anything to eat?" she asked, looking around the kitchen at what was available. I eyed the toaster.

"Just toast and butter?" I asked.

Esme's face became worried again. "Are you sure that's all you want?" she asked. I nodded at that. I was very sure that was all I wanted. Two minutes later, I had toast, covered in melted butter, and half a cup of tea left. I managed to eat fairly quickly despite my stomach. I guess it was years of being told I ate too slow growing up.

Although Esme offered to wait for Gabriel, I felt more comfortable with Esme taking me to the hospital. Gabriel was already having problems and he might not be back until late tonight. There was no sense in staying for the newest vegetarian just to take him to a place filled with human blood. He wouldn't last long.

In the car, I thought back to that boy on the beach. Justin Hagar's body was found the other day, I found out. At least, most of his bloated corpse was discovered washed up about 10 miles down the way from where we had been at the Bloody Point lighthouse. The fact that there was no blood was to be expected in drowning cases like this. Between all the marine organisms, the wave action, and the natural deterioration of the body, the blood would have been long gone anyways. It had been almost a month, I think, since that day at the beach. It had been at least a few weeks. I was just …well, happy wasn't the right word, but I was glad that his family had something to bury now. They would get some closure.

But what about my family? In my universe, was everything still going on? Was the FBI out looking for their little intel analyst from Headquarters? If anything, I know I'd make national news with my disappearance just because of my former occupation. When an FBI employee goes missing like that, all hell breaks loose. Were my former co-workers on the FBI electronic tips scouring each lead about me with extra vigilance? Or did no one even know I was gone yet? As time simply not caught up? What if I end up going back…

The last part actually hurt to think about. I didn't want to go back; not if it meant leaving behind Gabriel. I didn't want to leave my vampire family either. I wanted both them and my world. The trade was I got the Twilightverse, I got my Gabriel, but I'd never see my Mom, my Dad, or my brothers ever again. Unlike most people who become vampires, I have already lost everything. I didn't have to wait for everyone I know to die when everyone I know pretty much never existed or at least thinks I never existed. There wasn't much difference in that.

Esme and I got out of the truck at the hospital. Carlisle has the Mercedes, Edward, Alice, and Bella have the Volvo, so Esme got to drive my truck. She didn't seem to mind it. I just didn't want to do anything more than sit curled up in the passenger seat. My stomach refused to let me sit up straight for right now.

Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, Esme lead me through the maze of strange buildings that made up the Forks Community Hosptial. The movie? Totally didn't get it right. At all. The roof of part of the building slanted down and there was some odd totem in front of it that I didn't recognize. Some of the hospital looked to be nothing more than steel structures. Luckily, we were going to the surgical wing that was housed in the main part the white non-steel structure. This was a rural hospital if I ever saw one.

We passed by one of the nurses stations. One of the younger nurses started to say something but the older one stopped her. "That's Dr. Cullen's wife," the older nurse stated.

"Hello, Debra. How are you today?" Esme asked kindly, stopping briefly at the desk. The younger nurse looked up in a mix of awe and something of a grimace at Esme. I guess she must have thought that the good doctor's wife was something of a myth. Although, how anyone in this small of a town hadn't noticed Esme yet was beyond me.

"A little slow today, so that's good," Debra, the older nurse, smiled. She then looked to me. "And who do we have here today?" she asked good naturedly.

Esme squeezed my shoulders slightly. "This is my sister, Elizabeth," she informed the older nurse.

"Oh, we've heard a lot about you these past couple of months from Dr. Cullen," Debra told me. I blushed. I can only imagine what Carlisle has been saying about his crazy "sister in law" to the locals.

"Is my husband busy?" Esme asked.

Debra shrugged. "Probably," she smiled. "But go in anyway. I know he won't mind a break from his paper work if it's you two," the older nurse explained. Esme, smiling back, lead me around the nurses' station to a small hallway.

"Thank you, Debra," she told the nurse. Debra said something like "Not a problem" back as we walked quickly down the hall. A bit too quickly, honestly, for my stomach.

Gently, Esme knocked on the wooden door labeled "Dr. Carlisle Cullen". She didn't even wait for an answer, I don't think, before opening it and walking. Carlisle smiled when he saw her and moved to embrace his wife, kissing her soundly on the mouth. I looked away and stayed out in the hall. Well, until Esme pulled me inside and closed the door behind me.

"I think the first torture you have lined up for Elizabeth was seeing how much cake she really could eat?" Esme teased me. I looked up, slightly hopeful. It didn't matter how sick I felt, I always wanted cake. Strawberry shortcake sounded very good right about now. Maybe some chocolate covered strawberries. Or maybe…

"Unfortunately, I think Melissa, our new nurse, took the rest of the cake from yesterday home to her roommates," Carlisle smiled. My face fell a bit. No cake. Darn. It was good.

"I'm sure there will be more cake later this week," Carlisle promised me before guiding me to one of the chairs with that desk arm thing. I could see the needle and the vials already prepared. Esme squeezed my hand when Carlisle turned to get the alcohol wipes.

"I'll be right back, dear. Do you want Ginger ale or a water?" she asked. All sodas were starting to taste funny to me since I hadn't had them in so long. I didn't like the after taste at all anymore. Since Thanksgiving, I'd had maybe five sodas total. I use to live off of ginger ale and coke-cola but then I went on my diet. After losing 40 pounds and staying away from soda, I was starting to be a believer in the whole corn syrup thing. Maybe we could buy a couple of cases of Canadian coke if we go to Vancouver. They actually use sugar still and it tastes so much better.

"Just a water, please. Thanks, Esme," I told her. I knew why she was leaving, of course. Most vampires and blood just don't mix. As she kissed Carlisle, again, I took off my sweater and looked at the inside of my elbows. My skin was nearly clear on the inside of my arms. My cousins use to tease me as say that I looked like some sort of monster because you could trace my veins so easily up and down my arms. At the elbows, the skin was as close to clear as you could get. Green and purple veins lined up in a row in either arm. I ran my finger over them, familiar with the whole blood taking set up. I had my blood taken so many times, had so many IV's put in me that I had to teach the interns in the Er how to get blood out of me a couple of times. It felt like the right most vein in my right arm was going to be the good one today. I pointed to it as Carlisle watched me.

"That one," I stated simply.

"How many times have you had your blood drawn, Elizabeth?" Carlisle asked, curiously. I shrugged as he felt the veins himself and seemed to agree with my assessment. He took out the alcohol pad and began to wipe the area down.

"Don't know. I was in and out of the hospital most of my childhood," I explained.

"What for?" he asked, concerned. I fought the urge to shrug again as I made a fist and Carlisle strapped that rubber band to the top of my arm. The vein bulged just like it should.

"Kidney reflux, kidney infections, kidney stones, various surgeries, asthma –but I out grew that-, and then there were all the allergies," I explained. Carlisle looked up at me. I had been watching the dark purplish liquid fill the vial. Looking up at him, I saw his face look at me almost in disbelief. "What?" I asked.

"What sorts of allergies?" he asked kindly, almost worriedly as he took another vial of my blood.

"Regular stuff like moss and weeds but also perfumes sometimes. I hate sitting on Christmas morning mass behind some old lady that thinks bathing in her perfume is acceptable. I've had to leave church before because of that," I told him. Of course, there was also the case where they switched soaps at work and I went to wash my hands and the skin fell off my knuckles. The nurse at work was horrified when she saw me. I was just curious as to why there was blood all over the paper towel when I went to dry my hands.

"No medications or food related allergies?" he asked, curious. I shook my head as he started on the last vial needed.

"Medicine, no. Food, a lot," I said. Normally, I'd offer to right it down but it was pointless when you lived around people with perfect memories. Carlisle raised an eyebrow at me, wanting me to continue. I sighed. "Buckwheat and tomatoes are the worst. That's instant anaphylactic shock for me. Which I've discovered is just not fun. Buckwheat makes my throat swell shut and tomatoes make me swell up and turn into a tomato," I explained. I really did turn bright red and swell up. It was almost like that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where Violet turns into a blueberry but not quite as bad. At least I didn't have to go to the juicer.

"What other food related allergies?" he asked as he quickly, vampire speed quickly, put the gauze over the needle and pulled it out. I took over apply pressure easily given that I had this done nearly every other week when I was growing up.

"Berries, except strawberries. Kiwi, Peppers aren't all that good but I can eat them without getting too sick," I explained.

"So," Carlisle began, humor in his voice. "You have had various kidney ailments but cannot drink cranberry juice?" he teased. Cranberry juice, the preventative for all urinary and kidney infections. Oh the fun.

"No, and I proved that cranberry juice and me were not a good combination to the last doctor that tried that," I warned him, teasingly.

Esme knocked right about then. "Come in," Carlisle said, not raising his voice like he would for anyone else. All the blood items had been burned or were sealed. I got a nice Mickey Mouse bandaid on my arm that I wouldn't be able to bend right for the next few hours. Esme came right over and handed me the cool bottle of water smiling.

"All done for the day?" she asked Carlisle. I took the bottle of water gratefully.

"With this one, unless she eats a tomato, then yes," he teased. Esme giggled back a bit.

"Tomatoes?" she asked me. I nodded as I took a sip of water.

"Among a long list," Carlisle further teased me. He pointed to my scar along my neck, no longer concealed by my pearl necklace or one of my sweaters. "What surgery was needed upon your neck?" he asked. I'm sure the vampires had seen it before. The scar was pretty noticeable and I hated it but there wasn't much that could be done about it. It wasn't over all horribly puffy and disfiguring. It was just clear that I had surgery on my throat at some point.

"Tumors, five one centimeter ones. All benign," I explained. Carlisle gently ran his finger across the scar, examining it.

"Tumors?" Esme breathed. I shrugged. I had a cancer "scare" for two weeks. Not that I was scared. I thought that, for once, they'd have a plan, they'd know what was wrong for me. But the tumors turned out to be nothing, just abnormal growths.

"I assume they were on the thyroid?" Carlisle asked, looking at me critically. I nodded.

"I still have the left butterfly wing left. The rest is gone," I told him.

"Hmm," Carlisle answered, thinking. Slowly, he smiled. "Between yourself and Bella, I don't think there will be a week that goes by without one of you in here," he teased.

"Oh, ha ha," I grumbled, standing up slowly. I wasn't dizzy but my stomach still wasn't cooperating.

"Broken bones with one, anaphylactic shock with the other. You two are very lucky that vampires can't get strokes due to stress," he continued to tease me. I grumbled and crossed my arms, looking at Esme.

"Can we go home before my darling brother in law decides he needs to conduct allergy tests on me next?" I pleaded with Esme half heartedly. I knew Carlisle was just teasing me.

"Honestly, that would not be a bad," Carlisle began before Esme tucked me under her arm. It was always a bit odd since I was a good couple inches taller than her.

"We'll see you at home, Carlisle," Esme told him gently. She broke away from me to kiss her husband goodbye. I rolled my eyes and went out into the hallway to wait. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an older man walking away from where I was. He looked lost, or maybe confused. I turned to see if I could at least find out what he was looking for. I only saw him for a second and he was gone. Esme found me standing in the middle of the hallway, looking baffled I'm sure. Stupid hallucinations. Well, if they were hallucinations. If Carlisle, Gabriel, and Edward were right, it was my "ability".

"Elizabeth, sweetheart? What is it?" she asked, concerned. Carlisle was at our side in a second. Didn't he care about at least pretending to be human right now? I guess I was the only one that would see in that short distance.

I shook my head and gave Esme and Carlisle a small reassuring smile. "Just thought I saw something," I stated.

"What exactly did you see?" Carlisle asked, curious. He even took his pin light out. I batted his hand away. I was fine. Silly big brothers with medical licenses…

"I thought I saw an old man heading down the hallway but I'm sure it's just my mind playing tricks on me," I explained.

"Describe him," Carlisle more asked than stated. I sighed.

"I don't know. About yea high," I stated, holding my hand around five and a half feet off the ground. "Hunched over a bit, shuffling like he needed a cane," I shrugged.

"How old would you say he was, approximately?" Carlisle asked. I could see he was thinking of some one in particular.

"I don't know, maybe mid 80's. Why?" I asked, curious. Slowly, Carlisle lead both me and Esme to a Bulletin board filled with various pictures. Carlisle pointed to one photograph in particular. In it was the man I had just seen out of the corner of my eye.

"Was this him?" Carlisle asked gently. I scrunched my eyebrows and looked at the good doctor.

"How did you?" I asked, extremely curious.

"His name was Albert and he died three days ago," Carlisle said sadly. Automatically, I blessed myself. It's a southern Catholic thing. Carlisle gave me a weak smile. "He had been doing well until last week," he stated, a hint of anger in his voice. I wondered what had happened. Esme gently moved to comfort her husband.

"He was getting old, dear," she whispered, rubbing soothing circles on Carlisle's back. Sighed, he turned to his wife and kissed her lightly.

"His family didn't want extraordinary measures to save his life. Extraordinary measures!" Carlisle stated, anger clear in his voice. "If we could have gotten a feeding tube in him, cleared up the infection, he would have lived! He was talking the entire time. That should not have been his death bed," Carlisle explained. Ah, the old feeding tube. I knew about those.

Esme was about to say something else to her husband, worry clear in her eyes, when Melissa, the new nurse, came around the corner. Or, at least her name tag identified her as Melissa. "Doctor Cullen?" she asked, unsure. Carlisle's face changed immediately and he smiled at the young nurse. She, of course, was immediately dazzled.

"Yes, Melissa?" he asked her.

Her eyes went wide for a second and she looked completely stunned. I rolled my eyes at her and shook my head. Did Carlisle even realize what he did to the poor girl?

"Oh umm," she started and looked up to the ceiling in thought. "I think Debra said you have a two o'clock consultation?" she told him.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Stephens," he said. "Thank you, Melissa," he told her. He turned back to both myself and Esme. "I best be off, then," he said, giving Esme another quick kiss. I gave my big brother of a vampire a hug before heading out to the truck again. He needed one.

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**Author's Note:** Just pure fluff, really. We need it before the next chapter. The wolves respond! Elizabeth is already sharpening her sword. Reviews to me are like chocolate covered strawberries to Elizabeth. Honest!


	42. BII C xv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for the reviews! I really love them. I do have a plan for this story, honest! Next week's chapters will be rather somber –hopefully you'll understand why when you read them- so I want to get another fluffy chapter in here this week to equal it all out. Right now, we get to play with the wolf boys –and girl- again!

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 15

Friday started without incident. I woke up, hugged my puppy, kissed my fiancé, and went upstairs to see when my sister wanted to go up to Port Angeles to shop. It was so odd how quickly, effortlessly; I had fallen into the rhythm of living with vampires, of thinking of everyone as family. They were my family.

Carlisle was my brother in law. His greatest joy, other than his family and practicing medicine, seemed to be teasing me. He never had a sibling before and I, honestly, was happy to fill that role.

Esme was very much my big sister. She's chastised Gabriel and Carlisle for teasing me easily…and then would do so herself. I liked spending my mornings either in the kitchen or sitting out on the front porch while Esme worked. I had tried to help but I was a bit too slow to keep up with her pace. It was far more fun to watch her work in the garden or redecorate a room than it was for me to help anyway.

The kids were all fun to have around. Well, not when Alice was hiding my clothing. I really need to get on that girl about that. Edward and I have been hanging out a lot. Not only were we both in very similar situations –human/vampire relationships aren't the norm- but we were cousins. To have one blood relative here was a relief in itself. I did have roots, I just didn't know where some of them were.

Emmett loved having Ginsie around. He'd play with her every day. Yesterday, Ginsie caught a bird and brought it to the front mat. The poor creature was scared to death but Emmett managed to carefully pick up the bird, hide the thing, and praise Ginsie for her hunting skills. It was funny to watch this giant vampire praising the little dog for hunting down a bird. I found out later the bird had been returned to the forest…mostly unharmed.

Rose was still somewhat Rosalie. She wasn't overtly cold anymore but she seemed unsure of how to respond to me. I had everything she wanted. I had managed to ask her if she wanted to go to Port Angeles today with myself and Esme, before Alice got home, and she said she would so I was hoping I could talk to her more then.

Jasper was staying mostly in his study. I had been worried that it was because of me but everyone assured me, no, that was just Jasper. Since my other issues were over with, maybe I should double check on the reclusive vampire in the study?

Then there was my Gabriel. He was slowly fitting in. He had been a nomad for 500 years and those 500 years of instinct were hard to fight against. But I could also see that he was starting to enjoy this. Learning how to be a part of a family again, learning some of the technology that he had no use for previously –like the microwave or the TV- was all amusing to him. Part of him wanted to be part of the family as much as I already was. Of course, I did catch him grumbling something in Italian about being the only vampire in existence that has in-laws. At least, I think that's what he was muttering about.

I started to go up stairs, dressed in my embroidered jeans and a fitted sweater, when I felt a gush of wind and found myself up the stairs without a single thought. Of course, I also found myself in my beloved's arms. "Gabriel!" I shouted at him and glared as he put me down. He smiled at me.

"Si, amore?" he asked, teasingly. Slowly, he took my hand and began to kiss it.

"No carrying me up the stairs without asking. You know that!" I admonished him, taking my hand away at the same time. He looked genuinely upset over that.

"I apologize, amata mia," he whispered. I could feel his cool breath upon my face and knew he was only centimeters away. I think there was something to be upset about, wasn't there? Ginsie's high pitched "pay attention to me!" bark was the only thing that snapped me back to reality. I pushed Gabriel back, which was like pushing a brick wall.

"No dazzling me either!" I told him grumpily. I turned away from him, starting to walk towards the living room when Gabriel gently took one of my hands again and kissed it.

"I am sorry, cucciola mia," he whispered sincerely. I sighed and turned to him, not taking my hand away this time.

"I know," I said softly before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Gabriel smiled a bit and took his free hand to cup my face before kissing me back.

By the time I heard the sounds of "awww" and chuckling, my back was up against the wall, one of Gabriel's hands was on my hip, trailing down, and the other was supporting my lower back. My own hands were desperately trying to pull Gabriel closer to me. We broke apart, forehead to forehead but not really looking over at the two vampires I knew were only a few feet away. Gabriel was smiling slightly at me, still holding me close.

"You know, I have no objections to adding two more vampires to my list of causalities right now," I muttered to him between the chuckling and teasing comments from the two forever twenty year old boys. Gabriel smirked lightly and then turned his glare on to the boys, particularly Emmett. I hide in Gabriel's side, hugging his arm practically, trying not to laugh at the sudden change in mood as Gabriel said something to them both lowly. I could make out a word here and then but I wasn't really paying attention to the words as much as the change in atmosphere and the expressions on the boys' faces.

"Aww, c'mon, man," Emmett told Gabriel. My beloved fiancé just raised an eyebrow at Emmett, who quickly hung his head. I think it might have been more to do with Jasper's hand on his shoulder than any real remorse. "Sorry, Aunt Sissy," Emmett muttered.

I shook my head at the scene before me and slowly released my grasp on Gabriel to take a step towards the two boys. "What are you two up to anyway?" I asked curiously. They wouldn't be in the hallway unless they wanted something. Even if it was just to annoy me.

"One of the wolves is outside," Jasper stated solemnly. I think my heart stopped for a second. Maybe. One of the wolves? Have they come to a decision already? I guess it has been a few days… I clutched Gabriel's hand tight.

"Did you invite him in?" I asked. Both boys looked at me like grew two heads. Realizing the answer, I huffed and grumbled and marched to the front door leaving behind three very confused vampires. Just because I didn't necessarily always like all the wolves didn't mean we had to be impolite! And where was Esme to teach her boys some manners?

I, at least, found out the answer to both my questions, quickly. Ginsie had been following me and started growling when I got to the front door. Through the window, I could see Esme on the front porch, talking to a sandy haired wolf. What was Seth doing here and shouldn't he be in school right now?

I came out, Ginsie behind me who immediately lunged for the far bigger, far fiercer sandy haired wolf. I pretty much literally facepalmed right then and there. It was like watching a house cat go after an African lion. There really was no contest. Luckily, Seth just backed up and growled lightly at her until she got his tail. Then he whined for help. I could see a movement for gray fur in the tree line and realized he wasn't here alone. Although I seriously doubt any of the other wolves would do anything other than laugh at this situation.

I went to retrieve my pup but Esme beat me to it. The little white furball looked up at my sister-like vampire very confused and then looked to me for help. "Ginsie!" Esme chastised the small pup. "I know Elizabeth has taught you better than that," she continued before putting the pup inside the house. Gabriel, Emmett, Jasper, and even Rose came outside by then, leaving only Miss Ginsie inside the Cullen house.

Gabriel came to my side immediately and glared down the sandy colored wolf who looked totally lost in all this. "Sorry about that, Seth," I told him sincerely. The wolf sat and cocked his head at me, like he had a question about something. It would be really useful to have Edward here right about now or for Seth to change into human form.

Seth continued to look at us. With his head, he gestured to me and then back to the driveway. "Have ya'll come to a decision?" I asked carefully. Yes and no questions should be okay. It will take forever, but it should be okay.

Seth shook his head no and let out a soft whine before starting the impatient walk in the circle thing that all dogs do. I totally never understood that. I sighed and Esme looked at the werewolf curiously.

"Seth?" Esme asked softly. The sandy haired horse-sized pup looked up at her. "Can you change into your human form? It might be easier for all of us for now," she said gently. Seth whined a bit again and shook his head.

Rosalie huffed something about manners and Esme looked over to her daughter to remind her of her own. I crossed my arms and leaned against Gabriel. "Let me guess, Sam said not to?" I asked the wolf before us. He nodded his head enthusiastically which was really a sight to see. Not only were we trying to communicate to a true Furry –I'm sure the wolves would skin me alive if they knew what that term meant- we were playing twenty questions with him. At least it was just Seth.

"Why does he have to listen to Sam? It just makes it harder and Edward won't be home for a while yet," Emmett asked. I looked over my shoulder and around Gabriel at him. Gabriel's arm held me close to my fiancé. It was clear he didn't trust the wolves.

"Sam is the alpha, for now at least. What he says goes if he demands it," I explained. "The other wolves in the pack have no free will of their own if an order is given," I said almost sadly. Seth sat down again and nodded once. I saw Leah, the tuff of gray fur I had seen a few minutes earlier, come out to the very edge of the trees. She seemed curious about something.  
"So there isn't like mutiny or anything in the wolf pack?" Emmett asked. Jasper chuckled at his brother and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"No," I said serious.

Emmett looked at the sandy colored wolf. "Damn. Sorry, man," he told him.

"Emmett! Language," Esme admonished him. Seth gave a big wolfy grin and then looked to me again, gesturing to the driveway.

"You want us to follow you?" I asked him. Seth shook his head and slowly approached the front porch. Almost all the vampires stiffened, despite Seth trying his hardest to look non-threatening. As he approached me, Gabriel began to growl. I looked up at my fiancé and glared at him. "Be nice to Seth," I instructed. Gabriel just looked down at me confused. "He won't hurt me," I told Gabriel softly.

Seth, very slowly, bumped his nose against my hand and then backed away, looking up at me.

"Just me?" I asked. Before Seth could get a full nod in, Gabriel made his opinion very clear.

"No! I will not allow that," my beloved sparklepire shouted. I rolled my eyes and turned to go into the house.

"I'll get my cutter torch," I muttered before Gabriel grabbed the upper part of my arm. I looked up at him, wondering what he was planning.

"You will not go alone," Gabriel stated. "They are dangerous, cucciola mia," he said softly. Leah let out some sort of wail that I could only interpret as a mixture of laughter and impatientance.

"I agree," Jasper said, looking out to Leah. His face was one of stony concentration.

It wasn't long before all the vampires were arguing against me going and the two wolves were whining for me to leave. I could even hear Ginsie voice her opinion on the matter through the front door. Why on God's green earth did Sam think it was a good idea to send two wolves over, not let them change into human from, and drag me back to the reservation to discuss this issue? At least that's what I'm assuming.

Sighing, I turned to head inside again. Gabriel stopped me, again. "I'm just going to get the phone," I muttered. Loosening his grip, he let me inside. Seth whined again but I brushed him off. I was going to give Sam a piece of my mind.

Inside, Esme and Gabriel followed me while Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper watched the two wolves. I quickly dialed 411 on the kitchen phone. Even if I couldn't get to Sam Uley, I could get to Billy Black, I'm sure, using the good old 411 service. The operator, luckily, connected me easily to Sam's number.

"Hello?" Sam answered the phone.

"You stupid, idiotic, mongrel!" I shouted at him. Esme whispered "Elizabeth!" but I ignored her quite reprimand. "How dare you use Seth and Leah like that! Are you really so lacking in IQ points that you think for one second I'd be allowed to come to the reservation alone?" I asked him incredulously.

"They won't let you leave?" he asked, emphasis on the let. I knew what he was implying and I bit back a growl of my own.

"How dare you even insinuate such a thing," I started. "After you order Seth and Leah not to change into human form? Do you realize how hard it is to figure out what they want when they can't talk to us?!?"

"I thought one of your bloodsuckers could read minds," Sam said, venom in his voice. Oh my goodness. He really is an idiot.

"Edward is at school you numbskull!" I shouted at him over the phone. "Just like Seth should be. Do you not even think about such things? Are you really that incompetent?" I continued to yell at him. Gabriel was snickering and Esme covered her mouth, horrified, I guess, by my behavior.

"You're the idiot that wants to be one of those bloodsucking monsters," Sam stated.

"Oh brilliant. So says the giant furball that clawed off his fiancé's face! What did Emily say 'oh so sorry I made you hit me, baby'," I countered. Esme took the phone away from me at that moment and I sulked. Why wasn't I allowed to yell at the werewolves?

"Sam, this is Esme. I apologize for Elizabeth's behavior," she said, actually glaring at me. I looked down, shamefully. I guess I did get a bit out of hand but really! This whole werewolf/vampire nonsense had to stop.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against his stone cold chest with ease. "I do understand, Sam. Please, we only wish the best for our Elizabeth. If you would be kind enough to allow even one of us to come with her," Esme pleaded with him. I couldn't hear what Sam was saying back.

As I thought on the werewolves, Bella kept popping into my thoughts too. Bella, of course, wanted to go to the reservation. She wanted to see Jacob again. Edward informed us yesterday that she was allowed on a temporary probation for good behavior after Esme interceded. It meant Bella could come with us tomorrow to PNE. But I wondered how the vampires would feel about two humans going to the reservation, alone? I could take care of myself, I'd take my sword. I had a feeling they were more concerned about me killing off the native population in one temper flare than they were about my own safety. Well, maybe not Gabriel. I wonder if Bella could play peacemaker…

"Esme?" I asked almost timidly. She looked at me softly but curiously while still on the phone with Sam. "What if Bella and I both went?" I asked. Esme's face registered shock so I talked quickly. "I know you are worried about us being hurt but Bella has been to the reservation without incident a ton of times. I'd take my sword and Bella would be able to calm any tensions. We'd be fine if we both went," I explained quickly.

Esme looked up to Gabriel to see what he thought. "No," was all he said. I rolled my eyes and turned around in my beloved's arms to look at him.

"You know nothing with happen to me, Gabriel," I told him. He brushed a stray strand of hair from my face.

"There is no way to be certain of that," he whispered back, worry and pain in his golden eyes. I hated seeing that there. Gently, he cupped my face as he looked into my eyes.

"Sam, I understand your hesitancy to allow any one of us on your land, but please, we only want to protect Elizabeth," Esme pleaded with him. I rolled my eyes and Esme gave me the Mom look. Hugging Gabriel's arms around me, I looked down.

"Yes, I believe that would be alright," Esme told him. Slowly, I looked up, wishing I could hear the entire conversation. All I knew as that Gabriel was holding me tighter.

"Right now? I suppose," she said, looking at me. I looked back, curious. "Oh, yes, of course. We do understand and I promise you that she isn't but, please, try to understand how much we love her and how hard it is for us to let her cross over under those terms," Esme explained. I hadn't the slightest idea what she was talking about.

"Yes, I think that would be acceptable," Esme continued. "Oh yes, of course. We will see you in a few minutes with the rest of the pack," she said sweetly before hanging up.

I looked at Esme, curious. My hands were folded over Gabriel's, who held me tightly against him. "What did he say?" I asked, curious.

Esme looked at me, pulled out of her thoughts, and gave me the Mom look again. "Elizabeth, you really must control your temper. Especially around the wolves, sweetheart!," she chastised me. I sighed. I knew I had to and I wasn't quite sure what it was that made me so terribly upset with Sam. He was just so…controlling! He kept giving orders to everyone and forcing them to obey and…

That's when it hit. Why I was so angry, so mad at Sam all the time. He was the Alpha, the leader of the group for now and he knew it. He forced others to his will and didn't listen to alternative points of view in the books. It looks like he was already being controlling now. Yes, the boys liked him most of the time but he left Leah for Emily. He turned his back on her and refused to listen to anything other than his own will, his own commands, his own thoughts… He was exactly like how my Dad was up until four years ago or so. Controlling, manipulative, demanding, unyielding, but he could be nice, loving, and a true leader when he wanted to be. Sam reminded me of my Dad. It wasn't Sam I was arguing with, it was the ghosts of my past.

"I'm sorry, Esme," I whispered as Gabriel held me tightly. Esme came forward and gently lifted my chin to look at her.

"None of us want to see you get hurt, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice filled with motherly concern. I nodded slightly. I understood.

"The wolves will come here, and then, if you want, you can go to the reservation to meet with council," Esme told me. I looked at her, curious. Why would all the wolves come here while I was heading over there?

"They want to make sure that you aren't being influenced by us but they also understand our concerns," Esme began. "Sam will bring the pack here and both of us will wait until you return," she said.

I bit my lip, they'd leave the reservation unprotected like that? That didn't make much sense. "Will anyone be running the border? Victoria is still out there," I said, worried. Esme smiled at me.

"Of course," she said and then tapped her chin in thought. "Maybe this might be a good excuse to pair up and see if we can't help one another," Esme mused. I smiled at her. That would work.

"I do not like the idea of you going alone," Gabriel stated. I turned slightly to see my beloved vampire's face. He, of course, was frowning.

"I'll take my sword. All the wolves will be under strict vampire supervision," I teased. Gabriel still didn't look pleased. Slowly, I reached for his face and tipped his chin down. "I'll be fine," I reassured him.

Looking to Esme for help, she only shook her head. "We need to start trusting each other more if this silly dispute is ever going to end," Esme told him.

Gabriel held me tight and, automatically, I rested my head on his shoulder. "Please, don't go," he pleaded with me. I shook my head.

"Esme's right, we need to trust them. This needs to end," I whispered back.

It was about an hour later that Carlisle, Alice, and Edward showed up. Carlisle had been working the early morning shift today so it was his time to come home but Alice and Edward were skipping the afternoon classes. The wolves wanted all the vampires visible and the vampires, honestly, wouldn't have it any other way.

While Sam, Carlisle, and Jasper began to plan out, exactly, the paths they would run to help protect both the reservation and Forks, Emmett had already challenged Paul into a race. That was interesting. Luckily, both sides ignored those two, for the time being.

I kissed Gabriel goodbye before hopping into my truck and heading to the reservation. Gabriel insisted on seeing me to the border line so one of the wolves had to come to. I insisted on it being Seth. I could just see the sandy colored wolf step in front of my vampire to stop him from crossing as I drove on to La Push. Gabriel's face was so torn I almost turned back but knew I couldn't. The wolves and the vampires were going to try and work together. I had to talk to the council. This would work. This had to work. We needed to stop Victoria.

I found the Black's residence easily. The house was wooden and looked like it could use another paint job since the red was fading and a bit chipped, but it looked comforting, really. It reminded me of my cousins' homes up in Dunkirk. The ones that no longer exist. I pulled into the driveway and could see the Rabbit inside the garage. I bet the motorcycles were in there too. Maybe I should take those apart…

Sue Clearwater came out of the house and looked around as if she was unsure as to whether I was really alone or not. I sighed and hopped out of my truck. "Hello, Sue," I said as kindly as I could muster right now.

"Elizabeth," she said with a nod. "Won't you come in?" she asked, leading me inside. Old Quil and Billy were in the tiny living room. The sofa took up half the room and Billy's chair took up the rest. I managed to squeeze myself –sword and all, I insisted- over on to a lazy boy chair. Sue sat next to Old Quil and Billy was on the other end of the sofa in his chair, looking at me hard.

"We wanted to talk to you about what you are doing and why you shouldn't be around the cold ones anymore," Billy started. I couldn't help myself. I know I told Carlisle I'd behave. I promised Esme I'd be polite but for the love of God people! I rolled my eyes and slumped a bit in my seat. Still, I decided not to say anything. I did promise Esme…

"Our legends tell us that the smallest hint of blood will cause them to be unable to control their thirst. They are creatures, Elizabeth, that live for the blood and the blood alone," Billy started. I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. Billy stopped talking so I could speak.

"I know your legends, Billy. I know of the cold ones from your past. I know of the third wife and her sacrifice," I stated. Even Old Quil looked mildly surprised at that. "But what your legends do not tell of is the entire culture, civilization, if you will, of the vampires," I started. I could see Billy gripping the edge of his wheelchair tightly but he didn't say anything. Sue was too new to all of this to be anything more than shocked and Old Quil was sitting there, listening and watching with wise-old eyes.

"The vampires do not become void of emotions –if anything, they are enhanced when they are changed," I started. "Just as you have imprinting, the vampires mate for life. Once they have found their mate, that becomes among the most important, or really is the most important part of their existence," I started to explain.

"And you think that leech that has joined the coven is your mate?" Billy asked in disbelief.

"Gabriel," I corrected him, "is my fiancé. I will marry him," I stated. Old Quil shook his head.

"There are legends, though not our own, of the cold ones taking human brides to kill so that their families will believe that they have gone to live with their new husband and left their former lives behind completely," Old Quil told me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't have any family other than the Cullens," I stated.

"They aren't your family!" Billy stated angrily. I glared him down and he looked shocked by that.

"The Cullens are very much my family, Billy Black," I said coldly. "They have taken me in and helped me when no one else could. Family does that. People that love each other do that, not monsters," I continued.

"But those bloodsuckers are monsters!" Billy informed me. I sucked in a breath, desperate to control my temper. This was supposed to be about me joining the Cullens fully, and possibly Bella as well.

"The only monsters I have ever seen are the ones that use their hate to wield power and control over someone or something else," I stated, my voice still cold but firm. It looks like he took the hint. Billy sat back, slightly flabbergasted. He knew what I was insinuating. His hate, the malice all the Quileutes seemed to have against the vampires, was what was controlling his decisions, his arguments. There wasn't any basis in fact. He hasn't been around any of my vampires long enough to get an idea of how kind, how loving, how much fun they were to be around. Even Rosalie, when she wanted to be nice. To me, the monsters were the people like Billy, Old Quil, and Sue, who based their prejudices on to the next generation without any facts to back them up; just old stories made up hundreds of years before. They were the brainwashers, the ones who didn't even try to find a way to make peace, and passed on the hate.

"You wanted me here to discuss why I want to be one of them, a vampire. It's simple," I started. All three pairs of brown eyes were on me. "Even before I realized how much I love Gabriel, when the Volturi –who rule over all vampires- discovered I had killed two of their most precious gems in their Guard, they decided I either had to be turned myself or die," I started to explain. I saw Sue shift, uncomfortably, in her seat. Billy just eyed me and Old Quil looked like he was actually interested in the story.

"Both of theses gems were vampires themselves, vampires who depended on their extra gifts to protect them," I informed the three members of the council.

"How did you kill them?" Old Quil asked but it was clear the other two were just as curious.

"I killed Jane using a can of old hairspray and a lighter," I started. That got me some interesting looks. I sighed. "The aerosol in the can makes it an instant flame thrower," I shrugged. "For Alec, well, he was hunting myself and Gabriel down at that point so I filled a lightbulb with gasoline and Gabriel added a remote detonator," I began until it was clear I lost them again. I keep forgetting that not everyone knows how to make bombs and napalm. It's so weird to be around anyone close to normal. I sighed.

"The electrical current, when it hits the lightbulb, causes the gasoline to congeal and expand as well as catch on fire. The lightbulb explodes and you get almost instant napalm," I explained. All three were quite for a moment.

"Where did you learn this type of stuff?" Billy finally asked. I shrugged.

"I use to be with the FBI," I answered truthfully. Of course, I learned a lot of this before I was in the FBI from hanging out with former Marines, Navy, and Army guys but no point in explaining that.

"So you went from being in the FBI to being a vampire hunter?" Sue asked. I shook my head.

"No, not really. I met up with the Cullens first after a very long, very bad day," I started to explain. All three looked at me in wrapped attention.

"When they came back here, to Forks, I went to stay out on the East Coast," I told them. There was no reason to dispute the whole LA story right now. I didn't want to go into the temporally displaced, universally displaced human story either. "It wasn't until I saw Gabriel being tortured by Jane that I became a…vampire hunter," I stated with a hint of a smirk. That sounded so funny to my ears still.

"Why did you stop one leech from killing the other?" Billy asked, curiously. I rolled my eyes.

"They aren't leeches. People can and have eaten products with blood for many years. Ever heard of _Black Pudding_, Billy _Black_?" I questioned him. Billy shifted somewhat uncomfortably in his seat. I decided to answer his question anyway.

"No creature has the right to torture another. I couldn't leave someone to die by the hands of that witch," I said, slightly angrily.

"And yet you want to be one of them?" Billy asked again. I nodded.

"I'd much rather do so with the treaty intact. I don't want a war to start over something that is my decision," I emphasized.

The three council members looked at each other and began to whisper amongst themselves. Given the tiny room and my hearing, there really wasn't much point. I could hear everything they were saying. All they were doing was deliberating on whether or not to allow a provision for me…and me alone. "What about Bella?" I quickly interjected.

I saw Billy's eyes go wide for a second before narrowing. "What about Bella?" he questioned.

"You can't make decisions for her, Billy. You know she's in a similar situation as me. She is Edward's mate, no matter what anyone else may think," I told him calmly. I swear, he turned an interesting shade of purple before calming back down.

For whatever reason, at that moment, I remembered the small pouch I found in the woods behind the Cullen family home. Carlisle had given it to me before I left today to hand over to the council. I had forgotten it on the way over, given that my mind was on about oh twenty or so other things at the moment. Reaching into my trench coat pocket, I pulled out the worn leather bag that Carlisle had wrapped up in a handkerchief. Apparently, Esme had tons of them. I had no idea as to why since vampires can't cry.

"Carlisle wanted me to give this to you," I said, holding out the tiny bag in my hands. All three looked at it with wide eyes. "I found it, behind the Cullen's home," I explained, handing the bag to Billy who took it slowly, almost like he was scared of it.

"I think it's of the second vampire, the one who looked like the goddess of the Dawn. The one who killed half the village in revenge of her mate, just like Victoria will try to do and is doing to Seattle," I started to explain. Old Quil and Sue looked at the weather leather bag and gently touched it like it would bite them at any second. "Vampires will do anything for their mates. Your stories tell of this even though you don't realize it. To not let Bella be changed now will only cause problems down the line. Just like with me, you can't dictate to Bella what she can and cannot do with her own life," I whispered as I lowered my head.

For a good minute, I heard nothing. Looking back up slowly, I only wanted to add one point. "Change the treaty. Allow a human to be changed if they ask for it and only if they ask for it. That is all we want," I said softly.

Billy, Old Quil, and Sue began to deliberate again. I sunk back into the lazy boy, emotionally exhausted. All I wanted was to go home and be around my family. I wanted to make sure they were safe too given Victoria. If anything happened to any one of my vampires, I'd be beside myself.

I thumbed over my rosary in my trench coat pocket while the talked in hushed whispers. I only prayed that everything would work out, that everyone would get what they needed out of this. I actually got through the entire first three decades of the rosary before Billy spoke again to me.

"We'll talk to Sam but, so far, we will agree to this new…provision," Billy started. My eyes light up. They'd let us be changed? Really? Billy put up one hand, "Provided that the human in question is well aware of what they are to become and that their family is aware of it as well." My jaw dropped a bit. Sure, that was fine for me but for Bella?

"Billy, you don't understand," I started. "If the Volturi find out Charlie knows, they'll give him the same ultimatum they gave me, that they gave Bella!" I shouted a bit more loudly than I meant. "It will be change or die for him too. Do you really want that? Could you do that to your best friend?" I asked him.

"He has a right to know what his daughter is up to!" Billy shouted back. I sighed, trying to calm myself down again. I began to play with my pearl necklace, my symbol of my engagement to Gabriel.

"At the risk of his own life? Bella knows what she is doing. She's 18. Isn't that enough? Why scare Charlie with stories of werewolves and vampires when all he needs to know is that his daughter has found someone that loves her completely?" I asked quietly but firmly.

"He needs to know that this isn't a normal choice," Billy stated. I sighed but remembered Breaking Dawn and smiled a bit.

"Then have Jacob phase in front of him. That should scare him enough to know something is going on. Knowing about shapeshifters isn't against the rules," I pointed out. Billy raised an eyebrow but looked like he was actually considering it. "Charlie doesn't need to know vampire, specifically, right? Just… not human," I pointed out.

"I'll go with that," Billy acquiesced. Thank God.

"So, no turning humans without their permission. Still no killing humans, and we'll work on trying to at least be pleasant neighbors?" I clarified. Sue's face remained hard but Old Quil smiled a bit and Billy actually chuckled.

"Sounds about right," Billy nodded.

"Good," I stated as I got up. "I promise to send all the wolves home assuming none of them are playing with my vampires or eating some of Esme's cookin'," I told the council.

"The vampires can cook?" Sue asked. I patted my stomach.

"Unfortunately, yes," I told her. "Esme makes the best chocolate chip peanut butter cookies," I stated as I headed toward the door.

Sue just looked something like a deer in the headlights and Billy chuckled again. It was only a minute later that I was heading to the border. The very second I crossed over the line, I saw my beloved vampire on one side of the road and Seth, still in wolf form, on the other side. I stopped the car immediately, threw it into park, and jumped out, embracing Gabriel as tightly as I could.

His cool arms encircled my waist as he kissed me fully. When we broke apart, I rested my head on his shoulder and could feel tears starting to fall. The day had taken everything out of me and, although I knew now everything would be alright, I was still fearful something had gone wrong.

Seth trotted over to us and nudged my arm with his nose gently, a hint of whine from his throat. "It's okay, Seth," I told him, turning towards him. I ruffled the top of his wolfy head. "I think your Mom and the rest of the council want you home now, though," I told him. I know the rest of the pack would know the second I said it. Seth nodded and started to trot off when I called to him. "Seth?" I asked him. He turned and cocked his head at me. "Thank you for watching Gabriel for me," I teased lightly. Seth gave me a big wolfy grin and Gabriel grumbled something in Italian. For now, I think the world might just be alright.

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**Author's Note:** Wow! This story is in a couple of different communities now. That's awesome! This chapter is a bit longer than normal, not that I think anyone minds. ;-) Tell me what you think! Please?


	43. BII C xvi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm hoping I get this right. I, myself, have never been to the PNE. I only heard about and it looks like a pretty cool amusement park. (Wooden rollercoaster? OMG!!!!11!!!Eleventy!!!!SQUEE!!!) I've been looking at the map of it and, hopefully, I don't screw it up to badly for anyone that actually has been there.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 16

Saturday started cold and…sunny? A small hint of a sunbeam tried to find its way into my bedroom between the very tiny window and the heavy curtain that covered it. It just made it around the edges showing that it was, indeed, sunny out. I groaned. If it was sunny here, wouldn't it be sunny at this PNE place?

I had found out that Esme was dead serious about going to the Pacific National Exhibition center, known as the PNE. It was some government run fairground up in Vancouver. I was told that it was a lot of fun and was only open on the weekends from after Easter until school let out. Then it would be open all summer. I was beginning to wonder if they even had summer here. It was still in the 30's when I woke up every morning.

Not that it didn't get like this back home. In Washington DC, I remember going down to Saint Mary's Fairgrounds in 2004 and it started to snow. In May. Maybe it was 2005? I think I was still in college in 2004 so it must have been in 2005.

While I tried to figure out when it snowed, in May, just outside of DC, I got up and got dressed for the day. If we were going to the PNE, I wanted something warm and that I wouldn't mind wearing outside all day in. If we were staying home well, I could just change into whatever. It's not like changing clothes a couple of times a day was unacceptable. If it was, Alice would be in huge trouble and Rosalie right behind her.

While wearing my jeans and a tight, fitted, long sleeved shirt, I held up two different sweaters for Miss Ginsie to inspect. The dog was at the foot of the bed, looking at me critically. "So Miss Gins," I started. "The red sweater?" I asked her. "Or the black one?"

Of course, my door burst open at that moment. I figured Alice couldn't resist a fashion consultation. When I turned my head to yell at the impetuous pixie, she had already picked up the black sweater, threw it at me, and put the red sweater away. "You need to hurry up. We still need to pick Bella up and then we can take everyone up to the PNE. You know, they have some fabulous shopping there at the one exhibit hall. There are always all sorts of vendors. Typically, I don't go for the _used_ items but who can pass up a true Chanel hat?" Alice began to drone on. Sighing, I put on the black sweater.

I was about to point out that I needed to take care of Miss Ginsie before we went anywhere when Alice spoke up again. "I'll get her," Alice said quickly and handed me a tight, off the shoulder, pink top of mine. "You'll need to bring this," she told me before starting to lead the pup out of the room and up the stairs.

"Why do I need this?" I asked, holding up the top. Alice turned and smiled at me.

"For the nightclub, of course!" she informed me like it was the most obvious thing in the world before heading up the stairs, gently pushing Ginsie up the stairs with her. I sighed. If that was the case, I need to at least bring my lipstick, a hair brush, and maybe a different pair of earrings. I packed my small overnight bag, thankful, for once, I'd actually not have to worry about some creepy guy asking me out at the club. Gabriel would probably growl at anyone that came close! A small giggle escaped my lips as I thought of my poor vampire, trying his hardest to let me be but at the same time, trying not to let anyone look at me the wrong way.

I got out to the car after checking on Ginsie. Alice had put her in the kitchen so that she'd have a litter box -something they make for dogs now- and her water. I found out, while getting to the car, that I was traveling with Bella and Edward in the Volvo. This ought to be interesting. Well, it had already gotten interesting, since, the second I got outside, my cousin and my fiancé were arguing. Jasper was on the sidelines laughing; Emmett looked like he wanted to join in; Rosalie looked rather disgusted by the entire thing; Alice was shaking her head and trying not to laugh herself; Esme had her hand over her heart, worried; and Carlisle looked like he couldn't decide whether to stop it or sit back and watch the show. All I could hear was that the very fast argument was over who was going to drive. Men. Sigh.

Sighing, I went, put my bag in the trunk of the Volvo, and saw them still at it. Edward had the keys but Gabriel was blocking the front door. Silly sparklepires. That thought got Edward's attention for a split second. I just smiled, walked up next to my cousin, took the keys rather easily out of his hand and then walked up to Gabriel, giving him the look but keeping the keys firmly in my hand. The two vampires looked at each other when they realized what I was planning. About half the family was laughing now, still on the sidelines.

"No," the both told me. I just took one step back to arch an eyebrow at both of them.

"And why not?" I asked, my accent showing clearly in my voice as I crossed my arms and hid the keys in the crux of my elbow. "You," I said, starting with Gabriel, "are just trying to be overly ridiculous and claim that you are the oldest so you get to drive. You'll at least be able to sit in the front seat this way so hush."

Turning to a smirking Edward, I looked him down. Which actually wasn't that hard given I was standing up a small incline from him. He immediately stopped. "Do you really want Bella to be hesitant about even getting in the car when she finds out where we are going and that you or Gabriel are driving. She has no clue how fast I drive yet so she'll probably come straight out to the car without twenty million questioning looks," I point out.

_Besides, you'll have the entire back seat to yourselves._

I teased. That left Edward's mouth slightly agape. "Stop that," I told him as I brushed an ego-bruised Gabriel to the side to get in to the car. "You'll catch flies," I continued as I reached for the car door handle. I found myself, a second later, in the passenger seat, rather than the driver's seat. Looking over at the driver's seat, I glared, heavily, at my fiancé. Gabriel smiled slightly at me as he started the car with the keys he grabbed out of my hand.

"I don't believe either one of us could withstand you texting while driving with your knees along the highway," Gabriel stated. I huffed and Edward let out a small chuckle as he got into the backseat of the car. Immediately, I turned my glare on to him. I mean, really, the only person I would possibly be texting is Alice anyway.

By the time we got to Bella's my anger had abated somewhat. Enough that, when Edward got out of the truck thanks to a passing cloud, I decided it might be nice to say Hi to Charlie, prove that there would be some sort of adult supervision, and introduce the police chief to my fiancé. Edward seemed to agree because, no sooner had I thought about it then my door was open.

"Although, I hardly think that you count as adult supervision," Edward teased. Gabriel was at my side in an instant once I was out of the truck. Although Gabriel allowed my cousin to be around me, he didn't, necessarily, like Edward doing things that Gabriel thought he should be doing. Like helping me out of the car, for example. Considering how many times I've gotten out the car on my own before coming to this universe, I'm pretty sure I can handle the whole car door opening and stepping out on to the ground thing but it was amusing to watch the two of them.

"We'll see what Charlie says about that," I informed Edward as all three of us got to the door. I half thought of telling Gabriel to hold his breath since we'd be inside the tiny home. However, Gabriel had been to internet cafés and banks long before he turned vegetarian. Yes, he was around me all day and night but that was different. He had reasons to keep me alive. Edward rolled his eyes at me before ringing the doorbell.

Stumble, a small stampede of footsteps, and a quick shout of "Coming!" followed the chime. I bit back a laugh when I heard an "ouch" as the door opened. Charlie had it, Bella was rubbing her knee. "Oh, hey, Elizabeth!" Charlie greeted me. He ignored Edward, like normal, and got an eye full of Gabriel. I simply smiled.

"Hi, Charlie. This is Gabriel, my fiancé," I introduced him. Thank goodness it was cold enough to warrant gloves. Gabriel had leather driving ones on as he took the chief's hand.

"Gabriel," Charlie said to him as he shook his hand. I could tell Charlie didn't have the slightest idea of what to make of the him. Gabriel did give off the bad boy vibe and that probably wasn't too promising to the police chief.

"Chief Swan," Gabriel replied. "I am happy to make your acquaintance. Will you be joining us?" my fiancé further asked. Bella looked horrified by the thought which almost made me laugh except I remembered the last time I actually saw her was also the first time I saw her. I hadn't had a chance to talk to her about the books and apologize. Edward elbowed me lightly in the ribs.

"Um, no," Charlie said, as he nervously ran his hand through his hair before turning to his daughter. "Now, you got everything you need, Bells?" he asked her. Bella nodded and quickly grabbed Edward's arm.

"Yeah, Dad. I'll see you later, okay?" she said before heading to the Volvo with Edward in tow.

Trying hard not to laugh, I turned to Charlie. "Carlisle, Esme, Gabriel, and I all have our cell phones. I think you might have Carlisle's number but did you want everyone else's? One of us will be with the kids at any one time," I explained. I thought I'd probably drag Gabriel around with Edward and Bella since, well, Bella and I could at least share a funnel cake and not waste food for once. Of course, given how far away we would be, there would be a sleep over. I already heard rumblings of Alice playing Bella Barbie.

"Oh yeah, good idea," Charlie said. He started to turn around to go get paper and a pen, I assume, when he looked back at me and Gabriel. "Come on in," he muttered before heading to the kitchen. Within a couple of minutes, I had written down all the "adults" phone numbers, told Charlie we'd watch after Bella, and was back in the passenger seat, again.

Bella only made a few comments about Gabriel driving. I told her I'd happily drive; an idea that both _sparklepires_ shot down immediately. I huffed in the front seat.

"Where did you get that word from?" Edward asked curiously. I felt an evil smile creep over my face and began to think over 16th century fashion terms, in Italy.

"What word, Edward?" I teased, turning in my seat to look at him. Edward had one arm around Bella, who was strapped into the seat behind mine.

"You know which word, Elizabeth," He told me, his eyes narrowing. Bella looked completely confused and I doubt Gabriel's expression was much different. I suppressed a giggle.

"Honestly, Edward, I haven't the slightest," I told him. The gammurra was the basic overdress that went over the camica….

"You are blocking me," Edward pretty much huffed. I simply smiled.

"Why don't you tell me what word it was?" I asked sweetly. Edward just raised an eyebrow at me. Choppins are a type of platform shoe for outside wear.

"No," Edward said, holding Bella a bit tighter. I just looked at him innocently.

"It couldn't have been anything bad," I said, leaning back in my own seat, pretending to think on the matter. The gionrea was a long, loose overdress, worn over the gown in the late 15th, early 16th century. I wonder if Gabriel can tell me more about those.

Edward sighed. I figured he's either say the word or bug me about it later. One way or another, I'd get him to actually say it. Gabriel looked at me curiously. I just shrugged at his unspoken question and tried not to laugh.

"Sparklepires," Edward muttered.

"I'm afraid I didn't catch that," I teased, turning around to see Bella looking at Edward, wide-eyed.

"It's a term that you keep thinking of and I can only guess at its origins. Sparklepires," Edward said in a normal tone.

I saw Gabriel move slightly out of the corner of my eye but I didn't quite catch what he was doing. "Oh, yes, that word," I said trying not to laugh. Bella was biting her bottom lip. I couldn't tell if it was from nerves or from trying not to laugh herself.

"Yes, that one," Edward told me in a nearly monotone voice.

"It's a term used to differentiate your type of vampirism from the Hollywood created versions," I explained simply, turning back into my seat. The car was quite for a moment.

"Sparklepires?" Gabriel asked me incredulously. Bella started laughing.

I shrugged again. "It's cute," I stated.

It was about two and a half hours to get to the fair. It should have taken five. I wanted to take the ferry at Port Angeles but both Edward and Gabriel nixed that idea. They complained it was too slow. So, we took I-5 up to Vancouver and met the rest of the family in the parking lot.

"Finally," Rose muttered as we all piled out of the car. I looked at her curiously. How long had they actually been here?

"Five minutes," Edward stated to which I rolled my eyes. It's not like she'd go on any of the rides; they might mess up her hair!

Being that it was cold, overcast, and still relatively early, there might have been maybe five other people at the park that didn't work there. Maybe. Of course, I was thrilled because this meant no lines, but at the same time I was curious about what it was about Canada and no one coming to popular attractions. I still remember that mall up in Quebec that no one went to. It was a great, large mall and I knew everyone else in that mall that didn't work there. 100 stores and seven people. I just didn't get it.

Once Carlisle gave us all the "you have my cell phone, be careful, and don't scare the locals too much" speech, everyone started to go off in different directions. All I could see was the giant swing, one of my favorites since I was tall enough to go on it, spinning around and around. There was one person on the ride. No, really, one. It was just sad that this place was here and no one else was.

Gabriel wrapped his arm around my waist. "Is that what you wish to go on, cucciola mia?" he asked. I nodded.

"I want to go on all the rides that don't go upside down," I answered. I had been on an upside down rollercoaster in France. I didn't realize the Space Mountain at EuroDisney did that. I was pretty much over my fear of falling out and hitting my head on the pavement –and something told me that I wouldn't be allowed to do that even if I did fall out thanks to my family of vampires- but the corkscrew ride just did not look like a good idea, for me.

"The swings look fun," Bella said, coming up next to me with a weak smile on her face. I smiled back. Edward has his arm draped over her shoulders, of course.

"Ugh, you two," Alice started as she danced her way over to us. Jasper was in tow, of course. "We can go on the rides later! There is a great couple of booths over at the exhibit hall," Alice started to explain.

"And they'll still be there in another couple of hours, Alice," I told her. Looking down at the silly park program, I noticed the only show I really wanted to see was a swing/jazz orchestra that started at 3:30 this afternoon. The rest of the day was free as far as I was concerned. I had no idea what Gabriel wanted to do or not.

"But they have this gorgeous black velvet coat," Alice started. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"And it won't be there in three hours?" I asked, gesturing to the park. "I'm pretty sure we are one of two groups that are here," I explained.

"Three," Edward quickly amended. "And there are more people in the exhibit area," he admitted.

I sighed and handed the pamphlet to Gabriel wordlessly. "So will it be there in three hours, Alice?" I asked.

"Yes," she mumbled, looking down.

"Then we'll go in three hours," I told her. Bella looked horrified at the idea of shopping. I guess she had suffered through enough of Alice's shopping trips to know better. However, she hadn't been shopping with me. If Alice made shopping into a sport, I got to be a commentator on all the action. I doubt it will be nearly as bad as Bella remembers.

"Fine," Alice muttered.

I turned to look at everyone, Gabriel right behind me, his arms encircling my waist. It was odd how easily I had gotten use to that. It wasn't embarrassing anymore. "So, the swings first and we'll just go on each ride as we pass it? I'm curious about the haunted house here," I stated. The first time I went through the haunted house in Disney World, I was so scared, I had to cover my eyes with my Mickey Mouse ears and look out the small eyelet holes at the top of the hat to see the ghosts dancing. Of course, I was only six or seven at the time.

Edward smirked and I glared at him. It's a terrifying experience when you're in the first grade!

We got in line and waited all of a minute for the ride to stop, let the one guy off, and let all six of us on. I think Emmett and Rosalie ran off to go check out the games and Carlisle and Esme went to go look at the home improvement exhibits. I doubted we'd see much of either of them until later in the day.

I had an odd way of choosing which seat I wanted to be in. I looked up at the paintings on the swing –or the wave swinger as it was called- and decided I liked the one of a lady playing a violin and wanted to sit underneath that. Gabriel looked at me, questioningly. I pointed up.

"I don't want to sit beneath a painting I don't like for the next five minutes or so," I pointed out.

"You will be looking up at the painting?" he asked incredulously. I shrugged. He did have a point; I was probably going to be looking down at the ground trying to see where the rest of the family ran off too but, still, I didn't want to sit beneath something ugly.

We all took our various seats around the swing. It, of course, was like every other amusement park swing and went up, spun around, tilted this way or that, and you could see everything from up there. Emmett, we could tell, was winning at some game and getting Rosalie a giant Panda bear. We think. None of us were sure once we got off that ride and ran to the next one; the wooden rollercoaster.

Bella didn't want to go on it. I pleaded with her and looked to Jasper to see if he could influence her a bit. It worked. She went on the ride. Of course, it took Jasper's influence and Edward dazzling her –once I pointed out that it was a very human experience, Edward was all for it- to get her to come with us.

I love wooden rollercoasters. They didn't rely much on electrical power, just gravity. So, although it was a steep incline to get up, the rest of the way was smaller and smaller "hills" as you went down on the coaster. It was totally awesome.

"Let's go on it again," I stated the second we were off.

"No," Bella managed to say, looking a little paler than normal. I sighed. I guess no more rollercoaster rides for Bella if she really does get that sick from them. We found a small bench for Bella to sit at and wait until the semblance of color returned to her face. If we had Emmett nearby, we could always get him to say something and make her blush.

Edward glared at me and that made Gabriel hold on to my tighter. I glared at both of them. Really, stop being so territorial! Getting Bella to blush would relieve her lightheadness more quickly, Edward. You know that. Or, at least, you should, with how many medical degrees?

Edward looked down and back to Bella. I had shrugged off Gabriel's arm, glaring at him if he dared to try to and "claim" me. I might be his fiancé but he's got to learn I can stick up for myself. Yes, everyone else in the family is a vampire and I'm one of the two weak pathetic humans but really. The worst anyone will try to do is glare at me. I'm quite good at glaring back and shouting if necessary. I got into plenty of verbal altercations with my own brothers, cousins, and other relatives; I can easily handle this now. Well, not if it's Carlisle or Esme. But that's a totally different story.

It was about two seconds later when Emmett and Rose came over. Rose had a gigantic panda bear on her hip which just looked…off. I guess Emmett won it for her and they'd put it in the car or the lockers before going back to play some more. It's a good thing we brought three cars. I think that panda is about the same size as Alice.

"Hey, guys! Did you go on the coaster yet?" Emmett asked cheerfully. We all looked at him until he took notice of Bella. "Oh, guess so. Can't take a little up and down, huh Bella?" he teased, the innuendo clear in his voice. Between the groans at Emmett's very lame attempt at a joke, Bella started to blush.

"Thank goodness," I muttered as Bella's face started to turn more and more red. I figured a dose of Emmett's bad jokes would work like a charm.

"Better yet, love?" Edward whispered to her. Bella looked up, saw all of us waiting around for her and quickly looked down, even more embarrassed now that she was recovered.

"Since Bella can't go on anymore Rollercoasters, can we go over to the exhibit hall now?" Alice asked cheerfully.

"You can, if you want," I told her. "I'd like to go on the bumper cars, that Enterprise ride that uses gravity so you can spin upside down, the pirate ship, and see how bad this haunted house is," I informed Alice. She looked down, sullen. Jasper, chuckling, moved to wrap an arm around his wife.

"Fine," Alice muttered.

The haunted house was right across the way so we all started to head in that direction. It should be fairly safe for Bella given that it was a walking…oh wait.

_Edward? Maybe you should carry Bella through this. It is a walking attraction._

I teased. Edward shook his head, smiling, and kept his arm around her. I turned to Rose and Emmett.

"You two coming?" I asked. They looked at each other and I could see the hopefulness in Emmett's eyes. Of course, he'd do whatever Rosalie wanted. She actually shrugged.

"I want to hand this over to guest services, first. I don't want to walk around with it all day," Rosalie said. It was unspoken but everyone stopped and we all sort of just decided to wait for Rosalie and Emmett. Guest Services wasn't that far and, although there were more people now than a half hour ago, it was like maybe triple the number. Maybe.

So, Emmett and Rosalie returned and we went up to the dilapidated looking fake mansion. Reading the story board for the house, we quickly found out it was $5 extra, each. Of course, that was $5 Canadian, which, amazingly, Jasper had. I totally wasn't going to ask where he got it. The story board read:

There is a new family in town. This Haunted Mansion, mastered by the deviously brilliant Dr. Luther Van Horn, has been transformed from a once lovely Manor into a house of horror. Experience the sounds of terror that travel through all crevasses of this oversized Mansion. Encounter the destructive descendants of the Van Horn family who stalk the halls of the large Manor waiting ... for you.

You have been cordially invited.

We all read the plaque and I started to giggle as did Bella. "How come it's always doctors that get the own the scary mansions?" Emmett asked. I burst out laughing then. Because it's not like there isn't a doctor in Forks that owns a mansion filled with vampires or anything.

We went inside and Jasper started having fun. Way too much fun. With me and Bella. He thought it would be funny to make us feel terrified of every shriek, of every single pop of a totally fake ghost or ghoul, and of every single footstep. The last one was what got me. The fake footsteps on the upper level that didn't exist probably wouldn't have even caused me to flinch if Jasper hadn't been playing with my emotions. But, because he had, it brought back memories of hiding in the basement, on the computer, talking to my friends and emailing, while trying to listen for my Dad's heavy footsteps that would indicate I would need to get off line NOW. It didn't matter I was only talking to Sophia. It didn't matter I was only emailing Estelle. I wasn't allowed on the computer for various reasons at various times in my life, mainly due to my Dad just having a bad day and wanting the rest of us to feel as badly as he did.

Once the terror in me became real, and not Jasper influenced, Edward looked to his brother and glared him down. I doubt it was necessary as I hugged Gabriel's arm tight. Gabriel was already growling, lightly, at Jasper to stop it. The second the terror turned real and memories of my Dad began to play in my head, Jasper turned from trying to scare us, to trying to lift the mood considerably of everyone.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Jasper whispered when we left the house, no longer under any influence. I clutched Gabriel's hand tight, willing any of those memories away. Gabriel started to growl again but I shook my head at my fiancé.

"You didn't know," I said back softly. No one questioned me further than that, though I could feel their eyes on me. Well, except for Alice, Rosalie, Bella, and Edward. Edward had seen it in my head and the rest, I guess, read parts of it in the books. There was enough in there to gather what I was terrified of in that totally fake mansion.

"So, next? The glass house?" Emmett asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Great, and Bella will trip and fall through the mirrors," I muttered. Bella grumbled about that and I raised an eyebrow at her. Edward was trying hard not to bite back a laugh.

"The bumper cars look safe," I pointed out.

"Until they decide its roller derby," Bella muttered. Hmm, she had a point. The vampires, plus cars where the point was to hit each other maybe wasn't such a good idea. Fun to watch, but also a good way of getting us kicked out.

Everyone introduced ideas and each one was shot down quickly. We couldn't go on any more rollercoasters because Bella would get sick. We were not going on the log ride because it was way too cold for the two humans to even be near anything water related. That also shot out the fountain ride. The Enterprise ride, which I really wanted to go on, was too much for Bella. So…we all ended up at the putt put. No, really. Golf. I still say that Emmett will just break the golf club over someone's head and we'll get kicked out that way.

"This is pathetic," Rosalie muttered. I looked at all of us, lined up on the miniature gold course with our various colored clubs and golf balls. It was rather boring, but since when was golf interesting? What made it worse was that there was no challenge in it for the vampires. So, I decided to have some fun.

"Next up, we have Emmett McCarty Cullen. Three time wresting champion, he has recently taken up the more peaceful sport of putt put. Of course, we have his wife here, Rosalie, to tell us more about this transition. Rose?" I said, passing her the fictitious microphone after attempting to sound like your typical sports commentator. Rose looked at me like I was crazy. Alice, Edward, and Jasper were all laughing. Emmett was grumbling about distracting him and Bella was grinning. I couldn't see Gabriel, since he, of course, was behind me but I swear I hear him chuckle.

"Okay, it appears we are having technical difficulties with getting Rosalie on the line," I said, glaring at her slightly before turning to Bella. "What have you to say about this transition, Bella?" I teased, pretending to pass her a microphone.

"Oh, well, I'm rather surprised he signed with the green team," Bella stated as Emmett took a swing and over calculated –for once. We were at the fourth hole and only Bella and myself were having any difficulty with this course at all. The others just were zipping through it, until now. "Really, I don't think green is his color at all," Bella started before Alice pretended to take the "microphone" from Bella.

"Very true, he is more of a fall than a spring," Alice happily chimed in. Bella sighed and I took the microphone back.

"Well, the green team is known for its environmental extremist views. It's odd considering Emmett has that gas guzzler of a jeep as his primary vehicle," I added. At this point, even Rose let out a small smirk. The boys were just laughing. Well, until Edward took the microphone from me.

Emmett was glaring at us. He had tried again, and failed because of the commentators. By the time we all got to the next hole, whoever was up got picked on. It didn't matter who it was. Even though I started the game, I got picked on mercilessly. Apparently, I don't take into account wind and hit the ball too hard. That, and I look like I'm trying to battle with a flamingo instead of a golf club –according to Alice. No one should have introduced her to the Alice in Wonderland genre. It was a very bad idea.

Around two thirty, Bella and I were starving and we finally finished the course. Alice won. Gabriel was a close second.

I looked over at Bella. "Funnel cake?" I asked her. She looked at the menu before us. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie had decided to meet up over on the other side of the park while we figured out what human food we wanted.

"Split it?" she asked for clarification. I nodded.

"That and a burger?" I asked. I saw the burgers. There is no way on God's green Earth I could eat one of those by myself. Bella looked at me and then saw someone carrying one of the burgers out and nodded.

We ordered –tomatoes on the side for Bella, extra pickles for me- and happily ate while our two sparklepires talked. They tried to include us in the conversation but I think we were both too starving to care much. I hadn't had breakfast and this was the first thing I had to eat all day.

After food –which included a funnel cake so we had to stop by the rest rooms to wash our hands- Gabriel, Edward, Bella, and I ran into Carlisle and Esme first. Carlisle had a bag on his arm full of stuff. I had no idea as to what but it had the Home Depot logo on it. We spoke to them for a bit before Edward commented we'd be late for the orchestra. All of us, Carlisle and Esme included now, went over the theater.

Emmett and Rose were already there, waiting. According to Emmett, Alice and Jasper were saving seats in the back. I didn't get why at first, it's not like a lot of people were here. At least, I didn't think so until I got around the amphitheater. Apparently, everyone was staying on this side of the fair and not venturing out into the playground area. I wasn't sure as to why.

The Dal Richard's orchestra, as I learned it was called, played nothing but swing and big band music. I loved it. There was a dance floor up front that Alice and Rosalie quickly grabbed their husbands down to the dance floor. Esme and Carlisle simply listened from the back. Edward tried to get Bella to go down to the dance floor that had at least sixty other couples down there and Bella looked at him like he had lost all sense in his head.

"Do you wish to go?" Gabriel whispered in my ear. I thought about it. Given the last time I saw swing dancing like this I only got asked to the floor by a couple of creepy guys, ended up at some strangers' table, and killed Jane…well, it might be nice to break up that pattern a bit. No more getting asked by creepy guys and for me to actually go dancing.

"Sure," I muttered before getting up. Gabriel looked surprised but pleasantly so. I wasn't totally uncoordinated anymore. I outgrew it, mostly, when I turned twenty four and had to hike for hours in the Mississippi plain for archeological sites. "See ya'll later," I said to the two couples left.

Gabriel guided me down to the floor. I didn't really have the shoes for this on, but my slip ons did well enough. I'd much prefer a new pair of saddle shoes or my renn fest boots. Those would work much better. At least it wasn't my hiking boots like I originally planned. Once Alice said "nightclub" I changed shoes quickly. These were comfortable enough to wear all day but not worry about on the dance floor…much.

I had to admit, I had fun dancing out on the floor. There were a lot of other couples and people dancing so it was hard to be signaled out. It was also the first time in a very long time I got to dance with someone I actually wanted to. Even when I went to dance classes, I got paired with the ugliest guy in the room. Now, I had the most gorgeous guy in the room effortlessly turning me. The fact that he was mine only made me slightly smug to top it all off.

The song ended and, of course, everyone clapped. Some people shuffled to go sit down while others went started to come up and join the crowd up front. When Swing, Swing, Swing started to play, I squealed with delight. Gabriel laughed and we stayed down at the dance floor for a couple more songs after that. For once, I was truly happy.

After the show, which I was sourly disappointed was over, we all went to our various other amusements. Alice, of course, dragged Bella and me to the marketplace. Our significant others were only a few meters behind us as we entered the heated –thank God- building. Marketplace wasn't the right name for it. Gazillion booths with a real live ebay feel to it more adequately described the location. No wonder Alice loved it.

I ended up getting a new dog bed for Ginsie –it had a bright hot pink crown on the center of a black velvet pillow. The thing would get covered in white dog hair but I didn't care. It was machine washable. I double checked.

Alice somehow got Bella to sit in a chair while a cosmetologist played with various make-ups. Bella looked horrified by it all and I started to laugh only to find myself in the same situation seconds later. The problem with me was I already knew exactly what colors went best. I was natural ivory for foundation, cool shade, and dark reds for the lipstick. Mascara wasn't needed –my eyelashes were so long that they hit the inside of my sunglasses- and I didn't do eye shadow, ever. However, Alice got her way and the cosmetologist chose some smoky grey blue for my eyes. The boys had left us to this horror, upon the orders of little Miss Alice. I was so changing her ring tone to little Miss can't be wrong.

Bella looked stunning all done up. Her make-up brought out her deep brown eyes and the foundation gave her a nice even skin tone. She really did look perfect.

"And now, you," the cosmetologist said as she spun me around to look at the mirror. At first, I was slightly shocked. Most people try to make me up so I look like some Barbie doll –all cute and sweet and very all American. Maybe it was that I was in Canada that they actually tried something different or maybe Alice told them something but the first thought that popped into my head when I saw my reflection was that I looked almost exactly like Amy Lee from Evanescence. If my eyes were pale blue rather than green, I would look like her.

I had the smoky eyes and the perfect red lips. Although the cosmetologist used a very light layer of foundation, it helped to hide the stupid freckles on my nose. They were tiny, but I could always still see them.

"Do you like it?" the cosmetologist asked. "Your niece said this look might be more you," she continued.

"It's perfect, thank you," I said as I hopped down from the chair. Alice paid the woman, much to Bella's chagrin. Bella tried to force some money into Alice's hands but that didn't work. The second I saw Gabriel again, his jaw was slightly agape. I wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing until Alice glared at him.

"You'll mess up her lipstick!" she yelled at him. I guess he liked it then. Smiling, I gave him a slight peck on the cheek, leaving a perfect lipstick impression that I immediately tried to wipe off.

Edward chuckled, Bella on his arm. Bella, of course, found it amusing too. All six of us, since Jasper was with us, perused the rest of the booths but eventually decided that the agricultural center might be amusing. It had a petting zoo. Bella and I figured that would be like either one of us going to the grocery store and not actually getting anything to eat so we encouraged the vampires to leave there, quickly.

All of ended up walking around the fair looking at the various artworks. They had this thing called Canstruction where all the art work was made from cans that would later be donated to the local food bank. There was also car art that Edward and Rosalie –when we met back up with her and Emmett- found fun. It kind of was since you got to paint your own car. I decided on flaming bunnies. No one got it and I realized I would have to show the vampires –and Bella- the world of Foster's home for imaginary friends. It was such a good cartoon.

Bella painted a cactus, probably because it was simple more than anything else. Emmett gave this poor car racing stripes, as his contribution. Rose painted a rose. Figures. Gabriel had flaming skulls next to my flaming bunnies. It actually worked. I wonder if my vampire was into comic books at all. Alice did some sort of designer symbol and Jasper painted a gun…a Remington, I think. Edward, when I went to inspect his little section of the car, had painted a crescent moon over the cactus and finished out the desert landscape. Figures.

It was starting to get late, and dark, so Alice suggested that us girls change so we could all meet back up at the nightclub. Why the girls had to change and the boys could get away with anything was beyond me. However, Bella vetoed that idea, quickly, saying she was too tired. I'm pretty sure it was a lie, but I was happy with it. I didn't want to go to the nightclub either. I honestly wanted to go back on the rides until the park closed at 9. We had an hour.

"Gabriel?" I asked him. He looked at me, curious.

"Want to go back to the main part of the fairgrounds?" I asked him. He smiled a bit.

"You really want to go on that rollercoaster again?" He asked. I nodded. That, and the enterprise thing that used g-force so you'd stick to the walls. I always loved those types of rides.

"See everyone at the car in an hour?" I asked the group. Alice looked bummed but Bella looked relieved to not be going to the nightclub. As we started to walk away, I heard Emmett teasingly mumbled something about rides that sounded vaguely vulgar. I also heard it followed by a slap and a quick ouch.

It was amazing to me just to be walking here. I was in British Columbia, a different country, technically, out on the west coast, in Vancouver, holding my fiancé's hand while at a fairground. The only thing that would be better than this would be going to the Renaissance festival and seeing Gabriel in a leather jerkin and his leather trench over that…and maybe leather pants. Oh that would be sweet.

I went on the Enterprise ride and Gabriel waited for me. I'm not sure why he didn't want to go on but I found him easily afterwards. He was waiting next to the glass house, which he took me in. The glass and mirrors were interesting in the dark. It was only dimly lit inside and it was a nightmare trying to get out of there. When no one else was around, I felt Gabriel gently grab my upper arm. I turned to look at him and saw his eyes were nearly black. It didn't make much sense since I knew he hunted just a couple of days ago. That, and his eyes were a golden honey color all day.

"Gabriel?" I whispered, worried about him. I figured out why his eyes were black, quickly. It wasn't the thirst. His lips were on mine in a second. His hands held me to him as he pressed me up against the mirrors. Thank God there wasn't anyone else around because we were quickly in a very compromising position. I wasn't even sure how my leg got around his hip while he began to kiss down my neck. I pulled at his hair, demanding his lips come back to mine when Gabriel squeezed my right arm a little too tightly. I inhaled quickly at the sharp pain in my arm.

Gabriel stopped kissing me and looked at me and then looked at my arm. It was less than a second that his eyes returned to their normal color and fear filled his face. "Cristo Santo!" Gabriel whispered, shocked, as he slowly let go of my arm. I gently rubbed the area. It hurt, but not badly. He just squeezed me a bit hard. Horror filled every single one of his features.

"Gabriel?" I gently called to him, reaching to cup his face. He pulled back.

"We must get you to Carlisle," he told me, turning away from me.

"Gabriel, I'm fine. It'll be bruised, that's all," I told him plainly.

When he turned his head back to me, a group of some teenagers went by as, giggling. Very gently, almost fearfully, Gabriel put a hand on my back to lead me out. "I could have broken it," he whispered, his voice almost sounding hoarse.

"You wouldn't have," I told him as I let him lead me out. Once out of the building, I saw Alice with Carlisle coming over from the fairgrounds. I, absent mindedly, rubbed my arm again. It was a slight bit sore but I've done far worse to myself than anything Gabriel did or could have done.

"Carlisle," Gabriel called, not bothering to hide the pain in his voice or to shout over the now crowd of people around. The good doctor came right over and gently took my arm in his hands, trying to roll up the sleeve to my sweater.

"Do you mind if I rip the sleeve off?" Carlisle asked me.

"Yes, I mind very much!" I told him. Both vampires looked at me and I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine," I told them. Really! Realizing I was not going to get anywhere without Carlisle looking at the supposed injury, I just took the sweater off. I had a thermal shirt on underneath. Yes, it wasn't exactly decent given how tight it was, but it was better than Carlisle ripping the sleeve off of one of my favorite sweaters! The arm to the thermal he could roll up.

The upper part of my arm hadn't even done much more than turn a very slight hint of red where Gabriel's fingers were. Carlisle sighed after his inspection of my arm. It was 45 degrees at they seemed to think it was okay for me to turn blue but not listen to me when I said my arm was fine. Once his inspection was done, Carlisle gave me a small squeeze on the shoulder and I quickly put my sweater back on.

"I believe it's time to go home," he said. No one disagreed. All I knew was that I was going to give Gabriel an earful the second we got home. He needs to learn that I will tell him when I'm hurt and that if I say I'm fine, I'm fine. I'll tell him if there is something wrong. So much for what was otherwise a perfect day. Now, I had to spend my evening arguing with my fiancé.

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**Author's Note:** This was a lot longer than I intended. It's my longest chapter yet! I'd go on but I doubt everyone can sit still for that long. Sorry about not updating Friday night. My computer died and I gave up on it around 9 pm. It's working okay today, for now. I really need to fix the desktop….


	44. BII C xvii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So, just a reminder, this week will be very very somber, for the most part. Also, please remember that, although this is not M, there are a lot of adult concepts in this story. If you are under 16, please, for your own good, go tell your Mom or Dad that you are reading this. I don't want them going through the internet cache three weeks later, seeing what you've been reading, and then you getting grounded for not telling them. Prevent that. Tell 'em now.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 17

The car ride home was a very quite one. Gabriel and I now sat in the back of the Mercedes and Jasper and Alice rode with Bella and Edward. My fiancé refused to even look at me; which, of course, only made me angrier. Esme tried to create small talk, tried to calm the tension that was so evident in the air, but it was to no avail. I was furious with Gabriel by the time we got home.

I wasn't hurt! I'd have a few bruises, so what? I knock my own arm out of socket on a regular basis! I bruise my arms all the time from lifting things I shouldn't and from just being outside. I've gotten bruises from bug bites before. A couple of bruises because my super strong vampire squeezed me a bit too tight was nothing. My main concern really, was that I'd have ugly blotches on my arms come our wedding which was only four weeks away. Granted, they'd probably heal by then. I really had to finish the wedding dress pretty soon.

Humans bruise. Why was this such a difficult concept for vampires? It's not like he didn't stop when I indicated I was in pain. It really didn't even hurt that much. It felt like he squeezed a nerve more than anything else. My arm was fine. I was fine. Why couldn't Gabriel just accept that and remember for next time?

That's when the doubt started to seep in. Would there even be a next time? He wouldn't try to change me before we had a chance to try to create a child, would he? He couldn't! Gabriel promised! He told me he'd give me anything I wanted and I wanted a child that was completely and totally ours. But did he want a child? What if he didn't? What if he'd use this as an excuse to not touch me again until I was changed? What then?

I couldn't leave him. I knew that much. The very thought of leaving Gabriel out of my life tore me in two since before I knew that I was his mate. I loved him. No matter how angry, how infuriated, he made me, I loved him with all my heart and all my soul. I couldn't leave him, at least, not for longer than a day or two. After that, I'm sure I'd crawl up into a little ball just like Bella did and not move until someone found me. Even then, I doubt I'd move until I heard Gabriel's voice again, felt his hand cup my face.

So we needed to talk. He needed to know that a couple of bruises were not the end of the world. It wasn't like he was trying to restrain me. Okay, so maybe he was but it was definitely not against my will. A couple of bruises were a very small price to pay when it came to Gabriel letting me know he loves him. Which, honestly, sounded sick and twisted, even in my own head. It wasn't like we were doing anything kinky. Okay, so maybe making out in the glass house at the fair was a bit kinky but it wasn't like it was anything out there. It was just slightly worse than making out in the tunnel of love. Actually, given that they never change the water in those things, I'm pretty sure making out in the glass house was a lot safer. Well, unless you are engaged to a vampire. Vampires have the horrible tendency to break glass and mirrors.

My thoughts went on like that until we got home. I kept thinking about what to say to Gabriel, what to tell him, how to get him to understand that a few bruises were just that; a few bruises. I'm pretty sure I have a couple of bruises on my legs from where I bumped into the nightstand a few nights ago. The nightlight was off and I thought I heard Miss Ginsie scratching at the door. I headed in that direction only to tumble right into the nightstand. I reminded myself that that was the very reason I needed a nightlight; in case I got up in the middle of the night and couldn't see. If I had one, I wouldn't have gotten the bruises. Maybe I should show those to Gabriel. Prove to him that I bruise myself so, for him to bruise me is really nothing. Unless, of course, he did so against my will. Then he'd really be in trouble. Right now, he was only in trouble for not believing me and not listening to me. I'd make him listen…

Everyone else was already in the mansion when we got there. It took Carlisle two hours and forty five minutes to get home. He drove a little slower than the children, I guess. I stayed in the backseat as Esme and Carlisle got out.

"Elizabeth," Esme started. I looked up at her, angry at Gabriel, angry at the entire situation. She sighed. "Please, both of you, come inside and you can talk it over there," she pleaded with us. I shook my head.

"This will not be a calm conversation, Esme," I told her, giving a quick glare to Gabriel. He sighed and got out of the car but wasn't moving to leave the garage.

"Sweetheart, he's just worried about you," she told me. I cocked an eyebrow and Esme shook her head. "Just listen to each other," she continued before heading inside with Carlisle holding her about the shoulders. I got out of the car when they were inside the house.

I looked over to Gabriel, anger seeping through my every pore. How dare he not believe me! He stood there, back to me, his hands on top of the workbench in the garage, hunched over it like he was also trying to figure out what to say. I wasn't sure what to say first either.

There were tons I wanted to say. Some of it would only make me regret it later but there were other things I wished to tell him so badly, some things we needed to discuss…and then I also just wanted him to touch me again. A simple kiss just to know he hasn't given up.

"You didn't hurt me," I whispered after a minute. Gabriel swung around and looked at me. His golden eyes pierced my green ones and I looked down at the roof of the Mercedes that was between us. "I did worse to myself a few days ago," I stated softly.

"How can you say that?" Gabriel asked, his anger barely concealed. "Your arm was red when Carlisle did look at it," he informed me. My head shot up, half glaring at him.

"Yes, it was red. And it will have purple marks tomorrow but, honestly, Gabriel! You know perfectly well that when I ran into that nightstand earlier this week. I did far worse to myself! And you didn't seem the slightest bit worried about that," I pointed out. I distinctly remember him chuckling as he guided me back to bed. It hadn't been Ginsie at the door. I still wasn't sure what it was or if it was just some sort of night terror.

"Exactly, to yourself. I did not have a hand in your injury," he told me, frustrated.

I huffed and crossed my arms. "You could have stopped me. You could have come in when you heard I was awake," I pointed out. It wasn't like he didn't know I was up at two o'clock in the morning. He was just in the next room, catching up on all the business news. I don't get how he could watch that stuff.

He started to do his fish impression again and I rolled my eyes, slowly coming around the Mercedes to his side. "You have got to learn I bruise. It's very simple. It's not the end of the world," I told him. When Gabriel took a step back from me, I don't think he knew how much that hurt me. He could have broken my arm, pulverized the bone, and that pain would be nothing to seeing him scared to even be near me. I looked down. "Do you not want me anymore?" I said so softly, I doubt he would have heard it if he hadn't been a vampire.

"Elizabetta, you are consorte mia," he said firmly. "Nothing will change that," he told me. Slowly, I looked up at him. I could tell I was starting to have tears in my eyes. Gabriel's face was pained when he looked at me. He started to reach out, to wipe away the tears that were starting to fall down my face but then seemed to think better of it. Moving his arm away from me only cut me again.

"You won't touch me," I stated in a hushed tone.

"It is not safe, cucciola mia," he replied, turning away from me. For two reasons did my ire return. First was that he was still not trusting me on what I knew to be safe and not safe. The second was that I learned what cucciola mia meant via google last night.

"Is that all I am to you? Your pet?" I spat at him. Gabriel turned around immediately, shock written all over his face.

"No, of course not!" he tried to say back, to find his own footing in this argument. I shook my finger at him as I started to walk towards him.

"You refuse to trust my judgment, refer to me as your pet, and what about the child, Gabriel? You won't touch me again until when? I'm changed!" I yelled at him.

"I will not see you hurt! Especially by my own hand!" he yelled back.

"I'm. Not. Hurt!" I screamed at him. It was a good thing we were out in the garage and the garage door was closed. I doubt it helped much, but I'm sure it must help a bit between walls, distance, and hopefully, trying not to pay attention.

Gabriel pointed at my arm. "I hurt you," he stated. Frustrated, angry, and just pretty much all around mad at him, I took of my sweater despite it being maybe 40 degrees in the garage. Gabriel looked shocked and away, quickly, when I took off my thermal shirt too. I was wearing a sports bra. He lived in NYC for how many years? I know he had to have seen women wearing nothing more than a sports bra and biker shorts in the summer. Besides, we were getting married in a few weeks. It wasn't like he wasn't going to see a whole lot more.

I moved in front of him, forcing him to see me and my arm. He tried to look away but I wouldn't let him this time. I pointed to the upper part of my right arm where he grabbed me. "This is nothing, Gabriel. It will go away in probably two days," I pretty much yelled at him. I was too angry to be embarrassed about my state of undress. Although, I was pretty darn cold.

Gabriel looked at my arm, sadness etched in his face. My upper right arm had four faintly purple marks from where his finger tips were. Honestly, if that's as dark as they'd get, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to disappear tomorrow. He must of just hit a nerve rather than actually squeeze too hard.

Slowly, like he was reaching for an old piece of priceless glass, Gabriel reached out and gently held my upper arm in his hands. Leaning towards me, he placed a feather light kiss on my arm. Some part of my felt immediately better by that simple action despite the fact that he was being overly cautious. At least he wasn't completely avoiding touching me.

"Your skin is cold, amata mia," He whispered as he moved to take my shirt and sweater from me. I let him help dress me and at least get some semblance of warmth again.

Once my head popped back out through my sweater, I saw Gabriel smile at me faintly. I quickly pulled my braid out and let it fall down my back as I looked back at him. "What about the child, Gabriel?" I asked him softly. "Do you not want children?" I asked, fear coloring my tone a lot more than I intended.

I wanted children. I had wanted a child since from when I could remember. I knew it was a big responsibility. I knew it wasn't easy but I also knew that none of that matter. I wanted a child that was half me, half Gabriel. Nothing could be more perfect in this world then a child that was truly ours.

"I don't want to lose you," Gabriel told me. A single gentle finger tracing the length of my chin.

"You won't. I told you what needed to happen," I reminded him.

Gabriel started to look angry again. "And what if I crush you? Push you too far? Hurt you again?" he almost shouted. "Even if you did carry my child, what if it destroyed you? Do you not understand that this existence is meaningless anymore if you are not there by my side?" he asked me seriously.

"You won't hurt me! You haven't hurt me! Dear God, Gabriel! You act like there isn't a human man that hasn't accidentally squeezed his fiancé a bit too tight once in a while! Like only a vampire could dare to bruise his human mate!" I shouted at him, throwing up my arms in frustration. Gabriel honestly looked confused.

"Humans have hurt each other when amorous like that?" Gabriel asked, truly curious.

I groaned and slumped against the Mercedes. And I thought I was the innocent one in all of this. "Yes, Gabriel. Sometimes things can get a little bit…rough, even between humans," I smirked. I was trying not to blush but that was pretty much impossible.

Gabriel sat down next to me. There was always something humorous about seeing him curled up on the floor next to me. He looked so terribly out of place. I heard him sigh, as if resolved on some measure. I looked over at him and saw him slam his fist into the ground, leaving an indent into the dirt. "But what if the child hurts you and I cannot save you?" he asked, frustrated.

I looked down. "You never did really answer my question," I told him. I didn't need to look at him to know that Gabriel was curious as to what I was talking about. "Do you want a child, yes or no?" I asked him.

"Not if it means risking your life," he told me softly. I backed up when he reached for me this time. Looking up, I glared at him.

"Do you even want children? Take the whole risking my life out of it, Gabriel," I asked again. I wanted an answer, damn it!

Gabriel was quiet for a long time. He looked out over to the workbench like the answers were there. I almost didn't hear him when he answered. "A girl. A little girl," he said softly. He wanted children. My heart lifted. At least we were heading somewhere.

"Well, that parts up to you," I teased. I remember learning about X and Y chromosomes and being so mad at my Dad when I ended up with yet another brother. Not that I would have traded Nickie for anything in the world. Alex, maybe. But not Nickie.

Gabriel smirked lightly before his face turned serious again. "I will not let you risk your life for the sake of an old dream, Elizabetta," he told me. This time, I pounded the dirt with my fist. All that happened was a small plume of dust went up.

"And what about my dream? I want a child, Gabriel. Something that is of both you and me. Equally," I told him.

"There are other ways now. You can still have a child, if that is your wish," he began. I knew what he was going to suggest and I stood up immediately, angry at him again. I didn't want just anyone's child. I wanted his child. Why didn't vampires get this point?

I grabbed my purse out of the Mercedes and marched over to my truck. Seeing the keys in my hand, Gabriel immediately got up and stood before me, blocking my way. "Where are you going?" he asked me, curiously, not angrily.

"Out," I replied, angrily.

"This, I can see. Where?" he asked again, blocking my path as I tried to move around him. Glaring up at him, I fought the urge to shove my keys into his chest. It would only break the keys. I needed the key to my truck at least if I planned on going anywhere.

"Away from an over protective, self flagellating, _distrusting_ vampire like you!" I shouted at him. Stupid mosquito. I marched up to my truck, turned the key and hit the button that would open the garage door. Gabriel didn't even bother to move as I backed out.

It got, maybe a mile down the three mile driveway, when the tears started to roll down my cheek again. I hadn't the slightest idea of where I was going. I knew Ginsie would be fine and that she'd be happy as long as Emmett and Rosalie were there. I caught Rosalie, yesterday, telling Ginsie what a good dog she was. All I knew, for this moment, was that I was mad at the man I loved with my whole heart. We both wanted a child. The problem was, making him see that I would fight to the very end to stay with him and be a mother to our child. I wouldn't leave. God might have a sick sense of humor but even he wasn't so cruel as to take me away from everything I ever wanted all in one nice little package. Alice had seen me as one of them. She told me it would happen and who was I or Gabriel to doubt Alice. All I had to do is make sure that I was changed on my terms.

My terms were simple. Gabriel would marry me. He had no contest about that. The problem was with me carrying his child. His fear was loosing me and, since Alice couldn't see the hybrids, there was no way to really guarantee that I wouldn't die. But if Alice saw me say, in November or something, still with Gabriel, that had to mean I survived, right? There had to be a way to figure this out. I would get my Gabriel and we would have a child. I just had to make him see that.

I wasn't paying attention to where I was driving. I just drove south. It didn't matter that it was late or that I was tired. I just needed to figure out things in my head. A part of me felt I was being overly selfish. What about what Gabriel wanted? Yes, he wanted a little girl he said but he also was open to alternatives. Yuck. Implantation was NOT what I had in mind. It had to be a child that was part of both of us.

Maybe I could slow him into the idea. It's not like I was terrified of my 30th birthday. I already had it, once. I'd have it, again, in a couple of years. Gabriel was, physically, 35. I could easily wait a couple of years if that's what it took. Of course, we'd have to move out of the house since there'd be a newborn around. Not that Bella would be your typical newborn but still, it would be easier on everyone if we simply moved out during that time.

I sighed and was tired of trying to think of a solution. I wanted what was best for both of us and I wasn't entirely sure what that was. Tired, frustrated, and hungry, I pulled off on to route 12 in Aberdeen to stay overnight at a Guest Suites Inn. Although I'd normally object to using the card Gabriel got me a few days ago "for emergencies", I was too tired to care. Really, I just wanted to sleep and I'd apologize to Gabriel tomorrow when I got home; for everything.

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**Author's Note:** A little bit of a shorter chapter (especially compared to the last two!) but necessary before I get into the next part of this story. I'm trying to decide on being evil, being really evil, or being super evil….I'm thinking really evil for now.


	45. BII C xviii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! I love 'em. :-) Super huge warning: I almost rated this chapter M. Almost. It's very graphically violent. Think Kill Bill and it's about that bad. You might not want to eat right before reading this.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 18

Once I got checked in to the hotel -3 stars, Gabriel would so not approve- I realized I had no pajamas or clothing for tomorrow or even a toothbrush. Luckily, the Wally-World was right next door. I would have walked over but it was about midnight –maybe one?- and walking that late at night anywhere wasn't the brightest of ideas so I drove…the entire block away that it was.

It was a typical Walmart. Nothing to flashy or different. I bought a cute pair of pajamas, a pair of jeans, a new sweatshirt, a couple of t-shirts, and a toothbrush. Well, I also got a few other things and put it all on Gabriel's credit card. Oh yes, I was truly doing revenge shopping by flashing the clear card at Wally-World. I'm sure Alice was destroying one of Esme's walls by hitting her head against it. Gabriel could probably care less.

Actually, knowing my beloved vampire, he was probably just as upset as Alice. When he'd see that I only spent maybe $100 on his card at Walmart and another $80 for a room for the night, he'd complain that I wasn't spending enough. I smirked at the idea that he might just come flying down here, once Alice told him what I was up to, just to show me how to properly do revenge shopping…while insisting that I stay at a far better hotel.

Back at the hotel suite, I changed into my newly bought PJ's but I couldn't sleep. At first I thought it was just because Miss Ginsie wasn't at my feet but I soon realized it was because I knew Gabriel wasn't anywhere around. He wouldn't wake me up or laugh when I stumbled out of bed. He wasn't just in the next room watching TV. There was nothing of him here, nothing of his scent to help lull me to sleep. I needed him but I was also in no condition to drive back.

I forced my eyes closed and just prayed that I'd be able to sleep eventually. I thought on Gabriel and, even though I was mad at him, I simply remembered the hike in Yellowstone before he asked me to marry him. It was calm, peaceful, and I could remember him smiling. Thinking on that must have worked because, when I opened my eyes again, it was almost time to check out! I quickly changed, brushed my teeth, and gathered up my stuff to head back out to the truck.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to head back yet or not. A part of me wanted to. I wanted to apologize for running out like that to everyone but another part of me wanted Gabriel to sweat it out a bit longer. Besides, it was clear out today and it sounded like it would be clear through out most of the Northwest area. Clear meant sun which meant no vampires outside where humans could see them.

Thinking on that, I had never been to Seattle before. Yes, Victoria was on a rampage. Yes, the newborn army was being formed. Yes, it was dangerous –and probably stupid-. But it was sunny! Sunny meant no sparklepires! I'd leave and head home long before dusk fell and I'd be in any sort of danger. Besides, was seeing the space needle so bad? There was just something so tempting about seeing the Space Needle and sitting at the first Starbucks that made me want to go. It's not like I could truly enjoy Starbucks once I was changed. And I seriously needed a chocolate mint brownie.

Deciding on Seattle, I started to drive down 12 towards I-5 to check out the city. It was a total of three minutes before my phone began to ring. I seriously considered not answering it but figured Alice would pull a Rosalie and just continue to call me until I answered. Annoy pixie.

"Ginsie better be chewing on the Prada because, otherwise, I don't want to hear it," I answered the phone.

"No, although she did decide the Dior dress made a wonderful bed," Alice answered rather cheerfully. Given how many times I'd seen the dog make a bed out of silk and velvet, I had no doubt that the dress was still in perfect condition –just plus some white and ginger dog hair.

"I take it to the dry cleaners when I get home," I sighed as I drove down the highway.

"It's fine and that's not why I called. You know that," Alice told me. I smiled a bit. Yes, I knew. She was going to complain about me going to Seattle.

"Yes, but I want to see the Space Needle, Alice, and go to the real Starbucks," I informed her. Why bother with pleasantries or anything resembling a normal conversation when it comes to Alice? She knew I was going to Seattle. I knew she was going to warn me that the bad vamps were on the loose and acting like Seattle was an all you can eat buffet. So I just skipped to the reason I was going without bother the wheres or whys.

"You can do that later. When this mess is resolved," Alice continued.

"I'm going, Alice," I told her firmly. Of course, if she saw something bad happening…

"Fine, but…here's Gabriel," she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. I could hear the two arguing over something in the background but I wasn't sure what. It was only a few seconds before I heard Gabriel's perfect voice that made me weak at the knees. I hated being mad at him and it took everything I had to stay mad at him.

"Elizabetta?" his voice flowed over the phone.

"What do you want, Gabriel?" I asked a little more harshly than I intended. At least he would know I was still mad. Well, sort of.

"Please, come home, tesorina," He more asked than stated. His voice sounded so weak that it broke my heart to say no. But I just needed to remind myself of why I was made at him. He was saying no to me. Gabriel wanted a child but he didn't trust himself or my judgment enough to let us possibly have that child. A child that was genetically both of ours; part him and part me.

"I can't, Gabriel. Not right now," I told him. "I'll call you when I'll head home, okay?" I stated quickly before saying "Goodbye" and hanging up. I was only a few miles from the turn off for the backside to the 101 that went up and around the Olympic National Park before the tears became too much. I had to pull over.

I let the tears fall freely from my eyes, curling up into my seat, and just thinking about the fight. I hated hanging up on Gabriel –I loved him with all my heart- but I also wanted him to trust me. If he couldn't trust me, trust my judgment, then what kind of relationship would we have when we were both vampires? When we are married? He needed to know that there were certain things I just couldn't back down from and that he couldn't hurt me physically. Emotionally was a whole other matter.

I was shocked out of my reverie by a couple of taps on my window. I looked to see a man standing outside my door wearing a flannel shirt and sunglasses. He tried to say something through the glass that sounded like "Are you alright?" but I wasn't sure. I rolled the window down just a couple of inches since I hadn't the slightest idea who this guy was. I wasn't about to put myself in a position where he could easily slice my throat or hijack my truck.

"I'm sorry?" I said, not understanding him. The guy's nostrils flared like he had an itch on his nose or he smelled something off. I couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses but I swear his skin turned a shade paler for a second.

"I was just asking if you were alright," he said in an almost monotone voice. Every instinct I had told me to get the heck out of there. I wasn't sure why but this guy gave me the creeps. Of course, hanging around vampires and even werewolves all day didn't bug me much in the least but a regular human freaked me out.

"Oh, um, yeah. Just a minor fight with my fiancé. Nothing big. Thanks," I said quickly as I started up the car. Rather than walking away, or even walking back, the guy grabbed the inside of my window with his hand as if he could stop the car that way from moving.

"You really shouldn't drive off like that if you are upset," he said with a voice I could only describe as being laced with malice. If he was just the typical creepy guy, I did not want to rip his hand off and get charged with a hit and run. What would I say to the police officer? That the guy freaked me out and that's why I ran off?

"I'm better now. I'll just head out," I said as cheerfully as possible. I moved the truck from Park to Drive for emphasis.

"No, you won't," he stated, pushing down the automatic window with his bare hand, as he reached in with the other arm. I knew how much pressure you needed to get those windows down and it was a lot more than he was making it look. His skin was pale but not that pale and he was out in the sun so that meant he couldn't be a vampire.

I neatly dodged his hands, his fingernail grazed sharply across my neck as I slammed on the accelerator and got the hell out of there. I heard him scream as his arm hit the inside of the door. I'm pretty sure it was broken but I didn't care. I had to get away and I had to get away NOW.

My phone started to ring the Addams Family theme song which meant it could be any one of the Cullens or Gabriel. I clicked the speaker button quickly. "Hello?" I asked, frantic.

"Where are you, Elizabeth? Alice said you have disappeared from her visions," Carlisle told me.

"I'm, um, about four miles from the 101, heading towards Olympia," I answered as best I could. I glanced in my rear view mirror and could see a green Corolla coming up behind me quickly. The guy in the passenger seat was hugging his arm. Damn.

"Can you tell me what has taken place? Are you hurt?" Carlisle asked me quickly. I glanced in the mirror again, this time to see my neck. There was an ugly pink scratch but, thank God, it wasn't bleeding.

"No, I umm. I got a scratch. Alice can't see me?" I asked, really worried. If Alice couldn't see me it was because of the creature in the Corolla behind me which meant he wasn't human. I wasn't sure how many different types of mythological creatures existed in the Twilightverse but I was willing to bet money that he was a Child of the Moon.

"There was a man who stopped to see if I was okay, or so I thought. I just cracked the window, honestly, Carlisle. I just wanted to tell him I was fine but he started to force the window down. I think it's broken. I think I broke his arm too," I blabbered on. I kept checking the rear view mirror. The Corolla was gaining on me.

"Elizabeth? I want you to keep driving. Get away as fast as you can safely go. Take the 101 north towards Port Angeles. We will try to meet you at Eldon, alright? Do you have enough gas in your truck to get there?" Carlisle asked me, calmly. I looked down at the gas gauge. I had filled up last night when I got into Aberdeen. I had enough gas to get back to Forks if I wanted to.

"Yes, I think so," I told him.

"That's good, Elizabeth. We will meet you there. I'm putting Esme on the phone now," Carlisle continued. I felt a tear escape my eye which I quickly wiped away. Now was not the time for crying at all.

"Elizabeth? Sweetheart?" Esme asked me. I let out a small cry, not meaning too. I was just so nervous.

"I'm here, Esme," I told her.

"Oh, sweetheart. The rest of the family is heading towards you right now. They'll get to you as soon as they can. Just keep driving towards Eldon," Esme told me. I was about to answer her, tell her I was going to keep my foot on the accelerator, when the Corolla slammed into the back of my truck. I let out a small hiccup of a scream as I tried not to run off the road.

Why anyone would be dumb enough to take a Corolla to an Escape that has a tow hitch on the back of it, I'll never know. Maybe Children of the Moon get the stupid gene when they are changed. I could see him skid off the road, the bumper totally falling off the car and the hood smooshed to the point that you could only half see the windshield. Through the smoke coming up and out from the hood, I saw the most horrific glare I had ever seen in my life as I sped away.

"Elizabeth!" Esme shouted over the phone when she heard my soft scream.

"I'm okay, Esme. He hit me. He rammed into the back of my truck but I think its fine," I told her. Honestly, I had someone skid into me about a week before my ending up in this universe. She had a Corolla too. Hers was totaled too. I got a scratch on the bumper. I wasn't entirely worried about a scratch. I'd ask Rosalie for some touch up paint.

"Are you sure you are okay, dear?" Esme asked me in that concerned mother voice.

I started to feel relief the further I got away from that accident scene. "Yes, I'm alright I," I started. I realized what I failed to notice, what I didn't care to notice, was that there hadn't been just one car following me. There were two. A black pick up came along the side of me and slammed into me at that moment. I tried to control the truck but couldn't. I wanted to go faster but 100 mph was the self induced speed limit of my Escape. So much for an escape. I really should have gotten Rosalie to look at it.

I had two options, I could try and out run him or I could hit the brakes and see if I could try and take another route, get behind him and just, somehow make it to Eldon. I wasn't sure which option was best and didn't a chance to test either one. He knocked into me again, slamming into the side of my truck and forcing me off the road. I tried to turn and push us both back up onto the 101 but to no avail. All I could hear was the crunch of metal against metal and the shattering of glass as he pushed me into a field. I tried to turn the wheel the other way, get away from him and do a u-turn, but the trucks were going too fast and my truck was wedged into his truck's side.

I could hear Esme screaming over the phone but I wasn't exactly able to say anything back. I kept trying to turn the wheel this way and that, but with nothing. I tried to slam on the breaks but that didn't work either. It was like we were one truck now and I was in the sidecart.

When I saw the trees coming, I prepared myself for the impact. I braced my arms and felt the steering wheel hit them. The air bag went off and I remembered not breathe or open my eyes for a few seconds. The powder was an irritant and wouldn't help me at all right now. My phone got thrown from the brand new consul and slid underneath the passenger seat. Esme's screams were muffled.

As I counted to ten in my head, I could feel where there would be some bad bruises on my arms. If Gabriel thought the ones he gave me were something, wait until he sees these. Then he'll learn what a bruise is. Before I got past seven in my head, I felt someone grab me roughly to drag me out of the truck. They hadn't opened the door yet.

I slammed open the door and opened my eyes at the same time. I had to quickly undo my seatbelt but that took to long. The werewolf, I assume, had recovered from his initial shock and was just angrier now. He yanked me out of the truck by my arm and threw me to the ground. Pulling up against me, he seemed to sniff the air around me.

"You stink like them but you aren't one. Why!" he shouted at me. I had to get away. I had to think fast. I didn't have a knife on me or a can of hairspray. The only thing remotely dangerous that I could reach easily were my hairsticks that were keeping my hair up in my typical bun. I might be able to gouge his eyes out with that and get away.

Reaching back, I managed to get my right arm on my bun to feel exactly where the hairsticks were. The creature before me grabbed the arm right where the steering wheel hit it just a minute before. I sucked in a breath in pain. He grinned sinisterly.

He crept toward me. I was still on my bum, on the ground as his face was only inches away from mine. I could smell the stink of his breath and looked away in disgust. Roughly, he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "You listen to me girl. When I ask you a question, you will answer! Now, why!" he shouted, shaking me with his single hand on my chin before slapping me across the face.

That hurt like hell but, in doing so, he let go of my right arm. I yanked out the hairstick and jabbed it quickly into his eye. He screamed in pain and automatically tried to back away when I slammed down on the bead of the hairstick with my fist, forcing the sharp piece of wood up and into his brain.

His death wasn't pleasant. Blood squirted out of his eye and blood tears began to form in the other. His body seized as he fell to the ground, twitching. I got up quickly to run only to see flannel shirt guy standing maybe twenty feet away, in shock.

The other werewolf –I assume- roared at me. He dropped the guy that had been driving the green Corolla like a rag doll in the field next to his friend. The guy had been broken in so many places, he looked like a jigsaw puzzle in a bag of skin. I wanted to throw up at the scene before me but couldn't. I had to get away.

I grabbed my other hair stick, terrified it would fall out, before running as fast as I could. I didn't want to be defenseless. My legs hurt and I knew I was bleeding from the car accident. I wasn't sure where, but I knew the smell of blood and the sticky wet feeling on my sweater was because I was hurt. I'd worry about that later. Right now, I had to get away.

My hair flew back behind me as I ran for my very life. I ran towards the highway. I might be able to flag down a passing car or, I think, there were houses or businesses on the other side of the road. I could get to help if I could just run. Just as I got to the very edge of the road, just when I saw a passing trucker, I felt someone or something grab my hair and throw me to the ground, out of sight.

The gravel ate at my legs through my jeans. I turned around to see the flannel wearing werewolf holding my hair in his fist. He wound it up around his hand before I could do anything and put a knife to my throat. "Now, pretty little vampire pet," he whispered into my ear. I tried to turn away from the stink of his breath but couldn't. "Why don't you let me play with you for a while before I let more of your blood and make you an enticing appetizer for your cold, dead, friends, hmmm?" he said, snaking out his tongue. When I tried to turn away this time, he place the blade hard against my throat, cutting me slightly.

"No no," he told me. "You are obviously trained and I won't be making the same mistake my creator made," he continued. Yanking my hair like a leesh, he pulled me back to the scene of the accident and threw me to the ground, nearly on top of the two bodies. I dry heaved at the sight.

"A vampire's pet and you can't take the sight of dead bodies? Did they not teach you what they eat? How they live?" he laughed at me. Glaring, I looked up at him. He furnished the knife again, showing me who he thought had the power. The truth was, I was just trying to figure out which weapon to use.

The two bodies before me could be used as shields but I don't think I had enough physical strength in me to lift either up. So, I'd have to throw something. I could tell that flannel shirt guy's arm was still bothering him. I might not have broken it, or if I did, he healed really quickly; but, either way, it still hurt him. It was the arm he used to hold the knife with, not pull my hair.

The senior werewolf's body had stopped twitching. My hairstick was still embedded in his eye socket. In his pocket, I could just see, was a hint of silver. He had a pocket knife. Stealthily, I reached for it as the flannel wearing werewolf pulled my truck back and opened the door to the pick up.

"Get in!" he yelled at me, flashing his knife again. Slowly, I hobbled up. He came over again and yanked me upright fully. I sucked in a breath again, in pain.

"When I say get in, you will get in!" he yelled, throwing me towards the truck. I knew I couldn't open the pocketknife with him watching so I snuck it into my pocket and turned around to stab him in the eye just like I did his "creator". He caught me, a mere centimeter before it entered his eye.

Growling lowly, he managed to twist my hand back and I dropped the hairstick, in pain. "That might have worked on the old one but it won't work on me," he told me angrily. Raising his hand to hit me again, I tried to get out of his grasp but to no avail. He stopped short of hitting me and yanked me around to pull at my wrist instead; almost like he heard something.

"Come on!" he yelled at me, pulling me towards the woods rather than the trucks. My legs wouldn't go fast enough and I kept stumbling. Rather than stop, he'd just drag me and yank me upright again, hurrying along in the woods.

Battered and bleeding, we only stopped at some farm house out in the middle of this nowheresville. He threw me on the porch, giving me yet another bruise to go with my growing collection. I let out a slight scream this time. He seemed to like that so I'd be damn sure never to do that again.

Kicking in the door, he went to pull me by my hair again. This time, though, I had the pocket knife open. I jabbed at him, getting him right inbetween the ribs. He screamed as I slid the knife out and he turned to try and hit me.

I ducked and managed to, somehow, find the strength to kick him right where I just pulled the knife out from. I realized, if there had been anyone home, they would have probably made some noise by now. I was completely on my own in this fight.

The man tried to lunge for me and he was quick but I barely managed to roll out of the way and he only got my arm. He slammed into my arm and hit it against the porch. I almost screamed again but bit my bottom lip to prevent that from happening. Tears welled up in my eyes as my arm got ripped from the socket, again, and got pulled down on top of what was already going to be a bad bruise. I'm not sure if it was broken or not but I didn't care. I had to get away.

Rolling, I slid my arm back into its socket. He was already starting to get up but I noticed his movements were sluggish. He was loosing a lot of blood from the wound I already gave me. Taking advantage of this, I jabbed the knife into his temple and twisted before taking it back out, throwing it off the porch and trying to run.

I couldn't really run. I just sort of hobbled my way in the woods. I had no idea of where I was or if the werewolf was still alive. I prayed he wasn't or that he otherwise couldn't come after me. All I wanted was to go home. I needed to find home.

I knew that the werewolf hadn't dragged me too far from the sight of the car crash but, between the loss of blood –I guess- and not knowing the area, I wasn't sure which direction the car crash was. Given that, I didn't know where the highway was and just kept heading in what I think was an easterly direction. I wasn't sure. I just stumbled along, hoping to find some sort of civilization soon. Anything was better than werewolves.

I didn't know how late it was or how long I had been out there, but I heard something move near me. I came to a meadow in the middle of the woods and looked around. Nothing. Maybe I was just hearing things. Still, I picked up a stick just in case. I might be able to break it and jab it into his heart. Stakes might not work on vampires, but I'm pretty damn sure they work on werewolves.

As I took a step forward to walk through the meadow, I heard a very familiar, very comforting right now voice. "Elizabeth, wait there. Carlisle will be here in a moment," I heard the velvety Chicago accented voice demand. I shook my head. I wasn't sure why until I heard my own voice.

"Need to find the road," I mumbled. Edward half chuckled, half sighed before coming out of the woods to physically restrain me, I guess. He wasn't breathing. Oh, yeah, right. Blood and vampires don't mix well. Edward shook his head gently at that and forced me to sit down before looking over my injuries. I held my right arm tucked up against my chest. It hurt like crazy given I had a werewolf –I think- fall on it. Edward raised an eyebrow at me in question.

I played the events back through my head, skipping over some of the more graphic pieces. I could see the anger starting to boil up in Edward's face when both Carlisle and Gabriel came crashing through the woods. Edward looked at them and nodded once. "Her arm," he said before taking off.

Seeing Gabriel's face again made everything else melt away for a moment. He stepped closer to me, gently, when I remembered how much I was caked in blood. I shook my head. "You shouldn't be here. I'm bleeding," I mumbled out.

"I won't leave you ever again, tesorina," he whispered as he pulled me up into his arms as gently as I was a feather.

Carlisle had his medical bag with him –of course- and looked me over. When he first saw me, his expression was one of shock before he hurried over. Gently, Carlisle assessed my wounds and agreed with Edward that my arm was the most pressing of matters. "I take it I am allowed to rip this sweater sleeve?" Carlisle asked, attempting to tease me, I guess, although his voice didn't have his usual humor. I nodded once as Gabriel kissed the top of my head, holding me close but letting Carlisle work.

"Where are the ones that did this?" Gabriel asked, angrily. I leaned against him, feeling the familiar cool of his chest against my side and back.

"I killed them. I'm sorry, Carlisle," I whispered. I hated to disappoint Carlisle even in the slightest way.

Gently, but firmly, Carlisle placed a hand on my left shoulder and looked at me. "You did want you needed to do to come back to us," he told me before going back to looking over my wounds. "They were children of the moon?" he asked for clarification. I nodded. Carlisle stopped and looked me in the eye. "They did not bite you, did they?" he asked, anger lacing his voice. I shook my head quickly which seemed to cause both Carlisle and Gabriel to relax.

"One scratched me," I whispered, pointing to my neck with my left hand. Carlisle quickly looked over the wound but smiled. Gabriel let out a breath he was holding when Carlisle smiled again.

"The children of the moon are only potent with their claws when they are in their wolf form. You will be fine," Carlisle told me gently. Oh. Good then. I have zero desire to be a werewolf. That would just really complicate mine and Gabriel's relationship.

I quickly found out that most of the wounds were superficial –cuts and bruises that would heal in a couple of weeks or a month. The few that weren't included my right arm –Carlisle seemed to think it might be broken although he couldn't feel the break and I kept flinching every time he touched it- and a cut caused by a piece of my former windshield above my left breast. I was lucky, apparently, that it didn't go any deeper or it could have nicked a major blood vessel. I lost enough blood as it was.

"Can you carry her home?" Carlisle asked Gabriel as they both stood up. I was rather comfortably curled up against my fiancé's cool chest, my head resting on his shoulder as I cupped my arm against my stomach. My sweater laid in tatters on the ground but I still had most of my t-shirt on. Given that it was 60 out though, Gabriel wrapped me in his leather trench coat tightly. He didn't seem to care in the least that I was bleeding all over it. Carlisle had managed to put some temporary bandages on the more serious wounds but still, Gabriel was new to this whole vegetarian thing. How was he resisting? Not that I minded at all but…

"Yes, we will see you in an hour," Gabriel said as he took off with me, running. We had been in the shadows the entire time so it was only when Gabriel stepped out into the sun that I saw him sparkling. I smiled slightly and realized I finally felt safe after a night of fighting and a day of really fighting. There was no where in the world I wanted to be other than my sparklepire's arms.

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**Author's Note:** So ummm…yeah, I should probably stop watching Quentin Tarantino movies and anything dealing with zombies. They give me too many ideas. Brains nom!!!! Evil enough for everyone? It will get a lot worse soon… Well from a psychological standpoint at least…


	46. BII C xix

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own ummm...a sewing machine! That I seriously need to use again tomorrow... maybe.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm glad so many people like this story! I just want to say hi to all the new people (Hi new people!) who have fav'd or alert'd to this story in the past couple of days. Also, as always, super big Thank you's to everyone that has reviewed.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 19

Gabriel was moving quickly, I knew that much. It was hard to keep my eyes open and I realized it was a losing battle to keep my left one open at all. It was pretty much swollen shut from where the older werewolf slapped me across the face. I had tried to keep it open when I was stumbling through the woods just so I could see the way; but now, safe in Gabriel's arms, it was pointless to open it. All it did was add to the pain surging through my body.

Time was fairly meaningless when you've lost enough blood. I was dizzy and lightheaded but I didn't realized how much until I noticed that I was missing pieces of time. We would be running towards a tree, or a rock and then it would be gone. It wasn't that Gabriel was going _that_ fast, although he was running probably a good sixty miles per an hour, it was that I kept falling in and out of consciousness.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel called to me, his lips just centimeters from my ear. I woke up again, instantly; shocked that I had fallen asleep at all. "Stay awake, gioia mia. You need to stay awake," he told me, desperation in his voice. I wanted to mutter something like I was too tired or that I didn't hit my head and to let me sleep, but all that came out was a yawn. Blood loss and a bad night of sleep didn't mix well for mortals.

I carefully nuzzled his neck, wanting to avoid any pressure what so ever on my left cheekbone. His cool skin did help to alleviate some of the pain. I managed to mutter something but I wasn't sure what.

"Tell me what happen, cara mia. Please, I need to know," He more pleaded than stated. I could hear the pain so evident in his voice and figured I'd just have to explain the Gabriel that humans heal. There was nothing that I wouldn't heal from, nothing irrevocably damaged. I still had my hair and my bones –I think- were all fine. Yeah, my arm and cheek hurt like hell but I could still yawn and still move my fingers. I didn't want to but I could still do it.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel," I whispered as I leaned into him more. I shouldn't have run off like that. Even then, I should have come straight home this morning. I also shouldn't get so upset about things like hanging up on Gabriel. That was my own fault, not his.

"Sorry? Elizabetta, what have you to apologize for? It is I who should apologize, cara mia," he told me. The tone of his voice made it sound like he was crying but vampires can't cry, can they? Well, sort of but they don't have tears.

I tried to look up at him but his arms held me like a comforting cage. I couldn't move from my present position at all to look up and into his eyes as he ran. "I may be over protective but can you blame me? When this is what happens when you are away from me? I only hate myself for I see myself putting you in danger although I also see you find far worse danger on your own. You are my cuore. Without you, there is no reason for tomorrow," he told me as he ran. I tried to reach up to touch his face but my right arm hurt too much to lift it. I needed to see him. I needed to look into his eyes.

"As for distrusting," he whispered. "If I have ever given you reason to think that I did not trust you, know that it has never been you that I do not trust. You, Elizabetta, I trust with my entire existence. There is nothing I will not give to you, you have only to ask," he stated but refused to look down at me. I tried to move my left arm only to find it pretty much locked between my body and his chest.

Before he spoke again, I swear he…gulped? No, that wasn't the right word. It was more like a strangled cry. "It is I that I do not trust around you. My interactions with humans for the past 500 years have been in passing only. I rarely spoke more than a word to them as was necessary. Then to have you…" he continued, his voice becoming softer, less pained. I felt him slowly move to hold me tighter as he ran. But he seemed to think better of it and just moved his arms so I was cradled against him.

"That night, I thought that all my sins had caught up with me –that the Volturi guard, Jane, would either destroy me or force me to feel the burn of the fires in her mind for ages. When I felt the fire subside, I got up and saw what I could not comprehend at the time. You, a beautiful human, burning the most feared of all Guard. You made her feel what she had not in her three hundred years. All I could think when I saw Jane lunge towards you, her entire body engulfed in the flames she made so many others feel, is to take you away from her; to let you live," he whispered. I remembered that night clearly. I had been walking to the car after leaving the swing dance club. Something told me to go down that street, to go that way. When I saw Gabriel, I thought that Jane was playing with her food. I didn't know he was a vampire at first.

"You were hungry," I whispered, remembering the black of his eyes. His coal black eyes gazed at me and he gave me a simple kiss on my head before disappearing into the night.

Gabriel smirked lightly. "Yes, I was. Jane wished to take… my meal from me. When I fought against her, not knowing who she was, she used her ability against me," he explained. His voice started to sound pained again as I rested my forehead against his neck.

"How?" I whispered, suppressing another yawn. Gabriel finally looked down at me for a second. His entire face was etched in worry and pain as he gently kissed me near my right temple.

"How what, amata mia?" he asked gently. I felt him pull the trench coat around me more tightly, like a leather cocoon. My eyes could barely stay open.

"How did you resist then? Now?" I mumbled. I wasn't sure if he could even understand me. I just barely made out a twitch in the muscular lines of his jaw. I think he was smiling but I couldn't tell through my half open right eye. I was so tired.

"I could not destroy my savior, now could I?" he asked lightly before turning to look at me again. His face fell. "Stay with me, gioia mia. Do not sleep yet," he pleaded with me.

"Tired," I responded. My right eye closing. My left eye was already swollen shut. I knew I looked a mess but I couldn't find it within me to care right now.

"Elizabetta!" he shouted a bit too loud in my ear. I winced but opened my right eye, shocked out of sleep for at least a minute or two. "Do not sleep. When we arrive home, where Carlisle may get a better look at you, then you may sleep. But you are not to sleep until then," he ordered. His voice changed tones as he kissed my head again, feather light. "Do not leave me, tesorina. Please, stay awake," he told me, his voice pained.

"How…resisting now?" I asked; half to prove I was awake, half because I was genuinely curious.

Gabriel was quite for a moment. His voice sounded sketchy –no, that wasn't the right word- unsure when he spoke again. "When you disappeared from the little one's visions, I knew not what to think. Then to hear that anyone dared to pursue you...," he started. I wanted to see his face again as he seemed to recollect himself. "I took everything in me to wait for a location and not run out of the house wildly," he whispered lowly.

"When Esme called again as we came to meet you across the mountain range, only to say that you were in a car accident and that she lost contact with you," he began. He gulped again but looked down at me, his thumb gently brushed the upper part of my right arm where just yesterday he had been worried about bruises on it. I had a whole collection of bruises now that made those small ones look like mosquito bites next to an open wound. Mosquito bites. Hee.

"I thought I had lost you," he said softly, so low that I almost didn't hear him. I didn't need to see his face to know that it scared him. I could feel every muscle in his chest and arms tense as his admission.

"I'm here," I whispered back, trying to reassure him. I was in pain but I wasn't about to die. I'd be weak for a few days, maybe, and I'd be as sore as hell for a couple of weeks but I was alive. I wasn't going anywhere without him.

"Si, meno male!" he responded quickly before his jaw became tight again. "When we saw the police already upon the scene," he started. That shocked me. There were police at my car accident?

I went through a myrid of emotions in that moment and each one jolted me more and more awake. If the police were there, was that what the younger werewolf heard? Had someone seen the accident? What about the scene itself? My hairsticks were there. Yes, my fingerprints weren't on file in this universe –the FBI required each employee to have their fingerprints on file in mine- but that didn't mean that help my sense of a contaminated crime scene. Hair, blood, and my truck were all there. Or, what was left of my truck.

That brought on another fear. My truck wasn't from this universe. The VIN number wouldn't be found and the registration was completely fictitious, thanks to J. Jenks. Even if my family managed to remove anything with my name from the scene –like my wallet, receipts, registration, and anything else in there that might possibly have any connection back to me- they might not be able to get to the VIN before it's recorded down in some police file. Did my truck even exist in this universe? Would they call up the person that owns it now, here, only to find it sitting in his or her driveway?

"The police?" I managed to whisper in interruption, worried. Gabriel looked down at me.

"Do not worry, cara mia," he told me gently, a soft smile on his lips. "Your family will take care of such things." That did mollify me a bit. I guess Jasper could ease all the police men into not caring that he was there while he went and grabbed anything with my name. Edward would move fast enough to be nothing more than a figment of their imaginations while Alice looked for loop holes to, hopefully, erase anything potentially disasters from the records. They'd fix it. I'd have to thank them later.

"There was so much blood –your blood- at the scene that I was scared I had arrived to late to even watch your last breath," Gabriel told me, his voice sounded like he was crying. "I ran, I went faster than I ever have as I smelled your blood spilled in that forest by that _dog_," he growled. I kissed his neck gently to let him know I was here. I wasn't okay, but I was alive. Of course, in doing so, I brushed my left cheekbone against his collarbone and that hurt. A lot. I rested my forehead against his shoulder again. I don't think I'll move much anymore. It hurt too much.

"When we arrived at the farmhouse, your blood was upon the porch along with that beast's. Edward took off into the woods again, to which Carlisle and I followed him. I picked up your scent, knowing that is what Edward was following. In that moment did I pray for the first time in a very long time that God had not taken you from me yet," he continued as he ran. I shivered as we were in the mountain range now and the weather turned colder. Gabriel tried his best to shield me from the cold wind that whipped around us as he ran.

"To see you," he said, choking up a little as he spoke. "To know that you were alive. To know I hadn't missed your last breath and that you would live…" he tried to explain. "That is how I resist, cara mia," he told me as he looked back down into my eyes. Well, eye. My left side was completely swollen now. "For I know now the truth in which I speak when I say that there is nothing in this world more important to me than you."

If I wasn't in need of Tylenol 3 at that moment and if I didn't probably look like well…I got into a fight with a werewolf, I would have kissed him. Instead, I nuzzled happily against his neck, knowing that he truly loved me…and not my blood.

Gabriel insisted I stay awake the entire way back to the house. It took about an hour, I think, for him to run from wherever the heck I was to Forks, making a b-line over the Olympic Mountain range. I still wasn't sure about the whole time thing but the sun didn't move much. He had to be careful near civilization not to be seen. A glittering angel racing with a bloody and bruised corpse-like person in his arms? Yeah, that wouldn't go over well.

He tried to get me to talk about anything. He told me to talk about fashion or dresses or Ginsie. Anything so I would stay awake. When I told him it hurt the left side of my face to speak much, I think he cringed. "We will get you better soon, tesorina," he whispered in reply.

As ugly as I'm sure I looked right now, I was just glad it was temporary. Bruises heal as do cuts. I was quite pleased when I found out that scars disappear when you are turned so I wasn't worried about that anymore. The scar on my neck would go away. Of course, I might have new scars from where ever Gabriel bites me to turn me. That, I'd happily live with.

There was still something bothering me about Gabriel's story as he ran. I couldn't put my finger on it. "The bodies," I began in a whisper.

"Si, amore?" he asked in reply.

"The police won't be able to tell that they were werewolves, will they?" I asked, the left side of my face aching at the effort.

"Only one of the bodies was that of a werewolf, tesorina," Gabriel told me gently. I shook my head a bit –a very bad idea- and rested my forehead again against his neck. I waited for a moment before speaking again.

"No, the one at the farmhouse was a werewolf too," I muttered. I think Gabriel stopped breathing again and I was worried that my blood was finally getting to him until he spoke.

"There was no body at the farmhouse, Elizabetta," he told me, anger coloring his voice. No body? But I killed him! I jabbed the knife right into his temple and twisted, just like you are supposed to. Granted, the knife only had a three inch blade, but he wasn't moving when I got up to get the heck out of there. He would have chased me again if he lived, right?

"I killed him. I know it, Gabriel," I said, somewhat frantic. What if he was chasing us right now? Could Gabriel out run him? Could children of the moon only change when the moon was out or was it something more to do with the phases of the moon? I had no idea. I just knew that neither changed in front of me….

"You are safe, tesorina. I will get you home and the Cullens will help to protect you. Do not worry on this but let it be my burden," he told me. His burden? He wasn't going to go after the beast, was he?

"Gabriel, please don't leave me. Don't go after him. Don't leave me," I muttered tiredly. My fiancé kissed my temple again.

"I will never leave you," Gabriel promised. "But I will not let one live that has caused you pain like this," he continued. "I am supposed to protect you, to offer what little…life I have to protect your own as you have saved mine. I have failed in that." I could hear the pain, the hate, the self loathing again in his voice. I wanted to reach up, kiss him, tell him that it wasn't his fault but I could only do one of those three things.

"I left. I ran out. I would have only gotten madder if you stopped me," I told him, softly. "It's no ones fault other than the werewolves, Gabriel," I whispered.

He was quiet and something told me we were almost home. Maybe the trees just looked more familiar or something else made me realize how close to home we were.

I had no idea how much time passed until I heard Gabriel call out in what seemed nothing more than wilderness. "Esme? She is bleeding," he shouted. My right eye shut again and I felt the cool wind stop around us suddenly.

I could hear a gasp that I recognized as my sister's. "Upstairs," I heard her order.

"Stay awake, Elizabetta," Gabriel reminded me again. I opened my eye only because I felt him lower me on to a bed. I looked around and recognized it as Carlisle and Esme's room. Esme looked on at me in horror as she brought over some sort of cloth or clothing. I wasn't sure. I was just so tired that all I could tell was that she wasn't breathing.

"What happened?" she asked, replacing Gabriel's black leather trench coat with a blanket. I pouted slightly. I liked the smell of the coat, it smelt like my fiancé.

"They were children of the moon. One got away," Gabriel said angrily. He rushed to the bathroom and brought back a wet washcloth. Slowly, carefully, he began to wash my face and wounds. "The others were not far behind me. I believe they tended to the accident scene," he informed her.

Esme looked like she was about to ask something else when Carlisle came in quickly. He kissed his wife but looked at her seriously. "Go," he ordered her. Esme looked down and away before leaving the room. I could barely keep my eye open as Carlisle reassessed my injuries.

"Did you hit your head?" Carlisle asked me, in full doctor mode now. He checked the small cut on my throat and prodded the left side of my face. I flinched. Gabriel looked like he wanted to growl at Carlisle which almost made me laugh.

"No," I told him. "Can I sleep now?" I think I mumbled out. Carlisle gave me a small smile.

"In a minute, Elizabeth. I think your fatigue is due to blood loss and nothing more but I wish to make sure," he said getting out his pin light…again. I batted it away with my left arm like normal. That seemed to help lift both vampires spirits.

"I need to take x-rays. I have a machine in my study that I can bring in here, if you like," Carlisle informed me.

"Not…broken," I mumbled, wiggling my fingers for evidence. Damn that hurt.

"I want to make sure that neither your arm nor cheekbone is broken," Carlisle said gently. He looked to Gabriel who had washed off any exposed skin with the now bloody washcloth. Huh, I really had lost a lot of blood.

"I'll bring the machine in here and I would like to give you transfusion. I would much rather normally conduct this at the hospital but I'm afraid we don't have time to construct a decent enough façade for your injuries," he told me.

"Okay," I muttered, trying to keep my right eye open. As Carlisle nodded and went towards his office, Edward came in and stood in the doorway. My only thought in my fairly delusional state was that it was poor manners to stand in the doorway like that. You either came in a room or you stood outside of it. The only reason to stand in a doorway was if there was an earthquake.

Edward didn't even bother to raise an eyebrow at my thoughts. He looked over at me and had a more severe look on his face than Esme had. I didn't get why. He had already seen me out in that meadow. I doubt I looked much worse.

"We tracked the other filthy beast to a neighboring house. Jasper and Emmett think he stole a car there and will try to keep us updated if the car is reported stolen," Edward informed Carlisle and Gabriel. Gabriel's hand tightened into a fist, his jaw was set, as anger rolled through his frame.

"We'll find him," Edward informed Gabriel. His voice let it be known that Edward wasn't much happier than Gabriel with this situation.

Carlisle squeezed Edward's shoulder and both of them disappeared into the hallway. I started to close my eyes again when I heard Gabriel warn me to stay awake.

"Nuh huh," I muttered, to tired to make anymore of a response than that. Gabriel smirked slightly and Carlisle came back in with the x-ray machine.

I was in and out of it as he took pictures. My entire body ached and felt swollen. I heard Carlisle mention getting Alice to change me into something that didn't resemble bloody rags but Gabriel insisted he do it. I felt myself being lifted, a night gown placed over my head after Gabriel must have ripped off my t-shirt. Well, as much as I'd normally like Gabriel to rip my clothing off, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I was also in too much pain, and way too out of it, to care.

Once I was in the night gown, Gabriel tore my jeans off too. Apparently, the night gown preserved what ever semblance of modesty Gabriel thought I needed. Considering I knew this was all just to get me out of blood covered cloth in a house full of vampires, modesty wasn't high on my list of priorities right now. He called Carlisle back in when I was dressed in my PJ's, his voice a bit fretful.

Carlisle looked at me and I could see the worry in his eyes too. He told me something about starting an IV but I didn't really hear him. I felt the slight poke and could see the two bags –one clear, one of blood- being hooked up to my IV line. After looking over the developed film, which Carlisle held up to the sun filled window, he smiled a bit.

"Sleep, Elizabeth. I'll see about getting an MRI tomorrow for you but your arm and cheekbone aren't broken," he told me. Gabriel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The last sound I heard before falling completely to sleep was Gabriel whispering something low while holding my hand. I swear it sounded like the Pater Noster, but since when does Gabriel pray?

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope that explains a few things that I know people have been curious about. Like it? Hate it? Tell me please! And feel free to ask questions.


	47. BII C xx

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Twenty Chapters and I haven't gotten to the newborn army yet? Yikes! I promise that will come into play relatively soon. I want to get into a couple of other points before that. I also just want to remind everyone that, on my profile page, I have links to various things (like shirtless Gabriel. No, really. He has no shirt!) and I'll continue to add either links or songs to the incredibly long IPod play list. Alice better of rescued Elizabeth's IPod from the truck or else Elizabeth with be greatly disappointed…

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 20

A low growl. Darkness. Softness. A cool hand gently rubbing my right arm that hurts like crazy. The feather-light massage though seems to be helping the pain a bit. My other arm feels like I have an IV in it. Oh, right. The werewolves. I do have an IV in my arm. That would explain why everything feels like I got into a fight with a bunch of sandstone and lost. Maybe I should ask Carlisle to up the pain medication.

"It's not like she wasn't going to wake up in another ten minutes anyways, Gabriel," I heard a bell like voice comment. Alice? Yes, it had to be Alice. She must have been the giggle I heard that woke me up to begin with. Was that Gabriel that growled at her? He knows better than that.

I forced my eyes open and immediately regretted that. My left eye did not want to open. Pain seared up and down the left side of my face as I tried to open my eyes. Shutting them quickly, I only saw light in that split second and what I thought was Alice and Gabriel. I felt the cool hand move to my face, continuing its small movements along my left cheekbone. "Amata mia?" Gabriel whispered into my ear. I could smell his breath across my right cheek.

Slowly, very slowly this time, I opened my right eye, being careful not to try and force my left one open too. Dear God, I must look a mess. I'm sure I look like a cross between some first grader's play-do attempt at making a human and Sloth from the Goonies.

"Bonjourno, cara mia," Gabriel said but I also heard someone trying very hard not to laugh too loud. It sounded like Edward. Unfortunately, due to the dim light and the fact I couldn't really lift my head very well –how the heck did I get bruises on my back?- I couldn't see where he was.

Slowly, my cousin came into view, pushing Alice gently into view as well. Both making sure to stay to my right side so I could actually see. Gabriel sat in a chair to my right, alternating between brushing back my hair and brushing the left side of my face with his cool hand. "It's not that bad, Elizabeth," Edward started, smiling. "The swelling has already gone down considerably," he told me. Gabriel turned his head to look at him.

_So more Picasso and his previously unknown purple period?_

I asked via my thoughts. Edward laughed this time. "No, I think you would have had to break something in order to qualify for that," he told me. Alice hopped up on the bed –startling Ginsie whose white hair I could just barely see over the blankets- and sat next to my knees. I started to push myself up with my left arm –ouch- only to find myself in the vertical position quickly and a cool arm on my back. Alice –I could just make her out out of my left eye which was only slightly open- pushed pillows behind me before quickly crawling back to next to my right knee.

"Thank you," I whispered to both Gabriel and Alice.

"No problem!" Alice stated cheerfully, smiling as she sat on the bed. Gabriel kissed my temple again, which helped comfort me a lot more than he could have known.

"Any word on the stolen car?" I asked, wincing slightly at the effort. Did that stupid werewolf really have to slap me across the face? I know I'm being just a bit vain but it also hurts!

Edward's face fell a bit, I think he had his fists balled up a bit but the blankets, the lighting, and Gabriel were in the way. "Yes, they found it north of Tacoma," Edward told me. I swear I heard Gabriel growl a bit again and Alice look down. What weren't they telling me?

"What else is going on?" I asked, curious. I tried to move my right arm a bit –it felt funny- only to find that Carlisle must have taped it while I was asleep. Really? I was that out of it? What time was it anyway?

"It's nearly midnight," Edward answered. I looked at the other two for the answer to my other question. I slowly realized something.

Jasper and Emmett were supposed to be watching out for the BOLO on the stolen car. I doubt Alice would be that cheerful if anything happened to either one of them so I knew nothing was wrong-necessarily- in that regard. If they hadn't found the werewolf, that was okay. I'm sure we'd find him eventually.

I was still in Esme and Carlisle's room, but neither one of them were here. I thought on Carlisle's schedule this week and he should be home right now. Wouldn't Carlisle be checking my vitals now that I was awake? There was something wrong with this picture.

"Where are Esme and Carlisle?" I asked, curious.

Gabriel, holding taking my left hand into his hands, looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction as he spoke. "Downstairs, amore. I am sure they will be up soon. Both have been worried over you," he told me. I eyed him cautiously.

"What is going on downstairs?" I asked, watching all three reactions with my one good eye. No one spoke a word but I could see Alice asking Edward something in her head. I watched the two of them carefully, wanting to know what was going on. I was half ready to throw the blankets off me when Alice put a hand on my knee.

"You don't want to do that. It will only hurt and you'll yank out your IV," Alice pointed out. I managed to turn my head to see the IV line in my left arm again. My entire body ached so much that another ache in the crux of my arm didn't even faze me. I guess pulling out the IV like that would be a very bad idea in a house full of vampires. And messy. Very messy. I think that's the vein that squirts.

"Elizabeth, please?" Edward said. I turned my head –a bit too quickly, ouch- to see him pinching the bridge of his nose. Oh yeah. Vampires. Sorry.

"So what is going on downstairs?" I repeated and looked to any of the three people in the room for an answer. Only Gabriel would look me in the eye. Gently, he kissed my left hand, my right hand tucked up against my stomach, in a half cast with a lovely bright aqua wrap around it.

"We have visitors, tesorina," Gabriel told me.

"Visitors?" I asked. Did they tell the Quileute already that I killed a couple more werewolves? That seemed unlikely but maybe something got out that I was injured somehow. That seemed more likely.

"It's not them," Edward told me. I looked at him curiously, or tried. I'm sure I looked like a Picasso now.

"Enough with the twenty questions, what is going on?" I asked my assembled group of vampires.

Alice sighed. "I'll get her ready," she told Gabriel. Ready? Ready for what? Gabriel shook his head.

"I will not leave her," he informed Alice firmly. I managed to squeeze his hand in response. I had no idea what I was getting ready for but I didn't want Gabriel away from me either.

"I'll tell them that she will be down. Do you need help with the IV line, Alice?" Edward asked. Alice shook her head as she hopped down from my bed, much to Ginsie's chagrin. The pup popped her head up and watched Alice as she went over to my IV and quickly took the medicine bag and unhooked it from the IV itself. She capped the IV quickly as Edward turned to leave.

_Who?_

I asked again, in my head, wanting an answer. Edward stopped at the door and turned to look at me. His expression was odd, I couldn't place it. "Felix and Demetri," he said before heading downstairs.

The Guard? What the hell were they doing here? I wasn't due to be changed yet – I had a year- and Bella would be changed soon too. Were they just here about Seattle? I hoped that was all but why would they want to see me?

As I slowly started to move so I could get out of bed and at least put a robe on, I heard a soft knock at the door. "Come in" I muttered, not sure who it was. Gabriel helped me push of the blankets and move so I was sitting on the edge of the bed. Ginsie looked very disgruntled about having the blankets pushed on top of her. She got up, moved to be on top of the blankets again, walked around three times in a circle, and then finally laid back down. I smiled and slowly reached out my left hand to pet my pup on the head while looking to see who was at the door. It was Rosalie.

"I brought some things from downstairs for you to change in and some make-up," Rose said almost timidly. I looked to the clothing she had in her hands; my loose fitting green jeans and a loose, wide sleeved red v-neck sweater. I'd look like a Christmas tree but I didn't care. I'd be comfortable.

"Thank you, Rose" I told her as Gabriel helped me up gingerly as I moved to stand up. He didn't look happy and I could see a question forming in his eyes.

"You shouldn't be standing, amore," he said after a few moments. I could tell he was debating about whether or not to just carry me over to the chair in front of the vanity that the girls were setting up. I wasn't sure if I even wanted make-up to cover my bruises. That just seemed to scream domestic abuse to me. But maybe it was because you could see the capillaries, the pool of blood, in a house full of vampires and not for my own vanity.

"I can walk, Gabriel," I told him as I started to take a step forward. Gabriel went around to my left side, as I turned, to help steady me as Rose came over. She held my clothing in her arms.

"Do you need help getting dressed?" she asked. I shook my head –which I've seriously got to remember not to do, ow- and took the clothing from her.

"No, thank you though, Rosalie," I told her. I moved to sit back down so I could easily get the pants on. I was wearing a nightgown and knew how to change without anyone seeing anything they shouldn't. I was still wearing my sports bra since it was Gabriel that changed me to begin with and the only other two in the room were Alice and Rosalie. I slipped on my pants, stood up to bring them all the way up, fastened them, and then moved to take my nightgown off. Gabriel helped gingerly while trying to avert his eyes. It was amusing, really.

I slipped the red sweater on and squeezed my vampire's hand with my left one. Moving my right arm had felt funny. It didn't hurt –it rarely did anymore when I popped the thing out of socket- but it felt swollen for lack of a better word.

As I started to move towards the vanity, Gabriel stopped me. "Please, let me carry you, amore," he whispered to the point I could barely hear him in my ear. Given that I was still a bit dizzy and that I hurt everywhere, I didn't object. Carefully, he cradled me and quickly placed me on the vanity seat. I avoided looking in the mirror. I didn't want to see how horrible I looked.

"I think just a French braid for now," Alice said, looking at me like I was an unfinished piece of art. Yeah, Pablo forgot to add some more purple to my left arm. I felt Rosalie gently starts combing my hair. I winced slightly.

"Sorry, Elizabeth," Rose said sadly. I hadn't realized how sore my scalp was. I guess he had yanked my hair rather hard.

"It's just, my scalp is sore," I replied. I remembered for a second that Rosalie had had her hair yanked out the night she was left for dead. I just prayed my little fight didn't remind her of that. Yes, they beat me, but I beat them back harder. They never got a chance to even attempt to rape me.

"I'll just get the major tangles," she told me, being gentle with my hair.

Alice was dabbing a super pale foundation on to a piece of cotton before looking at me. "Now, Elizabeth, I need you to look forward," she said carefully. Looking forward meant looking in the mirror. I did not want to look in the mirror until the two girls were done. Gabriel must have seen my hesitation.

He knelt down on my left side, next to Alice and took my hand to kiss it. "I am sure you are thinking it is far worse than it truly is, cara mia," he told me. Very gently, he squeezed my hand and stayed by my side before I looked forward into the mirror.

I expected to have black and blue marks up and down my face. I expected to have cuts and bruises everywhere from the car crash and the fight. What I saw wasn't quite as bad as I expected. Right beneath my left eye, it was an odd lavender color with deep maroon marks, swollen up, but that was it. The rest of my face was, well, my face. Nothing scarier than what I see every morning. There was some bruising to my chest and I could just see the tape that covered the cotton and stitches about an inch or two above my left breast. I vaguely remember Carlisle stitching me up while I was falling asleep.

I could feel more bruises but they were covered by the sweater and my jeans. It looked more like I had fallen off a bicycle than it did like I got into a fight with a werewolf. "You will be fine in a few days," Gabriel told me, kissing the top of my head as he stood up before letting Rosalie and Alice get to work. He stayed behind me, never too far away. When Rosalie finished with a perfect French braid, Gabriel took her place and stood with a hand on my left shoulder, out of Alice's way as much as possible.

"Thank you, again, Rose," I told her as she turned to leave.

"You're welcome," she told me before leaving. Alice was almost done with all the farding and was trying to choose between two lipsticks. She looked at both critically before turning to me.

"I know you prefer the dark reds, but the mauve will look better right now. Trust me," Alice told me before putting the hideous pale color on me. Yuck. Although, even I had to admit the overall affect wasn't bad. I still looked swollen on the left side –nothing could be done about that- but the bruising wasn't noticeable.

"Thank you, Alice," I told her, being careful not to touch the make-up. Alice smiled happily at her work.

"Come downstairs in one minute," she told both me and Gabriel. Gabriel grunted something that sounded like an affirmative –men- as Alice danced out of the room. I turned to look at my fiancé briefly before figuring –if I was to get downstairs in a minute- I should probably get up and start walking. My legs hurt, but not as much as my face and my right arm. They stung more than anything else. I guess that's what I get for falling into the gravel like that. It also didn't help that my right hip was bruised from when I was thrown onto the porch.

Gabriel was in front of me in an instant. "No, tesorina. Let me carry you," he told me softly. I looked up at him and saw a mix of pain, love, and worry in his eyes. I nodded once. Nodding wasn't as painful as shaking my head.

With a hint of a smile, Gabriel picked me up into his arms again –bridal style- and took me down the stairs. Once in the living room, I noticed the entire family gathered around. Carlisle and Esme both stood when Gabriel brought me and placed me on the sofa. Esme quickly wrapped me up in a blanket and handed me a mug of hot tea.

"Thank you," I whispered as I took a sip. It had honey. Yum.

"Of course, dear," she told me before sitting to one side of me. Gabriel was behind me, a protective hand on my left shoulder while Esme held my left hand.

In front of the fireplace/TV in the living room were Demetri and Felix. They stood there and looked at me. I couldn't quite get what Felix's expression was but Demetri's was clearly curious. I had to remember, they had no idea I had any connection to the Cullens at our last meeting.

Emmett was about five or six feet away from Demetri, Jasper was the same distance from Felix. Edward stood next to his father. Rose was in the armchair, near Emmett, and Alice was on the loveseat, looking rather bored. We were all here and I hadn't the slightest idea why.

"Elizabeth," Demetri greeted me. I looked up at him and nodded once. The warm mug of tea steaming in my hands. Edward started to look positively menacing…at Felix. Felix just smirked and took a brief glance at me, I think. He might have been looking at Gabriel tool.

"A child of the moon attacked you this past morning?" Demetri asked me rather suddenly. Oh, was that why they were here? Were they going to help track down the werewolf? I guess that makes sense. Caius does have that whole "make the werewolves go the way of the Dodo bird" philosophy and I could see them taking up his orders.

"Two, yes," I answered before taking another sip of tea. I didn't fail to notice the look that passed between Felix and Demetri. Felix looked slightly shocked and turned to Carlisle.

"What was done with the other mongrel?" Felix asked.

"He had not turned. Elizabeth destroyed him while he was still in his human form," Carlisle said a lot more simply then I'd expect from him. "The police at the scene have identified him as Mark Johansen. He will be cremated, we believe, tomorrow."

"You fought two werewolves and you are still alive, human?" Felix asked, sounding a bit angry. Demetri smirked. I noticed then that Demetri's arm was healed as was his face. Edward shot me look and I wasn't sure what that was about but he went back to looking menacing at Felix.

"They hadn't changed into werewolves when I fought them, idiot," I responded in the same tone. Demetri gave smile and tried not to laugh. Felix, not liking my response, must have started to move forward, not that I could see it. But, Jasper and Emmett automatically moved to block him. I was just trying to decide who was bigger, Felix or Emmett. I think Emmett was, but I wasn't sure.

"The one we brought in the car mentioned that he wanted to use her as bait of some kind," Demetri said calmly. In the car? They brought the one that drug me by my hair, the one I thought I killed here. I replayed the events in my head, forgetting momentarily that Edward could see them too. As my worry began to peak, I felt a sudden wave of calmness overtake me. Jasper.

Edward looked at me, his jaw tense for a moment but he wasn't angry with me. I knew that look. "He's dead, Elizabeth. The guard had some questions regarding statements he made before they destroyed him," Edward told me. Oh. That was okay then. As long as he really was dead this time. Esme moved to gently wrap her arm around me and pull me closer to her, careful to avoid my right shoulder.

"Did he say anything more than that?" Carlisle asked, curiously. Felix smirked this time and Edward shot him a glare. I'd love to know what was going on in Felix's head that had Edward so upset at him. I can't imagine what the flannel wearing werewolf might have said.

"No, much of what he said was…incomprehensible. Other than her and our guess that she was connected to your clan somehow, he was not cooperative before his demise," Demetri continued before turning to me. "You did injury him well. His movements were erratic and he did suffer some brain damage from the head injury, I think, you gave him, sabbatianoi."

I nodded once in acknowledgment. I was still curious as to what –exactly- the werewolf told them. "I thought I killed him," I stated truthfully.

"If it is any consultation, I can think of a few vampires that would be…jealous of your accomplishments today," Demetri stated. Felix groaned.

"We are not telling him. He wouldn't believe us if we did," Felix informed Demetri. Demetri shrugged –further evidence that he was completely healed- before saying, "Maybe not Caius but Aro would be amused." Felix let out a frustrated sigh.

For whatever reason –maybe it was the drugs wearing off- but in that moment, something clicked. I remembered Demetri and Felix saying they were heading to Seattle next to deal with Victoria –after the incident in New York City. The stolen car was abandoned north of Tacoma. Seattle is north of Tacoma. It's not that far a distance either. Is that how Felix and Demetri came across him? Was the werewolf heading into vampire ground zero? And what about Victoria? They obviously haven't been able to stop her. The murders were still occurring at a regular rate in Seattle.

"You haven't been able to find Victoria," I said softly, realization hitting me.

The playful bickering between Demetri and Felix stopped. Demetri became the one looking frustrated. "No, you were right. She does seem to have the ability to…avoid detection," he informed everyone. He hated to admit to being blind about this, just like Alice.

"Is there a way to stop the young ones?" Carlisle asked, hopeful. I know he wanted a peaceful solution to this, if at possible.

"We managed to catch a couple of them but we can only stop this madness is by destroying Victoria and any of the newborns she creates," Felix said arrogantly.

Carlisle shook his head. "The newborns shouldn't be forced to pay for the sins of their creator. I doubt they are being taught the rules," he informed the two guards.

Felix smirked while Demetri answered Carlisle. "Ignorance of our law doesn't mean that it shouldn't go unpunished if broken, Carlisle. We don't give second chances. It's bad for our reputation," he told him, seriously. Wasn't that Jane's line? Oh well, I killed her. Two vampires, and three werewolves. I'm not even a mythological creature yet and I have kill tally. Great. I'm going to be fun when I get turned. Maybe I'll make up for Bella being so nice and gentle. Everyone will just have their hands filled with me!

"Still, I would hope there would be some way to resolve this without any further damage," Carlisle stated.

Demetri nodded before turning back to me. "and I have tried to track this Riley you spoke of. He, I have been able to find but often runs to Victoria when either I or Felix get close," he informed us all.

Riley was the red-shirt stealing vampire. He was the one that went to capture Bella's scent. He'd be here in a couple of weeks but could we hold off that long just to catch him? More people would die in those couple of weeks.

"As long as you pursue her, it will make it harder for her to cause any further damage," Gabriel pointed out, speaking up for the first time since we came downstairs. I reached up and squeezed his hand that was still on my shoulder.

"We, of course, will continue to try and capture her," Demetri admitted after a moment. I saw a bunch of different emotions play across both Felix's and Demetri's faces in that moment. I didn't like most of them.

Nodding, Demetri turned to Carlisle. "We would appreciate any help you might be able to give us in either matter in the near future. I assume that we may call upon you tomorrow at a less inconvenient time?" he asked. Carlisle nodded.

"It is always an honor," Carlisle responded. The Guard said their goodbyes and quickly left. Everyone seemed to relax considerably once they were gone and down the driveway. I turned to Edward, still curious as to what Felix had been thinking that made him so mad.

_What had the werewolf said to them? What made you so mad at Felix? He wasn't thinking about Bella, again, right?_

I asked in my head. Edward smiled a bit and shook his head. "You don't want to know," he said lightly. I huffed and Gabriel took Esme's place beside me, pulling me into his lap. Esme had gotten up and taken my tea mug to the kitchen with the promise of more hot tea.

Carlisle came over, medical bag in hand, of course, and began to check my vitals. "I would like to take you to the hospital in the morning, if you don't mind, to conduct an MRI scan of both your arm and your cheekbone," Carlisle stated. "Although they are not broken, I want to make sure there isn't a fracture either," he continued. I nodded once.

As Esme handed me the mug of hot tea, and everyone went about their normal pursuits, I realized how dangerous the world –right now- was, at least for me and Bella. I couldn't avoid running into supernatural creatures whatsoever. What if I had gone to Seattle? Despite the sun, would I have run into one of the newborns? I need to carry a lighter and a can of spray paint with me at all times. Or maybe just lighter fluid. Something more dangerous than my favorite pair of hairsticks.

Watching everyone, and the news as it flickered on to the TV, I realized how serious a situation this was. Not only was Victoria still on the loose but the Guard was actually trying to find her. They could have found out about the La Push werewolves –given that they had agreed to help us in fighting Victoria- and I'm not sure how well that would go over right now. They were just two different sides that I don't think should meet yet.

There was also how calm and cool both Felix and Demetri seemed to take my being here. Was it because they already made the association somehow or had they simply talked about me while I was still upstairs getting ready to come down? The latter seemed more likely. Still, it was odd. But so was everything today. I'm just glad today is over. Maybe I can sleep in my own bed tonight?

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**Author's Note:** So, I warned a couple of you that the whole children of the moon thing would be rather anti-climatic. He really is dead now. Like dead, dead. Our dear Elizabeth forgot the number one rule in all horror movies; even if you think the monster is dead, unload the magazine anyway and chop off its head. The reason she managed to kill the other one has to do with blood vessels in the brain and severing them. If you skip a couple of main ones, you can survive having stuff like an arrow –or a knife- right through your head.

Again, I love reviews. With this chapter, I'll easily get over that 500 review mark and that makes me very happy! Please, review!


	48. BII C xxi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! As usual, you have my permission to pass links to this story on, just let me know where. And if anyone wanted to start a forum up on Twilighted about it, just let me know. ;-)

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 21

Monday, Alice and Edward had to stay home given that is was still clear. The rest of the week would slowly get back to normal Forks weather but, for the most part, it was a bad week to be a vampire and going to High School. Everyone stayed away from Edward who was extremely grumpy about the whole staying home thing. Only Esme and I could talk to him without him growling or snapping at us. I'm pretty sure I only got away with it because I looked like the living dead.

Despite the sun, Carlisle still had to go to work. With all the blinds and the surgical units being windowless, he was pretty safe there. He just had to park under a garage and stick to the shadows to get in. It was sort of interesting to get a snapshot of a day in the life of Doctor Cullen.

I got to come with him only to get an MRI done. The official story that we concocted was that I managed to fall off my bicycle. I wanted to make it more complicated and add that Ginsie was running across my path so I skidded to not run over the dog which is why I fell of my bike. It was very possible.

Gabriel hated the idea of letting me go to the hospital even with Carlisle. I was scared that he wouldn't be able to take the scent of blood inside the place and Carlisle agreed with me. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to stop Gabriel. He just promised he wouldn't breathe. Fun.

So the three of us walked in. Well, they walked in to the hospital; I got a wheelchair. I crossed my arms slightly, which wasn't easy to do given the brace on my right and the bandage from the IV still on my left. "I don't get why I can't walk in too. It's not like my legs are as purple as the rest of me," I muttered. Gabriel kissed the top of my head –I scowled- as he pushed me into the hospital.

"I would much rather carry you in but Carlisle believes that would bring even more unwanted attention. This is a compromise," Gabriel told me.

"Ah don't see how muh bein' in a wheelchair rather than walkin' is a compromise," I grumbled. Carlisle chuckled a bit before greeting one of the nurses.

"Good morning, Debra," Carlisle called out to the older nurse. She looked up from her paperwork and started to smile when she saw him but her attention was quickly diverted to me. Shock was plain all over her face and I heard her intake of breath. I quickly looked down and heard Gabriel rumble a small growl, too low for her to hear from where she was.

"Stai zitto, Gabriel," I muttered to him in his own native tongue. I was slowly picking up the Italian. He listened, thank goodness.

Although I couldn't see Carlisle while looking at my aqua blue wrapped arm, I could still hear him. "Ah, yes. As you can see, my sister in law took quite the tumble the other day," he said lightly.

"Oh dear, should I clear a room for her?" Debra asked curiously. Did I look that bad today? Alice insisted on doing my hair this morning. I refused any make-up more than lipstick. I didn't like the way the foundation felt on my face.

"Oh no, it's not necessary. Is the MRI building open? I would like to double check her arm. It's not broken but I would like to make sure there isn't a fracture either," Carlisle asked the older nurse.

As Debra said "Let me check", I slowly looked up. Carlisle was standing in the lobby about six feet away, his hands in the pockets of his coat as he waited. He smiled at me reassuringly. I smiled back slightly –which amazingly didn't hurt the left side of my face- before turning around to Gabriel.

Gabriel was acting like he was breathing but I didn't think he really was. He kissed my temple again when I turned to look at him and gently squeezed my left shoulder reassuringly.

"It looks like Dr. Gerandy has someone scheduled for 9 but that looks like it for this morning," Debra told Carlisle. She glanced at me again and got an eye full of Gabriel.

"Good. I will be out there then, conducting the MRI if anyone needs to page me," Carlisle said before leading us back outside. There was a small covered walkway from the hospital to what really was one of those temporary trailers. Once outside, Gabriel decided it was okay to speak again –no chance of much blood out in the parking lot…unless you are me, or Bella.

"I did not like the way that nurse looked at Elizabetta," Gabriel grumbled to Carlisle. I rolled my eyes, which wasn't a good idea. I've seriously got to keep in mind that my left side is injuried.

"I am sure Debra is only concerned with Elizabeth's safety, Gabriel," Carlisle said as he opened the door to the trailer. I'm rather amazed that they keep this out here like this. Do they just wheel patients in their gurneys to the out building?

Gabriel grumbled something to low for me to hear but I could tell it was in Italian so I wouldn't have understood most of it anyway. Carlisle turned to me and smiled lightly. "Take off anything you have that is metal. Earrings, the necklaces, and anything else you might have. There is a small room to change into scrubs," he trailed off in thought. "I suppose I could ask Debra or Melissa to help you," Carlisle continued.

I started to shake my head but thought better of it as I stood up. My right shoulder felt funny but I could move it. I'd be okay with changing into scrubs myself. And after the past couple days, it's not like I was against Gabriel helping me. He would be my husband in a matter of weeks anyway.

Taking my left elbow and another arm around my waist, Gabriel helped me stand up. "I'm fine. I won't need help," I told Carlisle as I took the scrubs –pale pink ones- from him. It was only a matter of minutes before I handed all the jewelry over to Gabriel along with my clothing. Changing had been painful since my right arm did hurt and I needed my right fingers to undo my earrings. Taking off the necklace had been the worst. At least Gabriel could put it back on when I was out of the stupid machine.

The entire MRI process took about twenty minutes. Carlisle tried to go as quickly as vampirely possible without destroying machines or going too fast for them. He honestly seemed to enjoy it given that he didn't have to go at a human pace around me.

"Hmmm," Carlisle hummed as he looked over the images on the computer. I ended up having to ask Gabriel to help me get dressed again. Thank Goodness he did so without saying a word. Once my pearl necklace was back around my neck, I felt much better. The scrubs were okay –although not being able to wear a bra was annoying- but having my own clothing on was far better.

"What are the extent of her injuries, Carlisle?" Gabriel asked him as he walked me back out into the center of the small trailer. I don't think you could fit another person in here.

Carlisle looked up from the computer screen and smiled a bit at me. "You were very lucky, Elizabeth. Your facial injuries seem to be intramuscular only and should heal in about ten days," he informed us. I bit my bottom lip.

"And my arm?" I asked. I held up my half cast for emphasis on my question. I had never broken a bone before in my life and I prayed I didn't start now. Normally, my joints just got knocked out rather than the bone snapping. Given that my shoulder did pop, I really hope the stupid werewolf landing on the arm didn't crack it.

"Periosteal bruising," Carlisle said as he got up and walked over to me. Gently, he placed his hand on my left shoulder and looked at Gabriel before looking back down at me. "It will take longer to heal and I would like you to keep the arm in a sling for the time being. I will retrieve some vitamins that should speed up the healing," he told me gently. I tried not to laugh when Carlisle said "vitamins" given that he said it the British way and not the American. Every once in a while the British pronunciations would come out. I found it amusing.

"Thanks, Carlisle," I said, giving him a one armed hug. Gently, he hugged me back.

"Of course, Elizabeth."

Tuesday started with a demand for pain medication. The day was going to clear up, again, in the afternoon but it would be cloudy enough that Alice and Edward could return to school. I had to get Esme to help me get dressed since trying to do so one handedly –given that my right hand was to remain immobile for the time being- was just not something I was coordinated enough to do.

Most of the day I laid down on the couch in my living room, curled up either against my fiancé or on his lap. I didn't really want to be anywhere else. Carlisle wanted to try and bring down my pain medication –which I wasn't against, in theory- but all the bruises hurt like anything. Around one, Gabriel gave up and insisted I take more pain killers. I tried to tell him I wasn't that bad but he wouldn't give into argument.

So, by the afternoon, I was back to being drugged and less grumpy. Still, Emmett muttered something about "grumpy people" and "genetics" to which I could only guess he was referring to Edward's behavior yesterday and mine today. I threw the remote at him, which, of course, he caught. I figured he would. Too bad I couldn't throw with my right arm yet. I was a good aim with that one.

Alice got home at three and told us that she did have a vision of Victoria coming this way this weekend. I realized exactly what point we were at now in the books. It felt odd anymore to think of this place as "in the books". The Cullen Clan had become my family, my world. To even think on knowing about stuff like "Oh, we're at the beginning of Eclipse! I guess Bella will have to talk to Edward about going to Florida this weekend" was just strange anymore. They weren't fictional characters, they were people that I loved.

"Great! I hope we get her and not those mutts!" Emmett grinned at the news of Alice's vision. I just thought back to the whole Jacob confronting Edward in front of the school next week scenario.

"No getting in fights with Paul," I muttered to the over grown teddy bear of a vampire as I flipped through the channels to see what was on. How come there are over one thousand channels and I still can't find anything good? Oh, Evil Dead and the Army of Darkness! But it's almost over. No fun.

"Which one's Paul?" Emmett asked. I didn't look up at the impromptu group meeting to my left. I decided on SpongeBob. Foster's home for imaginary friends would be on in a couple of hours it looked like.

"The big gray one that has a fierce temper," I answered as I couldn't help but sing along in my head to the "are you ready kids? Aye, Aye, Captain!".

"How come only you are allowed to get in fights with werewolves?" Emmett grumbled. I heard Esme gasp but I just turned my head and glared at Emmett. Gabriel was growling at him and Rosalie slapped him upside the head, hard this time. He took one look at her and then hung his head. "Sorry, Aunt Sissy."

I sighed and went back to watching SpongeBob despite the fact I had seen this particular episode a few million times. It was this or whatever boring thing they had on Discovery right now. Maybe Sci-Fi had something…

It was around 6, right as I was eating dinner that Bella and Edward came in the house. Of course, poor Bella got scooped up into the normal fanfare. I about choked when Alice exclaimed that they should all play chess. All I could think about was Bella in Eclipse recounting how she played Jasper and how funny Alice and Edward playing chess was. Gabriel growled at Alice to which I hit him with a pillow. Jasper, luckily, had gotten to the point where he realized that Gabriel's growls were practically meaningless. My vampire growled because as a warning. I swear if I didn't know better I'd think he had picked up the habit from Miss Ginsie!

Everyone, of course, looked at me and I choked down my food, trying not to laugh. "Let Alice and Edward play first, Bella. It won't take very long," I told her. I had forgotten she hadn't seen me since the accident. Bella gasped slightly.

"What happened?" she asked. I turned to Edward who grimaced slightly at my train of thought.

"You didn't tell her?" I asked out loud. I thought on all the times Edward kept information from Bella in the books and how poorly that turned out. He didn't like it of course but I was still a bit too grumpy to care…much.

Bella narrowed her eyes at Edward and then looked back to me. "What didn't he tell me?" she asked, concerned.

"I got in a fight with a couple of werewolves," I said , holding up the sling –made out of pink fabric with skulls on it that Esme found at Joanns in Port Angeles for me- as evidence.

Bella took a couple of steps towards me, shocked. She shook her head in disbelief as Gabriel kissed my temple again, his arm loosely around my shoulders. "The werewolves? But they wouldn't," she started. I shook my head a bit to stop her, a small smile on my face.

"No, not them. Do you think any of them would be alive if they really tried to do this to me?" I asked seriously. Gabriel smirked as did Edward. We might be on semi-peaceful terms right now but the La Push werewolves would be decimated in a second if any of them tried to hurt myself or Bella and I knew it. Bella grimaced at first and then her eyes went wide with understanding.

"Real werewolves?" she asked in awe. I nodded once…and I'm so telling Jacob that she called the children of the moon real werewolves. He won't like that. Bella turned to look at Edward. I wasn't sure what expression she had on her face but Edward grimaced further and looked down.

Turning back to me, she walked a couple of steps closer, tripping on thin air, and looked dead serious. "Tell me what happened," she stated followed by a small "Please?" as she looked down at her feet. It was funny how quickly she would turn red at the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Edward sighed and Alice and Jasper took their places on the loveseat. Even though they already knew what happened, I guess they'd just watch the TV and wait until I was finished telling Bella. I gestured to the empty armchair near me for Bella and Edward walked her over to it, taking up the neighboring one himself.

I told her about how I stopped by the side of the road. How one werewolf tried to destroy the window to my truck as I sped off. I kept the whole sticking a hairstick through the eye thing to a minimum and just told her I killed one but the other one was already at the scene with the body of the driver of the car he hijacked. Edward didn't even like me saying that much. Bella kept gasping and her eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as I told a very cleaned up version of what happened. At least I thought it was pretty clean. I had gotten used to summarizing cases in the FBI and not giving out any details I shouldn't. This wasn't too different other than I was very heavily involved in the case and not just analyzing it from an uncomfortable computer chair inside a very bland cubicle with an outdated computer system.

At the mention of my destroyed truck –my beautiful blue truck that I had barely gotten to use- Gabriel kissed me and told me he'd get me any car or truck I'd want. I sort of wanted a PT Cruiser –black- just so I could put up curtains in the back of it and make it look like a mini hearse. Of course, with me, I needed something with four wheel drive so that was out of the question

"I thought I killed the flannel shirt wearing one but Demetri and Felix ended up getting him," I told Bella, continuing on with my story. Bella's eyes about bulged out of her head.

"Demetri and Felix? The Volturi Guard? They are here?!?" Bella nearly shrieked. Jasper looked at her as Edward tried to whisper something in her ear. Bella slowly fell back against Edward as he pulled her down in the oversized chair next to him; her expression peaceful.

"Don't worry. They are just here to help with Victoria," I told her. That didn't really seem to help much.

"Oh," she said. I could tell by the expression on her face –before Jasper influenced her more- that "Oh" didn't adequately describe what she was thinking.

"So will they be here this weekend?" Bella asked. Edward grimaced. Alice's bell like laughter filled the room lightly.

I smiled a bit in response. "Going to Florida?" I asked.

"No," Bella stated.

"Yes," Edward replied. Bella glared at him. My grin grew bigger and I leaned against Gabriel who had a puzzled expression on his face.

"Edward wants to take Bella to Florida this weekend to go visit her mother because of Victoria being in the immediate area," I explained to Gabriel. "And I'm guessing Bella would prefer to go to the reservation –with her father- then to leave the area completely," I more asked than stated.

"The reservation is perfectly safe and I wouldn't have had to get into a fight with Charlie," Bella huffed. Edward rolled his eyes.

"No one said you had to," Edward replied. I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"And you don't get to follow only the parts you like from the books," Bella said, her eyes narrowing at him.

"Are you saying you don't want to visit your mother this weekend?" Edward asked, his eyebrow raised. Bella looked down and mumbled a no. "Then Florida," he said triumphantly. I laughed.

It was only a matter of minutes later I got to see, for myself, the Alice versus Edward chess match. It was absolutely the best chess game I have ever had to witness ever. Alice sat with her fingers on her temples half the time and Edward kept up a sly smirk on his face as he would just watch her. The game itself didn't really transpire; it was all the expressions. Alice would go from looking curious to annoyed to happy to angry…and all in a matter of seconds. Bella ended up laughing at them as Alice, really did, just flick her king over and surrender.

Of course, Alice's version of revenge was to subject Bella to Jasper playing chess. I think it was a very unequal game. Subjecting Bella to the reigning champion of strategy in house would be like subjecting her to a foot race against well, anyone in the house. Even though I was injured, I had better balance and wouldn't trip –much. It was totally unfair. Gabriel and I played after Jasper beat Bella in about a fifteen minute game.

Given the amount of laughing, smirks, and giggles from the sidelines, I'm guessing the game was rather funny. Gabriel would grumble whenever I knocked one of his pieces off the board and I'd glare at him if he tried to do the same. I kept thinking of the chess games in Harry Potter or in Alice in Wonderland and wondered if the vampires and werewolves would let me and Bella play live chess.

"No," Edward groaned. Bella looked at him curiously. I turned and smiled slightly at him.

"But it would be fun," I pointed out. "Emmett might get to fight one of the werewolves legitimately. And live chess is always a lot more enjoyable," I stated. I had been to enough live chess matches at the Renaissance festival to know.

"Live chess?" Bella asked in disbelief. Alice clapped. "Oh! That's why I couldn't see anything! Hmm, I suppose that," Alice started to muse. Edward shot her down as Gabriel took one of my pawns.

"No, Alice," Edward said. I glared at Gabriel who gave me a half hearted smile.

"It could be useful, Edward," Jasper told him. Edward's eyes narrowed a bit and then looked more thoughtful.

"Well, if you put it that way, I suppose it wouldn't be that horrid," Edward agreed. Both Bella and I grinned.

"We can play Wizard's chess?" I asked hopefully.

"Wizard's chess?" Gabriel asked, somewhat grumpily. I had just taken his rook.

Nodding, I explained. "Harry Potter."

"Ah," Gabriel started. "Is it in one of the movies we have yet to see?" he asked me. Oh, right, he hadn't seen the first one yet. Too bad I don't have the first book anymore. I wonder if I can get another copy of Harrius Potter et Philosphio Lapis…

Edward gave me one of his incredulous looks. I shrugged using more of my left shoulder than my right.

_I liked reading it in Latin more_

I explained in my thoughts. "It's the first one. I'll see about finding the book," I told Gabriel.

"I have it!" Alice said cheerfully. "It's upstairs if you'd like to read it, Gabriel."

Gabriel nodded as he watched my next move carefully. Queen to E5, checkmate, baby. "Checkmate," I stated, triumphantly. Gabriel mumbled unhappily something in Italian about human women again that made Jasper laugh…and got him an elbow in the stomach from Alice.

The rest of the night, until Bella went home, was spent coordinating a meeting with the wolves. We found out, when Carlisle got home, that he had spoken with Demetri and Felix again. They were going to try and contain as many of the newborns as possible but were on a hunt for Riley right now. They were staying in Seattle, thank God.

By the time Bella had to go home, I was getting tired. I remember that tonight would be the night Charlie would try and have _the talk_ with her and I tried not to giggle too much. Honestly I did. It didn't help that Bella realized what I found so funny and turned as red as a tomato before leaving for home. I was good and didn't enlighten the rest of the household. Neither did Alice who started giggling right along with me once Bella was out of earshot.

As Tuesday drew to a close, I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong. Very wrong. I had no idea what but I kept thinking of my former life. I thought about sitting in that cubicle, looking over threats all day and conducting research on them. I thought about all my work at the FBI and how I still had my creds although they were pretty worthless here since I didn't exist. Something, I didn't know what, told me that there was something very wrong and it was somehow tied with my former life. But I couldn't guess for the life of me what that would be.

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**Author's Note: ** Good? Bad? Indifferent? Did anyone check out the pictures/links I posted on my profile page? If you did, please tell me what you think of that as well… Tomorrow's chapter will be a lot more somber.


	49. BII C xxii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own a pup, a really cool phone, a few computers, and am extremely excited about my job transfer! Squee! I think I'll actually like my new job. I get a window seat. Teehee!

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter will be hard for a few of you, I imagine. It deals with some issues that occurred on this day, September 11, eight years ago. It also deals with how every single person is important and has a role to play. We might not always know what that role is (sometimes, I swear, it's to show what a bad example is!) but everyone is important.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 22

A quick but ear piercing scream woke me up Wednesday. I jutted upright and looked around the room. It was only 6:30, based on the illuminated green numbers of the alarm clock, so the light in the room was minimal at best. I looked to Miss Ginsie who clearly heard the noise too. She barked softly and then looked to me.

I slipped on my pink Strawberry Shortcake slippers and was just picking up my robe when Gabriel rushed in. He looked agitated when he saw me and moved to pick me up. "You should rest, cara mia. It is too early for you yet," he said with an odd edge to his voice.

"Who was that? What's going on?" I asked sleepily. 6:30 in the morning was way too early for me. Still, it didn't stop this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach that I had had since last night. Even in my dreams that feeling didn't go away.

My dreams –or nightmares really- were of me in my old job, my first job, at the FBI. I had worked the night shift for what seemed to be ever. I was cranky all the time and had the attention span of your average three year old. It was horrible not only for me but anyone unfortunate enough to be around me. I hated it but loved it at the same time.

I was working at my station, knitting just like I use to all those years ago, when a tip was emailed in. I looked at the tip but, for whatever reason, I couldn't read it. The characters made zero sense. I looked at other tips in the queue, and they all seemed fine –nutty, as was often the case on the night shift, but fine. This one tip I kept trying to open in different formats, in different processes and…nothing. It was still all nonsense.

My dream skipped ahead a couple of days and my last boss at my old job in the FBI came storming up to me. He held up a print out of the tip I had seen two days previously that made no sense. Angrily, he shook the print out and demanded to know why I deleted it. I told him I couldn't read it.

He pointed to paper –which slowly turned into recognizable characters- and then to the TV. All my former co-workers were huddled together, watching the flat screen as the planes hit the towers again and again. People were crying, screaming, and just shocked. I looked on as all those feelings came back from that dreadful day.

The images on the screen changed. Rather than 9/11 playing, it was images of the Capitol building; smoke pouring out of the dome, pitch black. My boss looked at me, thrust the paper into my hands, and told me, "You could have prevented this." It was only a few minutes later I heard the scream from upstairs that woke me up.

"Your Alice, she had a vision," Gabriel said somberly. My eyes went wide with fear. She screamed because of a vision? A thousand different scenarios played in my mind as I tried to figure out what would make Alice scream like that.

"Oh no! Of what? Who?" I asked quickly. Gabriel shook his head but hurried with me up the stairs. Ginsie tried to follow him and joined us a few seconds afterwards, growling at Gabriel for going so fast.

Everyone –minus Carlisle who was already at work- was gathered around Alice in the living room. I tied my robe around me tight and slowly walked over to the smallest vampire. She was huddled in Jasper's arms looking just…blank. Jasper was tense and held on to his wife tightly. Edward, who was right next to them, had his head in his hands, sitting on the edge of the sofa. Rosalie even looked forlorn as she curled into Emmett's side. Esme was on the loveseat, looking like she was about to cry. I immediately walked over to my sister to sit beside her.

Esme wrapped an arm around me and squeezed me tight, kissing my forehead in greeting. However, I could feel the anxiousness coming off of her in waves. Something bad was going to happen. Whatever instinct was telling me something was wrong was just confirmed by a vision Alice had had.

"What happened?" I asked quietly, leaning against Esme. Gabriel stood behind the loveseat, right behind both me and Esme. I had noticed that Gabriel tended to have a soft spot for my big sister like vampire. Ginsie hopped up next to me and curled up against my thigh.

Alice turned her eyes to me. Her normally pale skin looked completely ashen now. Pain –something that didn't look right on her at all- was etched into her features. "They are going to die. So many…" Alice whispered.

I choked back. "Who?" I breathed. Were we going to die? The Volturi weren't going to come until after Renesmee was born, right? We weren't due for that confrontation yet.

Alice turned her head into Jasper's shoulder, unable to look at anyone any more. Edward didn't even bother to look up from his position, his head still in his hands, fingers woven in his hair. "Two bombers plan on attacking the United States Capitol building later today," Edward said. My eyes went wide with shock.

_NO!_

Was my only thought. There wasn't any attack on the Capitol building like that in my timeline. There must be some mistake. We can call up someone. Tell them we witnessed suspicious activity outside the Capitol building a few days ago. I'm sure Alice could find out the terrorist pieces of trash names.

"She's already looked into that, Elizabeth. They would be too slow," Edward told me, looked up slightly.

"No," I shook my head. "I've got to have the numbers to the Capitol Police Chief still somewhere. I know the numbers to various analysts, to people inside the FBI. Even if they don't exist, I'm sure someone will answer. I bet if we sent a tip in," I started to try and reason this out. Edward shook his head as Esme held me closer.

"And say what? Even if we did fabricate a story, you above all people would know how quickly they would work on it. It's too late, Elizabeth," Edward said as gently as possible. He was right; I did know.

I had worked in the Bureau for three and a half years before coming to this universe. I knew the process. Even if we could get in touch with good ole Steve of the Capitol Police directly –assuming his number was somewhere among my things- there was the issue of getting him to take it seriously. If we couldn't, even calling up the FBI would prove problematic. Oh, I knew the key words and just how to phrase it perfectly so someone would take a look into it. But I also knew that it would take whoever took down the tip a good hour to research it. It would be another hour before they put it in the threats database. By that point, it would be another half hour –at least- before the Washington Field bothered to look at it. Their threat unit would conduct their own research. An average tip took days before it was even made into anything significant. An immediate one –like this would be- would still take hours. I'm guessing we didn't have hours.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't even think to look for anything like that," Alice whispered, hiccupping a cry out. I looked up to see Alice's face go from completely sad and miserable to just…blank, again. Jasper was working over time trying to keep his wife's sadness at bay.

"We can't just do nothing. Even a name, a license plate!" I began to argue. "They can put out a BOLO. If we send it right now it might not stop it but it might save a couple of lives." Anything. We had to do something.

"Alice already looked into it, Elizabeth. There are simply too many Ahmed Mohammed's and Syed Hammoud's to get anything concrete. We think they are stealing or renting a car because Alice can't get a license plate down," Edward stated.

"Renting," I said automatically. "Fort Dix, Lackawanna…they all rent," I whispered looking down.

"What's Fort Dix?" Emmett asked curiously. Oh, right. I'm in 2006. They haven't been arrested yet. That won't be until next year, right? I don't even remember the names.

"A terror cell that wanted to blow up a military installation," I answered automatically. The names Ahmed Mohammed and Syed Hammoud sounded familiar. Of course, like Edward said, they were common but something was nagging at the back of my brain. It was something about those two names _together_ that sounded so familiar. That, and the Capitol building.

I tried to think back, tried to remember just one of the thousands of tips I had to look over. I knew there was a connection, but what? Everyone was quiet for a few minutes –minus Ginsie who was whining slightly at my side. I pet the pup, smoothing out her white fur coat as I thought. The names sounded familiar. So terribly familiar.

It hit me all of the sudden. I had seen those names, together, in a tip a long time ago. The only reason I remember is because the guy that sent the tip in also sent a link to a website that showed youtube video the suspects had taken. The video's weren't your average home grown "Oh! Look! We are in DC!" types. There was something off about it. The tip was one of the few I remember receiving in Spanish –that's why it stuck out in my mind. I had to translate it and pass it on myself rather than wait for the translators in the morning.

My Spanish wasn't great anymore but I did a fine enough job. Did the FBI not get the tip? Or if they did, in this universe, did anyone look at it? What happened to it? Was it not reported? Did it get lost?

"How long?" I whispered.

"An hour," Edward replied. I cringed. Even if I could remember anything helpful, that wouldn't be enough time to get anything together.

The hour passed in mostly silence. It was too late to do anything, too many other variables were involved. Edward and Alice went to school –we still had to act like things were normal- but the rest of stayed gathered in the living room. Gabriel had taken Esme's place at my side and Esme moved to near her son, Jasper.

I clicked on the TV. My mind remembered the events of 9/11 like it was yesterday. I had been at my parents' house and heard the plane hit the Pentagon five miles away. It was a sound I will never forget. Just thinking on it still makes me nauseous. I knew people in the Pentagon –classmates of my Dad's- and was terrified for them. I remember calling up everyone I knew, everyone I loved, to make sure no one was downtown or in New York at the time. I was lucky, no one I knew directly, was injured. I had friends and family that weren't that lucky. My Dad knew one of the passengers on one of the planes. It was a hard day for everyone.

That night was the most eerie night of my life. I remember seeing the main road chock full of cars but there was not a single horn blast, not a single radio blasting –it was completely silent. The line of cars seemed endless but no one dared to get upset. There were too many things –much bigger things- to be upset about. The entire nation went into shock.

At 7:39, an emergency bulletin played on all the major news networks. I watched, in horror, as my nightmare slowly came true. Esme announced she was going to the hospital around 7:45. No one questioned her; she needed Carlisle right now.

I was curled up next to Gabriel, too beside myself to cry as I pet Miss Ginsie softly while I watched the TV. Downtown DC was being evacuated. I thought of the chaos that that must be. Evacuate to where? Maryland? Virginia? The lines were probably jammed.

Pictures flooded the screen showing a blast hole were those steps had been. The police managed to shoot the second bomber before he had been able to set his bomb off inside. He was killed in the parking lot where a smaller blast hole now existed. By the time everyone got home from school and from work, the death total was up to 30 but it was expected to go down. I was praying that that would happen. Even one dead by these demons was one too many but at least the impact wasn't as bad as it would have been if they had gotten into the dome.

Bella came home with Edward and Alice, not wanting to be alone in her house. I seriously doubt Edward would have left her there but it didn't matter. Esme told her to call her father –let him know she was here and that he was welcome to come over here too- which Bella did dutifully. We were all glued to the TV screen, no one knew what to do.

What do you do when something like this happens? We couldn't stop it. We couldn't prevent it. The decision to attack had come to late for Alice to see. Staffers, congressmen, representatives, and tourists all, most likely, lost their lives today. How does anyone react to that? To see your country torn apart by hate from people that believe it is their divine duty to kill non-believers? I hugged Gabriel's arm tighter and rested my head on his shoulder.

The news reporters couldn't even take it. It didn't matter which station we had it on, each one had at least one reporter that broke down, choked up, or just had to stop talking because of all the emotions as we all saw the smoke rising from the pit in the middle of the stairs that lead up to the Capitol building. Our nation was attacked –again- and I wasn't sure why.

It didn't happen in my time line, in my universe. Surely, someone else must have gotten the tip and taken a look at it. Someone else had to have passed it on. I knew I had no influence over the tip being written but maybe I had influence over it being passed on? Maybe I was just being too egotistical –thinking I could have prevented any of this, wishing I could have- but what other constants had changed from one universe to the other that might have an impact? Did the vampires or werewolves have some influence over the tip being written or not? Maybe. But that assumes there aren't vampires and werewolves in my universe and I'm not entirely comfortable with that assumption. I had seen too much here –and there- to discredit anything outright.

Charlie came over around five and actually hugged Bella the second he saw her. He thanked Esme and Carlisle for having her over here. He also looked at me curiously upon seeing my face. I shook my head and muttered about falling off my bike. He seemed okay with that explanation. Given he had Bella as a daughter, he was probably more likely to believe that than not. Another clumsy person around was just expected.

Bella and Charlie stayed for a while. No one wanted to move from the TV. By six pm, the death total was confirmed at 22. Twenty two people died due to nothing more than pure hate in a single instance. Some names were scrolled across the screen, others were withheld. We learned that one had been a congressmen, another two were representatives. There was a list of various staffers….

When the Swans left, Esme asked me if I wanted anything to eat. I hadn't had more than juice all day and slowly got up from my vigil, my rosary in hand, and went over to the kitchen, following behind Esme. I had to wave Gabriel off, let him know I'd be fine in the next room with just Esme. Of all the people in the house, Gabriel trusted Esme the most around me.

"What would you like, dear?" Esme asked, trying to sound cheerful. I didn't bother to look up from the countertop.

_Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee_

I repeated in my head for what had to be the thirty second time. I'm sure Edward was getting annoyed by it by now. My fingers moved over the beads as I held them tightly in my left hand. I wasn't allowed to move my right much yet. "Just a grilled cheese, please," I told her. I learned the first week I was here that the correct answer to "What you would like" was never "It's okay, I'll get something myself." Esme loved cooking, no matter how simple.

"Are you sure dear?" Esme asked me. I nodded.

_Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death_

I finished and moved to the next bead to repeat the Hail Mary yet again. The simple act of saying the rosary, even in my head, calmed me. It was something I knew. The last time I prayed on the rosary was when the treaty was changed. Before that, it was when I first stepped up to the house in Ithaca. That seemed light years ago.

Esme went about making the grilled cheese and made sure to include a dill pickle slice on the side. I ate the comfort food mechanically when she put the plate before me. "Thank you," I mumbled in between bites.

"Of course, dear," she told me, kissing me on top of my head. I hugged the maternal vampire back, the day taking it's toll on me emotionally.

Washington DC had been my home, off and on, since I was a teenager. To see it hurt, again, by terrorists was painful. To know it didn't happen in my universe so I must have had some impact, some way to stop it, only added vinegar into the wound. If all I had seen in my previous life was stupidity and destruction of one's own life, then in this life, it seemed, all I saw was death. Death surrounded me like a black blanket and I couldn't escape from it anymore than I could escape the divisiveness, the destruction, the decay of my previous life. The sad thing was, I preferred death. It was final. The pain ended. You didn't have to see the same mistakes repeated again and again by the same person. You didn't even bother trying to reason with Death. It was just there. Decay, the constant mistakes I saw Estelle make, I saw Anna trip over to the point that all any of us lived were half lives in a constant doldrums of existence was far far worse.

"And yet you choose this?" Edward asked, eyebrow raised at me. Esme furrowed her brows together, trying to figure out what Edward was asking, exactly.

_This allows for change. Change isn't the constant here. The constant is change._

I explained to him in my head. In my previous life, the world around me changed but I was still stuck in my little house, working the same job, never moving anywhere. I had nothing, really, to live for. I just…existed. Oh yes, I see now that my job was important and I had friends and family but it was the same old same old day in and day out. Here, I never knew what to expect from one day to the next and I enjoyed that to an extant.

Edward smiled a bit. "You really believe that being among the unchanging has improved that?" he asked. I shrugged with my left shoulder.

"Of course. This is always far more entertaining," I told him before looking down. "Although, I do wish there was something I could have done about today. That didn't happen in my universe," I explained sadly.

"There was little that could have been done. You don't work there anymore so you didn't catch whatever you were supposed to catch and pass on," Edward told me plainly.

"But was it just me? And I the only factor in that equation that has changed? I seriously doubt that, Edward," I told him.

"I know you have thought before on the butterfly effect. Do you doubt that now?" he asked me. I scowled at him. No, I didn't doubt that. I did doubt how important I was though in the universe. Edward offered a weak smile but said nothing.

As the night grew on, it was only a matter of hours before people were criticizing the President –because, oh yes, he should know everything about every single terror cell in the country- , calling for another panel to investigate where the breakdown was, and other such things. My guess is that by tomorrow there would be a group stating that this was an inside job orchestrated by the President on the news followed by a good ole LA police chase. Life would return to normal a lot more quickly now. Once you were struck dumb once, you bounced back quicker the next time. It was a horrible sad but true part of reality.

By ten, Gabriel and I retired downstairs again. Ginsie hopped down the stairs behind me as I went into our basement apartment. At the base of the stairs, I hugged Gabriel as fiercely as I could with one arm. My right was still in the sling Esme made me. I finally began to cry.

"Tesorina, there was nothing that could be done," he told me softly, holding me to him. I cried into his shirt.

"It didn't happen in my universe, Gabriel! It didn't happen," I cried, pressing the right side of my face against him. The left side was fine unless I touched it.

"I know, cara mia. I know," He whispered, brushing back my hair and rubbing my back as he held me close. I cried, soaking his shirt, for a good fine minutes.

"We'll go away this weekend, anywhere you wish," Gabriel whispered as my tears abated. I wanted to look up at him but I was sure that blood shot eyes on top of the purple bruise and now blotchy skin thanks to the crying only made me look more hideous than normal.

"Why?" I asked. If he thought Victoria might try to go after me too, I'd laugh at him.

"You've had a rough week, amore and it is only Wednesday," he said lightly before gently pushing me back so he could lift up my face to look at him. Very gently, carefully, he wiped away the last remaining tears. "You need to get away," he stated softly. I honestly couldn't argue with him because I knew I could use a vacation. Werewolves and terrorists took way too much out of me.

"Where?" I asked.

"Anywhere you wish. Although, we may want to look into the wedding arrangements in New Orleans," he informed me lightly. Gabriel had already told me about the chapel. I had a choice, I could have a Catholic Priest perform the ceremony in a chapel or I could have some random minister perform the ceremony in the graveyard like I originally wanted. The priest wouldn't conduct the wedding in the graveyard but would in the funerary chapel. It was a good enough compromise for me –as long as I got my wedding pictures in the graveyard.

"New Orleans," I affirmed. This weekend, Bella and Edward may be going to Florida, but Gabriel and I would go to New Orleans. Hopefully, by daylight tomorrow, the world would be back to it's normal chaotic self but I knew perfectly well that the attack today had left a stain on the American fabric that no one really wanted to look at. 9/11 had been the worst terrorist attack on American soil ever but 5/17 wouldn't be forgotten either. No one should ever forget the days that such cowardness rears it's ugly head. And I, for one, am all for flattening those mountains and destroying anyone that refuses to fight face to face rather than taking the battles to innocents.

* * *

**Author's Note:** See the bunker? I'm going to be hiding in there for a while. Yeap. That's where I'll be…again.


	50. BII C xxiii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Is it okay to come out yet? Yes? Maybe? I promise things will brighten up a bit now. I want to add a silly chapter this up coming week (it's one that honestly started this whole mess!) so no more scary death things for at least a few days. I think. You never know with Elizabeth and Bella!

Also, this is technically chapter 50! Wow! I didn't think I could be so ...loquacious? Yeah, that's the right word.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 23

New Orleans was both beautiful and horrible. The devastation that Katrina brought was only nine months old and plain to see in some of the less touristy areas. I begged Gabriel to take me to Biloxi one day just so I could compare my memory with the current reality. I left Mississippi in 2004, a year before the hurricane hit and wrecked so many lives.

The Beau Rivage, a hotel I had stayed at for a week when I was down in Biloxi back in 2003, looked odd to my eyes. They were still working on fixing it –the casino had been torn off in the hurricane- and seeing it as anything other the magnificence I remember just was hard to compute. All this destruction was hard to compute.

I couldn't look around much more than that. Seeing Waveland or any of the places where my Dad's family had lived –did still live in my universe- would bring up too many memories I just didn't want to deal with right now. I had a family here. I had a cousin, a sister, a brother, nieces and nephews. Most of all, I had my Gabriel.

Before we left. Emmett jumped –literally- at the chance to watch Miss Ginsie. Rosalie took the dog bed and supplies to their room and told me she'd make sure Emmett actually took care of her and not just played with her all the time. And that she wouldn't let him do anything like take the dog "hunting". He tried that once. Emmett wanted to see if Ginsie could be taught to hunt deer despite her size. Jasper found it hilarious. I threatened them both with burn spots where their thumbs use to be if they ever tried that again. When I found out Edward was in on it too, I hooked up his sound system to my Ipod, hid it, and had it blasting the Village People for a good five minutes until he figured out what I did.

Thinking on the Villiage People, I was surprised by the amount of uh…drag queens that were in New Orleans. It was only our second day in the beautiful city and I had seen three. I mean, I used to work with Christina who was really a Christopher and everyone just called her? Him? Chris but well, it was still just odd.

I was sitting in the Club of our luxury hotel, sipping on my Roman coke –rum & coke for normal people- while typing up an e-mail to Esme. I needed to be around people right now; normal everyday people who didn't know about the world of the supernatural crawling around them. Being in the room too much, even if it was with Gabriel, just made me antsy. The energy out in the Club helped to calm me, even if these were the super rich but other wise normal people.

Gabriel, being my Gabriel, just had to book the Penthouse at the Windsor in New Orleans. Oh no, a junior suite or even a full suite wasn't good enough. He had to go with the 2,000 plus square feet of space that neither of us could possibly need. It was pretty, though. And Dear God, the view was amazing but it was also a horrible waste of money and it made me just the tiniest bit mad at him. I've told him in the past that I don't need luxury accommodations like this. The only reason I let him book the place without prior consulting me –like he should have and promised to do in the past- was he told me he was booking the honeymoon suite. I thought he meant for our honeymoon so I didn't complain. Turned out he did, sort of, mean that but he explained when we got here that he wanted to make sure the suite we'd be staying at for our honeymoon was up to par. Uh huh. Before or after we wreck it?

Not that Gabriel and I had gotten that far yet. He was still worried about his strength. We had been testing his control but little more than that. Not that I really minded. I wasn't sure if any uh…protection would really work with vampires and I did not want to be pregnant on my wedding day. It would totally ruin the look of the dress. Not to mention that trying to walk down the aisle with even more bruises than I already have while the kid is giving me more would not be fun.

The bruises I had were starting to heal. I was allowed to type with my right hand. Anything more than that wasn't allowed but I could at least type. Thank goodness. Most of them were already turning that odd yellow-green color if they hadn't faded completely. Despite the bruise on my arm hurting the most and being the worst of them all, it was the one of my face that bothered me. I admit it, I was vain but it wasn't just the vanity. It was the fact that whenever I went anywhere, people looked on me with pity. When they saw Gabriel, I didn't need to read minds to know what they were thinking.

In Forks, it wasn't that big a deal. Word had gotten around quickly that I fell off my bike. I even showed one lady who refused to believe it the cuts on my legs. I pointed out those could only be caused my gravel. After that, she left me alone. Although, I found out this same woman had gone to Charlie to complain. I also found out, from Bella, that her Dad let this poor woman have it. If I said I fell off a bike, Charlie saw no reason not to believe it. He'd seen the gravel cuts too and, apparently, said that he'd seen Gabriel around me and knew that Gabriel would never lay a finger to me. I wanted to hug him for that.

For now, to cover the bruise on my face, I was sporting a Veronica Lake hair style. It wasn't the most fashionable but it was the most practical if I didn't want anymore questions. My bruise, currently looked like a drunken tattoo gone bad. It wasn't a deep purple anymore like it had been the second and third days, but, rather, had turned to a mix of mauve, lavender, green, and yellow to make it look like a piece of impressionist art. At least the green and yellow meant it was healing and would go away eventually. It would be gone or at least, all green and yellow by the wedding. Green and yellow I could cover up with make-up. Lavender and mauve were a lot harder to cover with foundation.

As I finished typing my email to Esme, about how we went to Biloxi yesterday afternoon and I wasn't sure what we'd do today, I felt a familiar cool hand on my shoulder, a pair of cool lips kiss my cheek, and the scent of the ocean at Christmas. Gabriel.

I turned to look at him and saw him standing behind the couch I was lazily half draped over. I gently tugged at his hand to indicate to him to sit down next to me as I typed up another email to Rosalie. I wanted to see if Emmett had come up with any more crazy ideas for poor Miss Ginsie. A part of me wanted to remind her about the medications but it was rather pointless to remind a vampire.

Gabriel sat down next to me so I could use him as a backrest. He placed one arm around me, holding me to him as I typed. It wasn't long before he brushed the hair from my right side and snuck a couple of kisses down my neck.

"Gabriel," I whispered in warning. I looked around quickly to see if anyone was nearby. A few people were mingling about near the windows, overlooking the streets below and the Mississippi River, but no one seemed to take much notice of us from what I could tell.

"Hmm?" he whispered back. His continued his gentle onslaught on my neck before moving his hand down my side and, a bit roughly, squeezing the lower part of my hip. I squeaked a bit, nearly causing the laptop to fall from my lap. That got a few people's attention. I muttered something about a hiccup –which seemed to pacify anyone who was close enough to notice- and turned to glare at my fiancé. Of course, Gabriel was silently chuckling to himself.

"Oh!" I scowled as I turned back around, scooting away from him and swinging my legs back over the side to sit properly on the sofa. I quickly locked up my laptop and got up to head back to the room. Not, not room, freakin' penthouse in the middle of New Orleans. I was starting to wonder how much money Gabriel really had.

Gabriel took my hand, kissed it before saying another word, and stood up to walk with me. "Where are we going, cara mia?" Gabriel asked.

"_Ah'm_ goin' to da room. Ah don' know where yer goin'," I told him. The mixture of being back down south and being angry at him only further brought out my accent. He, of course, smirked and joined me in the elevator. Kissing my hand again, I glared at him.

"Amata mia, how vexed are you at me?" Gabriel asked, coming closer.

"Vexed!" I answered, hugging my laptop to me as we got off the elevator into our parlor. We had a parlor. Heck, we got 24 hour room service free of charge here and I could literally order anything I wanted. I tested that theory last night.

"Did my affections bother you so much?" he half teased, half asked. I sighed as I put the laptop on the table in the front parlor before turning around to face him. When I saw his golden eyes again, pretty much all my anger left me and I looked down.

"It's not your affections that ever bother me, Gabriel," I shook my head before looking up again. "But to act like that in a public place!" I admonished him.

Smiling, he came closer and placed a hand on either side of my hips while looking down at me. "So this?" he asked while kissing my neck followed by a trailing hand to my backside as he squeezed. "Does not bother you?"

"…Na…na..no," I managed to breathe out. Having our own private floor with no curious ears around was not helping the whole "don't get pregnant before the wedding day" mindset I had. It was terribly hard to concentrate with Gabriel kissing every inch of exposed skin between my shoulder and my earlobe.

I felt him hold me closer, my body against his, and a sudden rush of wind, and realized he had carried me to the bedroom and I was currently on the bed, in his arms. Gabriel looked up at me, our eyes locking for a second before his lips crashed down on mine. I could feel him pull me up into a sitting position –I wasn't entirely sure why- before he pulled me into his lap. That lasted all of a second before I got up, not breaking the kiss, and placed a knee on either side of his hips. My hands were on his shoulders as I slowly decided he did not need his shirt. Ever. Could I just lock him away from the wandering eyes of all other women and keep him shirtless? He didn't actually need a shirt to keep warm or anything…

Way too quickly, Gabriel's kisses slowed. He held my hands at the third button and smiled with a slight smirk. "We can…practice more later, tesorina. For now, I believe I should keep my shirt on if we are to go anywhere," he teased. I pouted. He chuckled, quickly buttoned his shirt back up, and gave me a chaste kiss. Sighing, I flopped off of him and on to the bed.

"Ah don' see why we can't practice more now," I grumbled, lying back on the bed. I rather enjoyed Gabriel practicing his strength around me. It wasn't the bloodlust that bothered him anymore. Oh, it got to him if we were around too many humans but not around me. He told me that the whole werewolf fiasco I was in a week ago now, had cured him of that. Gabriel honestly thought I had died or would be dying when he found me. He only wanted to gaze into my eyes one last time before tearing every single werewolf left apart. When I clearly wasn't dead –or dying- well, Gabriel hasn't really left my side much since. Even when he went hunting before we came here, he made sure Esme watched out for me…again.

"Because, cara mia, the shops and the museums close when the sun has set and we do need to see the priest today about our wedding," Gabriel told me, offering his hand to help me up. I sighed in defeat, taking his hand, and got up. Still holding on to him, I quirked an eyebrow in question.

"After we go shoppin', seein' the priest, and ta the museum that Jasper asked about, then can we practice more?" I asked him, hopeful.

Gabriel kissed me on the cheek with a small chuckle before whispering in my ear. "If such inconveniences as time were not against us, gioia mia, then I would never wish to stop…practicing with you."

It was another half hour before we found ourselves at the museum Jasper wanted us to check out while we were here. He had almost seemed excited when he found out we would be staying in downtown New Orleans. Jasper asked me to stop by the Confederate Museum to check a few things out. I agreed. He also warned Gabriel that if Gabriel dared to step a toe out of line, Jasper wouldn't wait to tear him apart. I rolled my eyes at that one but Gabriel seemed to find it amusing. He told me later he liked how protective the former southern vampire general was of me. If one whose entire life was blood and obtaining more could be redeemed to the point where he saw humans as needing protection and not cattle, then couldn't every vampire be redeemed? I thought so but I didn't dare utter that to Gabriel.

I walked up to the ticket booth and saw an older lady sitting there who smiled at Gabriel and me as we walked up to her. "Hello. Tickets for two?" she asked, almost hopeful. Both Gabriel and I had seen that look before. Everyone in the tourist industry in New Orleans had it. I kept forgetting that Katrina was nine months ago and not four years ago. Tourism was still down and a lot of places were hurting because of it and the hurricane.

"Yes, please," Gabriel stated already handing over the cash. I rolled my eyes slightly but really didn't mind that much anymore. Gabriel and I would be married soon. Everything either one of us had would simply be ours now. I was trying to get use to that idea and even joked a couple of days ago –when he was telling me about cars we could get to replace the Escape- about why he would even think of marrying anyone with no title or fortune to speak of and not even any dowry. Gabriel, unfortunately, quipped back that if it bothered me that much I should talk to Carlisle –or Edward, given he was my blood relation- about it. My fiancé was sure one of them would provide me with a dowry so I could sustain myself should anything befall my darling husband. The sad thing is, I know he is right. So I quickly gave up on that joke.

"And Ah'm supposed to tell someone that Mr. Jasper Hale called ahead? He said something about a special exhibit but Ah'm not sure," I told the lady as she counted out the money and went through her routine of giving tickets. She stopped mid way and looked at both of us wide-eyed. Somehow, that was not the reaction I was expecting. I was expecting something more along the lines of "please wait while I page so and so" or for her to check a list.

"Mr. Hale?" she repeated. I nodded and was about to say something along the lines of "It's okay if what ever he asked is too much trouble" but instead the woman got up and came out of her little booth. I looked up at Gabriel when she left us there for a second. He just shrugged and used that as an excuse to wrap an arm around my waist.

"Oh! Oh! I'm so sorry! We didn't know you'd be coming today," the lady stammered out. She was a petite and pudgy woman but she wasn't unattractive by any means. She looked like she belonged more at home making supper for her family and friends than she did in that ticket booth.

Holding out her hand –which I took immediately- she smiled. "You must be Elizabeth and this is your husband, Gabriel?" she asked. My first thought was that I hated to correct her –he wasn't my husband yet- but my second thought was exactly how much had Jasper told this poor woman.

"Yes, signora," Gabriel said quickly, squeezing me a bit about the waist, almost if daring me to contradict. He gently took the woman's hand with his free one and brought it up to his lips in greeting before letting her have it back. I tried not to giggle too much at the expression on her face when he did that.

"Well, it looks like you caught yourself a real charmer, Elizabeth," the woman stated, blushing. She had to be in her 60's at least, but it was clear that Gabriel had his desired effect on her. Silly sparklepires and their dazzling.

I smiled back at her, not really wanting to leave Gabriel's grasp. "Oh, my name is Diane. Sorry, I must of forgotten to introduce myself proper," she told us before turning around and opening the door she just walked out of a crack. The woman picked up a few brochures and what looked to be a brown paper envelope from just inside. "Now, Mr. Hale said you were from Virginia?" she asked me. Now, I was getting very curious to what Jasper said exactly. I was going to ask the tall brooding vampire that I stole books from when we got home.

"Yes, ma'am. Ah grew up in Virginia Beach," I told her truthfully. Although my Dad was in the Navy and I might have lived in DC the longest, it was Virginia that was still my home. We lived there for five years –seven total-, from when I was a year and a half until my third birthday and then again when I was 5 until I was almost 11. My childhood was there.

"Did you ever get a chance to visit Richmond while living there?" she asked as she guided Gabriel and me into the main exhibit hall. It was huge! It wasn't like a normal museum with floors upon floors but, rather, a big open space, with high ceilings and exhibit cases lining a very long ballroom like hall.

"A couple of times, yes, ma'am," I answered. Gabriel had switched to holding my hand as we walked.

"Oh good," she told me before turning around in front of one of the exhibits and smiled. "Mr. Hale instructed the museum that you might be interested more so in any textiles we might have but he also mentioned that his father has an affinity for the history of medicine. We'll have a bag ready for you with a few books we thought might be of interest in the gift shop," Diane stated. I was slightly shocked about that. Jasper must have actually talked to these people. I know he loves Civil War history –he fought in the thing for goodness sake- but I didn't realize how much he pays attention to everyone else as well.

As Diane gave us a personal tour of the museum, she made sure to stop and explain about the uniforms for me specifically. She even allowed us in the back room to look over a dress they had just gotten in that was being conserved. I was practically drooling over the thing and got to play with it. I had to wear gloves, of course, but a true elliptical cage hoop with compartments used to smuggle things during the war and the dress that was worn over it? Drool worthy!

We went through the field medicine display. The civil war brought in the age of modern medicine. The use of chloroform inhalers was just one of the many things that were invented during the war. I wonder what Carlisle did in that time. Was he out west at that point or up north working with the Union. Huh, given the household, I wonder if there has ever been a mini Civil War teasingly re-enacted. Carlisle –maybe-, Esme, Rosalie, and my traitor cousin on one side; Jasper, Alice, and Emmett on the other. Actually, Esme would probably sit out and declare herself neutral. Rosalie would convince Emmett to spy for her on Jasper. A true war game might just be fun….

By the time we got to the end of the museum, it was almost time to go see the priest about the wedding. We just had enough time for me to peruse the museum gift shop –which was poorly stocked still thanks to Katrina- and get a couple of little things. I got a magnet of the Union and Confederate flags juxtaposed to one another that said "Civil War, Memorial Hall" on it and a couple of books on clothing during the Civil War. Gabriel, of course, handed the cashier his card before I had even picked up the first item I was looking at!

We left, thanking Diane for the wonderful tour and headed out to go over to the church. "Oh, of course," the older woman told us. "We are just so happy to have any of Mr. Hale's family come to see us. He's taken up the rope I see in giving contributions to the museum," she told us. I wanted to inquire further but I figured that would just bring up too many questions. I'd just ask Jasper on the threat of him loosing his thumbs to me. He probably has been giving thousands of dollars to the museum for decades, at least. Maybe since he became a vegetarian and realized there was another way to live than just battle after battle?

"Thank you, again, Diane," I told her before heading down to the street. Gabriel muttered a similar phrase, kissed her hand quickly and then followed me, wrapping his arm around my waist in the process.

Although the mortuary temple was only a mile away –in the French Quarter- Gabriel insisted on at least taking a taxi. I didn't get why since a mile was nothing to walk but caved. We were there in about 5 minutes. The church looked about like any other except for the perfect graveyard across the street. I loved the above ground tombs and mausoleums. Seeing me look longingly at the cemetery, Gabriel kissed the top of my head. "After we speak with the priest, amore," he told me before guiding me into the church. That was a switch.

Normally, I had to guide Gabriel in. I thought back to last Sunday, when I was attacked by those werewolves. That night, I swore I heard Gabriel pray. Had he not only conquered his bloodlust but also his fear of the sins of his past? I knew the reason he was terrified of churches and his refusal to pray. He thought that by killing the innocent priest while he was still human, in the house of God, that God would turn a deaf ear and blind eye to him. Why would God listen to one who has done nothing but sinned? Maybe Gabriel is learning that all God really wants is trust in Him.

I squeezed Gabriel's hand as we entered. I could feel that slight hint of trepidation in him as he opened the door for me. Gabriel smiled at me and went towards the front of the church where an older priest was starting to set up for five o'clock mass. "Father Lacroix?" Gabriel called out. The older priest turned, smiling, and looked at us the confusion.

"I am Gabriel Caldola," Gabriel started in greeting. Gently, he pushed me, via the small of my back, forward. "And this is the one I hope to call my wife very soon, Elizabeth." I looked up at him, curiously. So he could pronounce my name correctly. I always wondered about that. Gabriel just looked down at me with a small hint of a smirk.

"Elizabeth," the priest said warmly, taking my hand to shake it. He smiled at both of us. "How nice it is to meet you both." I smiled and, almost instinctively, leaned back against Gabriel, grabbing my fiancé's hand in the process.

"I understand that you have some questions for us?" Gabriel asked him. The priest nodded.

"Yes, if you would follow me, please?" he asked, leading us out to a small office in a building behind the church. I could see the grotto with all the colorful votive jars. I hope we could stay for mass, if Gabriel was up to it. I'm sure a couple of hours at church wouldn't hurt him…much.

In the tiny office, the priest asked us the normal "why do you want to get married" questions and "it would be better to wait". According to Gabriel, we were both older, both wanted children –which was true-, and I had some sort of disease that needed to be treated within a year and had a good chance of leaving me unable to conceive. I guess being human was a disease if you are a vampire.

The priest offered his condolences to me, which I solemnly looked down and tried very hard not to laugh about. Think on dead puppies. No, not the werewolf kind. Just, dead kittens perhaps? Yes, cute fluffy kittens being mercilessly killed works.

We stayed in his office for a grand total of forty minutes before he said that he had to help finish preparing for mass. "Will you be joining us for the service?" Father Lacroix asked. I looked to Gabriel to see if it was alright with him. He smiled gently at me and squeezed my hand

"Yes, I believe my Elizabetta would like that very much," Gabriel answered, getting up and offering me his hand.

As we walked back to the chapel I whispered to him, "Since when is being human a fatal disease?"

"It always has been, cara mia," Gabriel answered, smiling at me as I raised my eyebrow at him. "However, it became more so for you and I will not treat you for such a debilitating condition until the previously stated terms are met," he told me with a kiss to my forehead. I scowled as he lead me back into the church. Lowering his head again, Gabriel whispered, "A daughter. A son would be nice, but I want a daughter that has your eyes." Damn. He knew exactly how to soften me up anymore. I'm not sure if I liked that.

We sat in the back of church. The place was packed for five o'clock mass and I was worried about Gabriel being around so many humans. I checked on him every few minutes and noticed he wasn't breathing about half way through the homily. Gently, I squeezed his hand –the perfumes were getting to me anyway- and whispered "Let's go." He raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head. "The perfumes," I told him somewhat truthfully. I'd much rather let him think it was me than to tell him I was worried about him and his control.

Carefully, he got up and helped me out of the pew too, leading me out of the church as quietly as possible. Outside, we both managed to breathe the fresh air. Gabriel pretended that he had been breathing all along but I knew better. Looking across the street, I saw the graveyard. Gabriel didn't even wait. He simply took me about the waist and lead me over to the St. Louis cemetery. We weaved in and out of the crypts as I looked over the dates. Most had died well over a century or two ago. Their bodies forever resting in those marbled slaps. Thank God that would never happen to me. I don't want to be someone else's archeological project. Rather, I want to be the archeologist digging everyone up in a few hundred years. I wonder what Gabriel thinks of Egypt or if the Cullens would visit? We'd probably, for the most part, never be far away from my family. I can't imagine staying away from Esme's hugs or Carlisle's teasing.

My fingers danced across the pieces of forgotten stones. I walked a bit ahead of Gabriel, reading all the various tombs and hoping to find the oldest ones. As I turned down one way, I saw a tomb marked with names and X's –Marie Laveau. Happily, I almost ran to the tomb to look at the final resting spot of the Voodoo Queen. Gabriel caught up easily.

"Marie Laveau's tomb," I told him as I felt the familiar cool arms encircle my waist and kiss the top of my head. "You mark her grave and leave her something to get her help in granting your wish," I continued.

"And what is it you wish, tesorina?" Gabriel asked, starting to kiss my neck. I had to actually think about it. I had a family that loved me. I would have a husband in a few more weeks. The only thing left was a child to call my own.

"A daughter," I whispered. I felt around in my jacket pocket but couldn't find a pencil or anything to mark her grave with. Turning in Gabriel's arms, I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked up at him. "Do ya think ya could mark the grave? Use your finger to press an X into it?" I asked him. Gabriel gave me a quick kiss.

"We both will," he told me. Carefully, he placed my hand on top of his. Leaning over to the side of the grave, there was one small spot where he pressed his finger into the old mausoleum. I could feel his hand tense beneath mine as he carefully carved an X into the old stone. The stone gave way, rather easily, under the pressure of his forefinger, leaving nothing but a small trail of dust as he carved.

"What should we leave her?" Gabriel asked, wrapping his arms around me as he finished. I left my hand on top of his, never moving it. I tried to think and remember on Thursday, right before we left, Alice giving me and old silver dollar saying "You can thank me later."

I smirked and pulled the coin out from my coat pocket, placing it on the step to the mausoleum. Gabriel gathered me back in his arms the second I stood back up. Turning around, I placed my own arms around his neck. "Thank you," I told him.

Gabriel smiled and kissed me. It was a chaste, simple kiss at first but slowly I could feel him hold me just a bit tighter, the urgency in his lips. My fingers started to find their way into those gorgeous locks of his before he pulled away. I didn't really question, we were in a rather public place even if no one else was around.

"Let us get back," he said, somewhat hoarsely. I smiled and nodded, looking down. Gabriel took my hand, called up a sedan service this time, and started to walk towards the entrance to the cemetery.

Something pulled me to look behind us at the old tomb. There, I saw an old creole woman before the tomb that I hadn't seen there before. She turned, looked at me, and smiled. I swore, I saw her lips move to say "A child". I turned back to Gabriel, tapped him on the shoulder and pointed back to the tomb to get him to look…and the woman was gone. Had I just seen another ghost? One of the infamous Marie Laveau? I hope so. I certainly hope so.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Happy Birthday Bella!!!!!!! Sorry this one is a day late. I was way too tired after running around with my family the other day to finish typing this up. Sorry! I start my new "job" (Same company, new division) tomorrow so I'm not sure if I'll be able to update tomorrow night or not. Hopefully, I will. Reviews, please?


	51. BII C xxiv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So sorry! I know, this is late. Lifetime of servitude up for grabs. ;-) Forgive me? And I do hope everyone liked the last chapter. I know FF was having issues…again. A couple of you managed to email me but I did notice the lower than normal reviews. :-( Not that I don't love every single review I did get, but I'm just hoping that the lower number is because of FF and not because someone didn't like it.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 24

Practice ended early when we got back to the hotel. I would have been much happier to continue practicing for a good hour or more but Gabriel insisted that I eat. My stomach was such a traitor. It just had to growl right as Gabriel's hands were starting to play with my shirt.

Rather than stay in and order room service –which really was sort of a tradition-, Gabriel decided to take me out. He wasn't sure where, but "somewhere that is nice" which I think was his way of saying "fancy". I pulled out my favorite black dress from my suitcase. It flowed down to the floor in the back but only came to just above my ankles in the front. It had gold swirls and blood red roses printed on the chiffon overlayer. The bodice to the dress was a sleeveless cowl neck. The entire ensemble came with a matching chiffon wrap. I suddenly understood why Alice insisted that Rosalie let me borrow her shoes. They went perfectly.

I figured I didn't need a purse or a phone. Gabriel wasn't exactly going to leave me at the dinner table. I had no idea what he'd do at the dinner table other than watch me eat but I knew he wouldn't leave.

When I came out, my hair done up on top of my head, Gabriel was already looking up something on the laptop. He looked divine. Even with his shirt –which he sadly did have to put back on after practice- he looked like a masterpiece that belonged in a museum. I looked like some middle school art project that belonged on the fridge.

I looked down as he looked up, feeling inadequate, and didn't really move until Gabriel placed his finger beneath my chin. I could see his two golden eyes look into mine, smiling. "You look…stunning," Gabriel breathed out, placing a quick kiss on my cheek. I looked up at him and pouted at bit.

"I'm not stunning, Gabriel. I look more akin to Tammy Fae Baker with all this make up on to hide that stupid bruise than I do 'stunning'," I informed him. The bruise took a lot of foundation and I could feel it caked on to my face. I blended everything well enough but still, I prayed the restaurant had low lighting and a hidden booth.

Gabriel's eyes tightened for a second, almost like he was angry, before he could respond. "Perhaps you are right," he started. Finally! He was starting to understand that I was just a normal human. Although, his words did sting a little. Who didn't want to be thought of as beautiful no matter what they said? "Stunning is not the right word. But the only word in Italian that would work is bellissima and even that does not convey how perfect you are to me," he stated, gently cupping my neck.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. So much for him seeing the light. We headed to the restaurant, which I found out was Ruth's Chris over across the street at Harrah's. The casino was almost quiet, only a few older people hanging out in the main section –playing the slots. It really looked more like the coolest nursing home ever than it did a casino by the time we made it to the restaurant.

Getting a table was easy. There were only a couple other customers in the place. I had to keep reminding myself that it's only been nine months since Katerina. Most of the lower wards were probably still cut off. There were people living in the FEMA trailers and homes –lives- were gone.

My mind slipped into thinking about the more recent events in Washington. More lives were gone. The terrorists came right to our doorstep –literally- and took out guards, a Senator, representatives, and staffers. Part of me was furious at myself for not stopping it but what could I have done? Hindsight is always twenty twenty and even Alice couldn't predict this until it was too late. I tried to wrap my brain around it, figure out a logical reason for why I was feeling it was my fault but the only conclusion I could come to was because the attack didn't happen in my universe.

Dinner, despite my depressing mood, was lovely. I got a steak with perfectly fried mushrooms and it was so terribly yummy. I was going to be a vampire soon so the idea of calories and fat content were starting to mean very little. I wanted my last human meals to be good ones.

Gabriel, of course, didn't get anything. He was more than happy to order whatever I wanted though. I'm not sure what kind of wine he got me but it was a good sweet blush and I loved it. By the end of dinner, Gabriel looked bewildered and I couldn't figure out why.

"What?" I asked as he walked me out of the restaurant. We had decided to stay and shop a bit while also maybe playing a few rounds of blackjack.

Gabriel shook his head at me and then eyed me curiously again. I stopped and stared right back at him. "It is only, I believed humans were to become inebriated with that much wine," he said, looking at me again. I blushed. Gabriel had seen me drink before but I guess it always only one or two glasses. Tonight, I think I had five or six goblets. Maybe it was seven? I wasn't really counting.

Looking back up at him, I raised an eyebrow. "You want me to be drunk? Is that your plan?" I stated, trying hard to sound angry. I guess I was a better actress than I thought because Gabriel's face fell.

"No, of course not," he stated defensively. "I just did not believe a human may drink so much without some side effect," he told me. "The only one I see with you is a bit more color upon your cheek, as if you were flushed."

I shrugged and grabbed his hand again. "It just makes me hyper. I don't get drunk," I told him. It was true. Of course, that's what you get from coming from a family of alcoholics. Hereditarily, my liver was an unstoppable force. I tried testing it and I had 16 or 17 glasses of wine at a wedding once. I can still remember that night and I was the only one that probably can.

As we were walking to the tables, only two were open given the very low numbers at the casino, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye that looked familiar. Turning my head, I looked at her. She had dark hair and was with a guy that looked very vaguely familiar as well but it was the girl –or rather woman as she looked to be about my age- that struck me as familiar. She was dressed up, a bit plump, but very pretty. She looked at me, smiled politely, and then followed the man she was with into another room. All I knew was I had to find out who she was. It was bugging the heck out of me.

"Gabriel?" I called to him. My fiancé looked down at me briefly before studying the near empty room. "Hmm?" he answered.

I bit my lip slightly and looked towards the entrance to the other room where that woman had gone. "Can we go in there?" I asked him, gesturing towards where I had seen her.

Gabriel looked to the room and then to me. "Why would you want to go in there, tesorina? Are you still hungry?" he asked, concerned. I shook my head.

"I saw someone go in there and I…," I started. And I what? I have an insatiable curiosity to know who that woman is? She looked so terribly familiar. When she smiled, I could only think of swimsuits and watermelons for some reason. Of course, I rarely had watermelon back home and maybe it was just being down here where my aunts and uncles would bring us one every day for myself and my cousins to eat. Cousin. That's who she was! My cousin! I knew her! That was Michelle!

Technically, we weren't related by blood. Her mother's second marriage was to my uncle. But still, whenever we came down, I had to see Michelle. She was one of my friends growing up.

"I think she's my cousin," I said, almost not believing it myself.

Gabriel looked at me, to the door, and then to me again. "Is it wise to see her, cara mia?" he asked. Wise? Probably not. But I had to. I had to know if her mom married my uncle. If that part of my family still existed. I ignored the implications of that for now, but I had to know.

"I've got to, Gabriel," I whispered back, hoping he'd understand. He did. Quietly, he started to lead me to the room where Michelle had disappeared into. It was the food court, sort of, for the casino. Michelle was in line and I wasn't exactly sure how to approach her. "Hi, we've never met here but I'm your cousin Elizabeth in another universe" wasn't exactly the icebreaker I wanted to work with.

Working on what I wanted to say, exactly, without causing a scene, I slowly strode up to her, Gabriel at my side. "Umm, hi," I said meekly. Michelle smiled at me but her face was twisted slightly in confusion. "Are ya Michelle French?" I asked point blank. Of course, she wouldn't go by French now. I don't even remember if she did or not but still, it might work.

"Umm, yes. Ah mean, Ah don't go by that now, but my sisters still go by French," she said, confused. So many emotions played through me in that second I wasn't sure what to do. Her sisters. Her half sisters. My cousins by blood. If they existed, then my uncle existed. If he existed –here- then my Father must exist. I'm not entirely sure what I thought of that.

"Ah doubt you remember muh," I started. Of course she wouldn't remember me. I don't exist! "But we went to middle school together," I told her. Shock spread through her face. "I just wanted to say hello," I muttered before starting to turn away.

"What was your name again?" Michelle asked, curiously. I smiled a bit at her.

"Elizabeth Bruin. Well, it's going to be Elizabeth Caldola in a couple of weeks," I told her, smiling up at Gabriel. He could see in my eyes that something was wrong. I knew it.

"Oh, congratulations!" Michelle told me happily.

"Thank you," I told her. It felt odd having a member of my family from the other universe who I actually knew congratulate me. Yes, Edward has teased me and offered his congratulations but this felt different and I couldn't explain it.

"Are ya havin' the reception here?" Michelle asked cheerfully as her husband paid for their meal. I shook my head. There wasn't going to be a reception if I had my way. It was rather pointless if only Bella and I could eat and we weren't even sure if we could kidnap Bella and bring her.

"Oh, no. We were just stayin' across the street to check out the church. Ah don't live in the area anymore," I told her.

"Oh," she said stated, her face falling a bit. "Well, congratulations all the same," she told me. I thanked her again before quickly leaving the buffet.

I didn't want to think. I couldn't think. My cousins were real. My uncle was real. Which meant my father had to be real. A part of me wanted to find him, hug him, and make damn sure he was at the wedding. The other part of me, the one that was the teenage girl who would spend nights awake wondering if suicide was an option or not, wanted to throttle him. Of course, I didn't exist because Mom didn't exist –damn, that hurt to think about- so who was my Dad? Did he have a different family? A different life? Did he never marry? I wanted to find out the answers but, at the same time, I didn't.

Just barely could I hear Gabriel's voice whispering in my ear. "Let us go back, tesorina," he told me as he held me tightly. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that I was clutching Gabriel's hand that tight or that I was wrapped up in his other arm, my head on his shoulder. The tears hadn't started yet.

I shook my head, backing up, and had one little sniffle. "No, I…I'll just think more there, Gabriel. I need to not think right now. I need to be around people," I told him. It was really more pleading with him.

Gabriel looked at me, looked at the exit, and also looked down the hall. "There are more people this way, cara mia," he told me gently, leading me down the hall. I tried to focus on what might be down here, on the colors of the carpet, on what other people were wearing; anything that would prevent me from thinking about the French family and knowing they were still alive.

The place Gabriel found was a nightclub called the Masquerade Nightlife. Unlike the rest of the casino, it was pretty decently crowded. It wasn't packed by any means but there were people. I suddenly felt over dressed but I really didn't care. I needed to not think and this would work.

Looking up at my fiancé, I squeezed his hand. "Can we dance, please?" I begged of him. Focusing on the music, on the dancing would help me to forget, to not think.

"I do not believe that is dancing," Gabriel quipped while watching everyone out on the dance floor.

Gently, I tugged his hand. "Well, it's no galliard but it is dancing," I told him, hoping he'd join me. Otherwise, I was not going out there myself. Instead, we'd go back to the penthouse and I'd cry my eyes out. I didn't feel like doing that quite yet.

Sighing, Gabriel followed me out to the dance floor. I wasn't sure whether to feel proud or jealous when the women on the dance floor saw Gabriel. He was easily the most gorgeous guy in the room. There really wasn't a contest.

The heavy base and rhythms of the modern music pouring out of the speakers around us made keeping a beat easy, if you actually took dance lessons, like ever. The dance I knew that was the easiest to adapt to the pop rock blaring out was the Raq. It was simple, 16th century Turkish dancing…and better known as belly dancing.

I made sure to keep in mind to do figure 8's with my hips and not swing my arms out too far. Like so many of the other girls, I had my back to Gabriel, placing his hands about my waist as I swung in time with the music. It was easy to close my eyes and remember dancing around the fires at camp during a re-enactment rather than being here in New Orleans.

The songs changed and I managed to keep up with the beat, dipping and moving in time. It wasn't until I heard Gabriel growl that I actually bothered to pay attention to where I was. I could see some guy right next to Gabriel, only about a foot and a half away from me, trying to glare my vampire down. Yeah, there's a lost battle before it even started. Gabriel will win easily.

"Look, man, what the **** is your problem?" the idiot asked. My brain switched immediately and my eyes narrowed. No one curses at my vampire and definitely not in front of me. Only people with extremely low IQ's curse because they feel the need to make themselves look more powerful to those that are more talented and brighter among them. So they use words that are taboo –curse words- to show how powerful they were. If they could use a taboo word, it gave them a false sense of power. It's the reason most people –no matter IQ level- curse when they stub their toe; it was to give you power over a powerless situation.

Gabriel growled again and was about to say something when I put my hand on his chest. Immediately, Gabriel's hand covered mine. The idiot male that dared to speak to my Gabriel like that looked at me and smiled. I glared right back at him as Gabriel brought my hand to his lips to kiss it.

"You will leave now," I told him.

"Hey, baby, free ****ing country. I don't have to go the **** anywhere, chick," he told me. Gabriel started to go towards him, growling again. Gabe, beloved, can you be any less of a vampire in public? Please?

As quickly as I could, I put myself between the idiot and my fiancé. I did not want a repeat of what happened at Sandy Point beach! "If a low life piece of trash like you will not grow a pair of legs to take your filth out and hopefully become the next Darwin Award, then I'm sure my fiancé would be glad to help you with that problem," I told him as calmly as I could over the music.

The idiot took a full minute to process that. I could see the smoke coming out of his ears as his brain worked overtime to figure out what I just said. Gently, I pushed Gabriel towards the exit. My fiancé's eyes never left the idiot but I turned my back to him, hoping he'd actually go away. Why wasn't I ever that lucky?

I wasn't sure what happened but I heard the guy scream. I turned around to see him cradle his hand and Gabriel looking a bit smug. "Shake your hand like you hurt it," I whispered quickly knowing he could hear me over the loud music. He looked at me curiously but did as I said right as the bouncer came on to the floor.

"What's going on here?" the guy –who would be impressive if you didn't know Emmett or Felix- asked.

Pointing his unhurt hand at Gabriel, the idiot screeched. "This ****ing bastard ****ing broke my ****ing hand!" he screamed.

"Well, thanks for sharing what you do with your hand in your spare time," I muttered. Gabriel looked at me shocked for a second. I forgot –for a moment- he'd be able to hear that. I bit my lip from saying anything more.

The bouncer looked to Gabriel for an explanation. We had moved to the carpeted area, out of the dance floor. I stayed glued to my vampire's side, trying not to look at anyone out of fear I might start laughing a bit. Okay, maybe a lot. Really, when are males-he didn't deserve to be considered anything more than that since he wasn't a man based on his behavior- going to learn not to go up against a gentleman who also happens to be a vampire?

"He was rude to…my fiancé and I believed he was going to hurt her when he reached out," Gabriel stated calmly, an arm wrapped around my shoulders, holding me to him. "So, I stopped him. I will not stand for anyone to touch my fiancé without her permission," he stated. The bouncer sighed and looked to the idiot.

"That ****ing busted my hand! I need a ****ing ambulance! I want that bastard ****ing arrested and I'll ****ing sue him to the depths of Hell," the idiot continued on his tirade. The bouncer scratched his head. I'm just impressed that the idiot knew more than one curse word. Well, I guess Hell isn't really a curse word –it was a place- but still.

"Look, I believe you," he told Gabriel. "But I'm going to have to throw all of you out for tonight. I'm sorry," the bouncer stated. Gabriel nodded.

"Of course, our apologies," he told the bouncer before escorting me out. The idiot was giving him a much harder time. I head something about letting him walk from the scene of an assault inbetween the curse words. He got louder –as was predictable given he was trying to conquer the situation both with words and now volume- demanding that names be taken.

By the time we got outside and I could breathe the fresh air, my thoughts were already turning from the idiot in the nightclub to meeting Michelle. Michelle was here. Here sisters were here. This meant that more and more of my family existed. Why didn't the Italian branch live here too? What component was missing that made them not be up there in Dunkirk, NY? And did I want to track down my Dad? "Hi, I'm your daughter and we can take a DNA test to prove it!" wouldn't go over well, I bet. No matter how much I wanted him to be there at the wedding.

I didn't want him to walk me down the aisle or for him to be anything other than a familiar face on my side of the aisle. Well, technically everyone was on my side of the aisle but to have something of my former life there even if it wasn't real… I didn't realize how much I needed that until tonight. At least I had Ginsie. She was so going to be in the wedding, I don't care what anyone says. That will be my Bridezilla point.

We made it to the room before I started crying. Hugging Gabriel tight, I let the tears start to fall. It was here. Most of my life was right here. As I thought about that statement, I realized how true it was. Yes, a lot of my former life clearly still existed but here, in my arms, was my current life. And it was a life I would never want to give up.

I had spent too many tears on my former life, my former universe, my former family. I didn't want to spend any more even though my body betrayed me. I had a life –a really crazy one but a good one- here. I had a family that loved me and a fiancé that would do anything for me…and I'd do anything for him. This was my universe now and I wanted it.

Despite not wanting to cry over the things I had lost –the idea of never seeing Mom again or my brothers really killed me- I did anyway. Gabriel didn't leave me and helped me change into my PJ's. I cried myself to sleep, hugging Gabriel the entire time. He never uttered more than a "sei al sicuro, amore" to me; You are safe, in Italian.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So Gabriel didn't kill him! Yea!!! Elizabeth does have family still in the Gulf Coast. Hmm…. And tomorrow they fly home. Which should be fun. Both B&E and E&G have a layover in Houston.


	52. BII C xxv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Oh good! It was just FF. I was worried there for a second. ;-) It honestly is okay to tell me you don't like something. Just tell me specifically what you don't like about it so I can improve in the future.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 24

I woke up in Gabriel's arms. I didn't want to get up though and snuggled closer to him. He chuckled lightly and kissed the top of my head. "I take it you feel better, now, amata mia?" Gabriel asked me. I nodded in response and hugged him, using him as a pillow. A cold, hard, pillow but who cares when he was shirtless?

"Do you wish for some breakfast, cara mia?" he asked. I sighed and realized I did have to get up. Gabriel wasn't going to let me lie in bed all day and use him as pillow.

Slowly, I sat up and stretched. "Hmm hummh," I answered, nodding my head affirmatively. Gabriel quickly got up, kissed my cheek, and left to –I guess- go order breakfast. I plodded over to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed.

Left to my own thoughts, I remembered last night. Dinner had been good but the nightclub –well, at least Gabriel didn't kill him- and seeing Michelle… It was in the past now. There is little to be done. I shouldn't dwell on it. I have what I need –Gabriel- and I shouldn't ask for anything more than that…no matter how much I want the two worlds to combine. If I could have the best of both universes…well, that would never happen.

Instead, I tried to think on New Orleans itself. Of course, all that did was bring back memories of myself and Michelle playing with the baby alligators at some restaurant. Quickly, I switched my thoughts to Mardi Gras and that seemed a lot safer even though the theme at Harrah's was Mardi Gras. After all, what other theme was there for the pretty, once easy going city?

Sunday was our last day in the here. We had picked a good weekend to come even if many other tourists didn't think so, given the amount of clouds. Gabriel got to go outside without sticking to the shade. Of course, I ended up wet most of the time, thanks to the on again/off again rain but it was a small price to pay. Being covered in rain water was normal unlike a glitterin' in the sun.

We went to nine o'clock mass, since we didn't stay for the whole service yesterday, at Saint Louis Cathedral. It was a beautiful, old church with gorgeous gardens despite the damage from the hurricane. A couple of trees had fallen and the statue of Jesus lost a couple of fingers but that was the worst of the damage from the outside. Inside, part of the roof had given way and there had been water damage but it was all cleaned up now. Well, minus the organ. We listened to totally electronic music rather than pipes.

I had told Gabriel he didn't have to come –I didn't want him to push himself- but he, of course, completely ignored me. I was worried about being around so many people after yesterday. Luckily, the Cathedral was bigger and it was easier to get away from large groups. We simply went in a couple minutes after Mass had started and sat way over to one of the sides. No one else was within four pews of us.

The Cathedral, from the inside, was even more beautiful. I paid more attention to the stained glass windows than I did to the priest giving the homily. The vaulted ceilings and choir loft made the church we had been to yesterday look positively plain. A part of me wanted to get married in a place like this, a cathedral with all the perfectly carved architecture, but then I remembered the date, and the reason I was getting married in June rather than December. Quickly, I pushed such ideas from my head. I was getting married on June 6th. It was a little over two and a half weeks from now and I was honestly excited about that.

It had been getting harder, a lot harder, to resist Gabriel. He hadn't been pressuring me but just knowing we were weeks away from the wedding… If he was human, and not a vampire, I don't think I would bother resisting. No one would know if I was pregnant or not then –even I wouldn't know by the time the wedding rolled around. But he was a vampire and it was just too risky right now. …I hate waiting.

Looking over to my vampire again, I noticed he still hadn't taken his sunglasses off. When he brought me back breakfast, he had also bought a pair of sunglasses from downstairs. They were cute on him but I didn't get why he was wearing them in church. I reached up to take them off him, looking disapproving, when he stopped me. My face turned to one of questions as he gently held my hand.

"After the service, I will explain, amata mia," Gabriel said sadly. That didn't help at all. I knew that tone. He was worried he'd say something that would cause me to leave him. What would sunglasses…

It hit me. Gabriel had left to get breakfast. He didn't call room service. He left. He came back with the glasses and hadn't taken them off since. Damn it, Gabriel! I know he went after that guy from last night. I just know it.

I glared down at my fiancé and was very happy to be in the back of church where my glares would go unnoticed by the rest of the parishioners. I didn't say anything though. We stayed through mass, neither one of us bothering to move much. I didn't go up to communion since I had yet to go to confession for my rather large tally of sins at this point. Killing werewolves counted as much as I didn't want to admit that.

Once the church slowly emptied, Gabriel turned towards me, taking off his glasses as he did so. His eyes were bright crimson red. "Gabriel," I breathed as worry, horror, and anger over came me.

Looking down and away from my gaze, the sunglasses in his marble hands, he sat perfectly still in the pew. He looked like the picture of remorse. Again, I wondered if it was remorse for his actions or remorse for doing something he knew I wouldn't approve of.

"The body?" I whispered after a couple of minutes. He didn't have to go after that idiot. That male was out of our hair. We could have had a nice simple trip home and now he had to go and do this. I'm so making him glut himself on animal blood before he even thinks of getting on that plane.

"The river," Gabriel answered back. I nodded slightly and turned back towards the front of the church in thought. Did Gabriel seek him out or was the guy waiting for us? Still demanding our names?

"Why?" I finally asked in a mix of exasperation and disbelief. The entire idea of going after someone we would never have to see or think about again made no sense to me.

Gabriel tilted his head up from his hunched over position to look at me. His red eyes pleading with me but I wasn't sure what for. "He smelt too wonderful," Gabriel whispered. Smelt too wonderful? Did Gabriel come across his singer? Was someone bleeding down in the lobby?

"Who, Gabriel?" I asked back, a bit more gently.

"I went to ask the security of the nightclub of any further threats the thug had made and to be ascertained that no trouble should follow us or the nightclub. The gentleman there informed me that the cretin had be the cause of much trouble in the past and that no ill should follow us. I did give him my contacts in case of any legal implications," Gabriel stated. This sounded pretty normal. I have a feeling Gabriel went over there to find out where the idiot was and drain him but so far, normal.

I gestured for him to continue. "As I left the casino, I could smell the scent of blood. I…it was too close," Gabriel whispered, not looking at me. Someone was bleeding. Blood and a newly converted vegetarian vampire were not a good combination. Yes, Gabriel was fine around me but he knew me. He could override his instincts since his primary instinct –now- was to protect me and not hunt me. Of course, that was around me and not around everyone else. Everyone else was pretty much walking blood bags still in his eyes.

"…I did not realize what I had done until I had sunken my teeth into him," Gabriel told me. He looked at me for a second and the amount of pain and regret in his eyes was enough to make me forgive him. I took his hand into mine and squeezed it. I had told him before, I can't be angry about something like that. Purposefully hunting down a specific person that we would never see again, yes, that makes me mad. But to stumble on someone bleeding? The difference is between going to the store and buying a specific meal that you were told not to eat and having that meal pushed in front of your face. One was intent, the other had no premeditation.

"Did anyone see you?" I asked quietly. Gabriel shook his head quickly.

"The man was in the alley. I believe him to be homeless. He must have cut himself on a can or some other sharp object within the garbage," Gabriel stated, angry with himself. I held his hand tighter.

"And what about the idiot from last night?" I asked quietly. Gabriel looked at me, confused. "You didn't go over there to begin with to track him down and teach him a lesson, did you?" I asked for clarification.

Gabriel's eyebrows furrowed together. "You are more upset about my intent regarding the cretin last night than of the man I did kill?" he asked quietly. No one was in the cathedral except a few people up front and a few more in the gift shop. They couldn't hear us.

"In a way, yes," I answered. I took a breath before answering, squeezing his hand. "I told you before, I know I couldn't handle someone bleeding buttercream icing right in front of me," I told him. Gabriel flinched, probably remembering the events at Sandy Point. The funeral for the boy's remains was what? A week ago? Maybe two? I wasn't sure. I just know they found most of him and got to bury him.

"I'm not happy the man is dead, Gabriel but I can't blame you either," I told him slowly trying to look into his eyes. Gabriel looked at me incredulously. I placed a finger from my free hand on his lips so I could continue. "But to go after that trash! To even give him a second thought! Gabriel, we don't need to think of him ever again. We are going home today and yet you go over to try and track that filth down?" I asked, my voice rising a bit more than I meant it too. Luckily, no one seemed to be paying much attention to the two lovers in the back pew in the middle of some little spat.

"So that I did kill one who is possibly innocent and not one who is base even in your eyes does not bother you?" he asked in disbelief. I sighed.

"It's not that it doesn't bother me, Gabriel," I tried to explain. At least Gabriel was watching me now, listening and curious. He didn't look like the picture of remorse anymore and I was thankful for that. "It's that the two situations are different. There is a difference between someone tracking down another person to kill them, thinking on the methods, giving time and thought into their death, and someone simply not slamming on the brakes quick enough to not run over someone else with their car," I tried to explain. Gabriel looked at me quizzingly as he held both of my hands now in his. I just hoped my explanation made sense. "The first person is a killer, a murderer. The second, just needs to be more careful next time they get behind a wheel," I continued.

Gabriel hung his head again. I know he had lived that way a long time –tracking and killing the very worst of society- and I honestly didn't blame him for that. If I didn't know about being able to live off of animal blood, I might think the same thing when I get turned. Who know? Maybe I will think the same thing. But I won't let him do that now. He can't decide who dies and especially not over something as silly as that idiot last night.

"He threatened you, Elizabetta. He went to grab you," Gabriel said, his eyes pleading with mine again.

"You stopped him. That was enough," I told him. It was hard not to give into Gabriel, to simply say "It's okay, baby. I understand. Go, kill him," because some part of me wanted to get rid of such imbeciles too. But everyone had a purpose, even if it was to show how not to behave. The only thing you could really do about it to stand up for yourself and not let anyone else push you around.

"What if he tries to hurt another? What if another girl does not have anyone to protect her?" Gabriel asked, trying his hardest to argue with me.

I sighed and threw my hands up a little. It probably looked rather comical given that my right arm was still wrapped. I didn't need protecting. Well, maybe from werewolves and vampires and other supernatural creatures I've befriended but not from another human. Humans I could fight with easily. I've fought with vampires and werewolves and won, haven't I? Okay, so it does go better when Gabriel's around but I hardly need protection from another human.

"Then I hope she has a can of hairspray and a lighter!" I said a bit too loudly. A couple of people turned to look at us. I quickly covered my mouth, embarrassed by my outburst. Gabriel did give a small smile and slowly went to take one of my hands in his again.

"Not all are quite the…warrior you are, cara mia," Gabriel told me. I sighed. I knew he was right. I hadn't always been so aggressive. There were plenty of times where I should have been and just wasn't. Like when I had that stalker at work and I kept working there….

"I can't say 'kill him', Gabriel. He didn't actually do anything and people can change," I told him. I searched my fiancé's eyes in the hope that he might understand what I was saying. We can't play vigilantes, we can only stop people –or vampires and werewolves- from trying to hurt us. Once they are stopped, there is no point in fighting anymore. You can't protect the world.

"All I can say is that maybe we can file a police report or something if the nightclub hasn't done so already. I doubt he'll get more than a fine slapped on him. Or, maybe, you can talk to the nightclub owner and see about getting the idiot banned for life," I explained. Actually, getting him banned might not be a bad idea. It would be hard for him to hurt anyone else at the nightclub at least.

"They banned him last night," Gabriel responded. I smiled.

"See? Much better."

Gabriel sighed at that and gently kissed my hand. "But what is he goes after someone else's amata? Or their daughter?" Gabriel asked me. He was still trying to argue this point?

"He is only one person, Gabriel. There are millions more like him out there. Do you want to stop every single piece of garbage that has two legs and can talk? You minus well start another Holocaust because that's what it would be," I told him.

We both sat there in silence for a while, in that pretty cathedral. After a few minutes, Gabriel picked up my hand, kissed it, and got up himself. I guessed it was time to go. Squeezing his hand, I got up and let Gabriel lead me out of the cathedral to go back to the hotel and finish packing for home.

We had a layover in Houston. The hop over from New Orleans to Houston was crowded and I hated it. I was worried about Gabriel the entire time –his eyes an interesting orange now after I made him go look for opossums or any alligators to eat- but he seemed perfectly content. How he could be content in that tiny little metal tube with uncomfortable seats was beyond me.

So, when we got out, I could have cared less about the three hour layover. I had my laptop as part of my carry on so I wasn't worried about getting bored. Actually, I had Gabriel so I really wasn't worried about getting bored. Also, we got to share most of the layover with Bella and Edward who were taking the same flight back with us. I guess this means I'll know half the first class passengers well enough to throw things at them…

Their plane was scheduled to arrive in Terminal B at Houston at 3:45 pm. It was 3:50 and I sent Edward a text message telling him that we were in Terminal C already. He just had to take the underground train to get to us.

I was still mad at Gabriel. He killed some poor homeless guy that the world forgot –or that this poor guy wanted the world to forget about- all because he couldn't leave the stupid idiot from last night alone. If we had ordered room service for me rather than Gabriel deciding he just had to go across the street and track the idiot then none of this would have happened. But you can't change the past, only learn from it. I'm so not letting Gabriel out of my site.

Hoping that Edward could pick up on my thoughts, I kept thinking of where Bella and I could eat. There was some restaurant called "Bubba's Bayou Grill" and the rest were regular fast food place like Wendy's or those tiny snack place you typically see in any airport.

_Meet us in terminal C. I'm hungry and I will not be the only one eating at the table again!_

I thought to my cousin, I hope. He must have picked up on the Edward and Bella by now. I just really want a hamburger and a super big thing of iced tea. Or maybe strawberry banana smoothies…it looks like they have one of those places here.

"You are getting as bad as Alice," I heard the familiar smooth voice stated with a hint of a chuckle to it. I turned around to see both Edward and Bella and smiled at them both. Taking a step closer, I hugged both of them.

"How was your trip?" I asked them.

_Sorry! I wanted to make sure you and Bella came straight here. I really don't want to be the only one eating again. We had some problems last night and this morning. Gabriel slipped up again…_

I thought to him, going through the images like a silent movie on fast forward in my head.

_Don't be too hard on him about it. I think my being mad at him and grumpy is enough punishment._

I watched Edward's face turn extremely sober and nod once in my direction.

"It was good. I got to see my Mom but Jacksonville is very humid," Bella told us. I noticed she took a peek at me and Edward. He'd get asked about what we were talking about later.

Gabriel, who was standing next to me, retook my hand after I hugged my cousin and Bella. "And you do not believe Forks is?" Gabriel asked in a teasing tone. I glared at him and Bella grimaced. I really, at this point, was glaring on principle. Edward chuckled.

"It actually rains there and it's not hot enough to make you feel like you are swimming all day long," Bella answered. I smiled a bit. I had lived in DC –which was built on a swamp- for so long, I had gotten use to breathing in water.

"Bella, I thought you didn't like the cold or the wet," I teased before slowly letting go of Gabriel's hand to pry Bella from Edward's side. She just looked at me shocked for a second before her blush started to color her face.

"Now," I began to say as I happily pulled Bella away from Edward's side. "Please tell me you are hungry," I pleaded with her. Bella looked at me and nodded.

"Starving. Mom cooked all weekend," Bella answered. Thank God. Renee's cooking sounds like something I would only want to experience as a culinary art specialist and not as an edible creation.

"Good, there is a restaurant or we can just go with fast food," I told her. Both vampires grumbled/groaned at the idea of either of us eating fast food. Both Bella and I shook our heads.

"I guess that means we are eating at Bubba's Bayou Grill," I stated. Really? Because someplace called Bubba's is really so much better for your health than Wendy's? Really you two. It's not like either of will get a chance to die from a heart attack so lighten up a bit, please!

Edward looked at me. I resisted the temptation to stick my tongue out at my cousin and walked with Bella to the restaurant. All four of us got a table right away. Bella and I ordered our food and drinks. The boys both ordered drinks as well. Bella and I just looked at each other like "What are we supposed to do with our two vampires?" Edward started chuckling at me again.

The food was decent but outrageously expensive. Bella and I pretty much just ate and listened as our two darling vampires attempted to have a conversation and include us. I guess they just don't get that talking with your mouth full of food is not only absolutely disgusting and rude, but it's also very difficult to do! Still, I could roll my eyes and glare at either vampire when the conversation dictated it.

When the bill came, both Edward and Gabriel started to argue over who was to pay it. Edward claimed that he, as Bella's boyfriend and my cousin, was supposed to pay it. Gabriel claimed that he, being the eldest at the table by any means was to pay it –and for Edward to defer to his elders. Bella watched the argument in rapt attention. I just put my head in my hands and sighed.

"Compromise!" I told the two silly sparklepires. I could feel both sets of eyes on me before I looked up at both of them.

"Edward, you can pay for Bella's half of the tab," I told him before switching to Gabriel. I didn't say anything to him. I just flicked out a twenty dollar bill I had and put it down on the table. It would cover my half and part of the tip. Giving my fiancé a look, I dared him to argue.

Gabriel watched me carefully as I watched him. He didn't seem to do anything but I heard Edward smirk and just caught what I thought was Gabriel's arm moving. No, the twenty was still there…

The plane ride to Seattle was going to be a decently long one so Bella and I got snacks as well. We were allowed to board about an hour after dinner. It really was just us in the first class cabin. Two vampires and two humans. All of whom know each other quite well. At least this meant that we wouldn't have to be quite as guarded in what we said as long as the stewardess wasn't right there.

During the flight, I decided to try and talk to Bella again. "Bella?" I asked her. She was just in the seat behind me so I sat up in my chair, turned around, and looked over the head rest. The seatbelt sign was off so I was fine kneeling there.

"Yes?" she answered back looking at me with an amused smile. Of course, Edward was too.

"Did you talk to your Mom about…sci-fi books?" I asked, remembering the conversation in the books. Edward groaned.

"Not now, Elizabeth," Edward muttered. I looked to Bella whose face was getting redder by the second even though she was grimacing.

"Yes," Bella answered. And what? Didn't it happen like in the book? What went wrong?

"Nothing went wrong," Edward stated. Bella looked to him, pursed her lips, and then looked at me.

"Not wrong, exactly," Bella answered. Okay, spill.

Sighing, Bella started to explain. "It was going exactly like the book until she asked if she was being silly," Bella sighed. Her blush deepened as she looked down at her clasped hands. Oh no, what happened? I looked at Edward worried. He shook his head, holding back a…smile?

"I told her that…that…ugh!" Bella screamed in frustration. What the heck did she tell Renee?

"Bella, honey, what happened?" I asked, concerned. Edward started to grin. Whatever it was, it couldn't be too bad, right? Edward shook his head.

"No, it was rather a nice surprise, honestly," he chuckled. "But I think I preferred telling Renee over the phone much more."

Telling Renee over the phone. Bella couldn't say it. Edward was extremely happy over whatever it was. I raised one eyebrow at Edward. "Alice didn't tell you to pack the ring?" I asked him, curiously. That was the only thing I could think of that would possibly get that kind of reaction out of both of them. I must have been right because Bella immediately buried her head in the travel pillow we all got and screamed into it, stamping her feet as well. I giggled at the scene and Gabriel laughed as well. He had turned to look between the seats, rather than turn fully around like me.

"I believe it was a split second decision," Edward explained happily before turning to Bella. His face dropped and I immediately felt sorry for him. Bella did love him at least; it was just those lovely parents-scarring-their-children-for-life-issues. She was afraid of the word, of the things, but not of the commitment aspect –which I found hilarious really.

Edward shot me a look and I rolled my eyes, turning back around and sliding down into my seat. Gabriel and I were both trying our hardest not to laugh at the mini fit Bella had thrown. Well, at least this way it would probably be easier on everyone than what was written in the books. Although, I'd tell Charlie before he finds out Renee knew before him. That might not go down so well if he finds out from Renee.

We got home around two in the morning. We flew into the airport at midnight, and it took another couple of hours to get to the house. Edward dropped us off and then went to take a very sleepy Bella home. I gave my cousin a hug and whispered "Good luck" before he left. He was going to need it.

Turning to the house as Edward drove off, I was excited to be home. This honestly felt like home now. Just as we started to walk up, the door opened and out came a small streak of white and ginger fur. "Ginsie!" I greeted the pup happily and picked her up in a hug.

The pup, being my pup, gave me kisses and wagged her tail in greeting. I could hear the chuckles from the front porch but I didn't care. I was home and I had a family that loved me.

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**Author's Note:** So Gabriel messed up. Poor Gabriel. He's trying! He really is! Just don't bleed in front of him or threaten his Elizabeth. Maybe I should have Gabriel and Jasper talk...


	53. BII C xxvi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Over 600 reviews! Woohoo! This is rather liberally taken from Eclipse in parts. I couldn't help it. I needed to have the confrontation scene still… Different reason, same result. I hope you like it!

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 26

The phone rang and I groaned, covering my head with a pillow. I was up until three thirty in the morning. Edward came back home around two thirty, said his hello's to the family after Esme hugged him ferociously, and then went back over to Bella's around three. I crashed soon after. I think Gabriel had to carry me to bed but I'm not really sure.

The phone rang again and I screamed into the pillow. I did not want to get up. Ginsie, being the pup she is, decided that I just had to wake up and answer the phone. She walked up to right next to my head and kissed me. Uck! Not that I could yell at her. Instead, I reached out and pet the pup, letting her know I was awake and I was getting up for the day.

Before I could turn my head from the pillow to the annoying cell phone, I realized it should have rung again. I also realized someone else was in the room because I heard a click as the cell phone opened. Looking over towards the door, I saw Gabriel –who I kicked out last night and told him he was grounded…I must have been really loopy with lack of sleep at that point- talking on my cell phone as quietly as he could. He looked like he was about to leave the room when he caught me sitting up. His eyes were apologetic.

"I will ask her," Gabriel said as he covered the phone with his hand. He walked over to me slowly, trepidatiously really, and looked at me worriedly. What exactly did I saw to him last night that would make him that scared of me? Or was he just worried about "grumpy Lizzie" since I hadn't exactly had much sleep… "Would you be able to assist a Principal Greene with some technical problems he has at his school?" Gabriel asked me. I nodded immediately. Greene was the high school principal. I guess I get to go to Forks High School after all. This should be interesting. Even if I was dead tired.

"Yes, she says that she is willing to assist," Gabriel stated. I watched his face as he listened patiently to the person on the other end of the phone. "I am not sure but would you like to speak with her regarding this?" Gabriel asked before handing me the phone.

Groggily, I accepted the phone. "Hello?" I asked, trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes so I could actually see the alarm clock. Seven a.m.? Was that all?

"Oh hello, Elizabeth. I'm Edna Cope, the secretary for Mr. Greene at Forks High School?" she introduced herself.

I suppressed a yawn but stretched a bit as I tried to wake up. Gabriel stood only a few feet away. I patted the edge of the bed, telling him he could sit down if he wanted to, and then went back to petting Miss Ginsie. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Cope. I guess you need some computer help?" I asked. Carlisle mentioned something last night of Jasper actually making a flyer for me and Carlisle putting one up at the hospital. I think he mentioned giving one to Charlie as well…

"Yes, if it wouldn't be to much trouble. Would you mind coming over right now?" she asked, a hint of worry in her tone. "We'd like to try and get the computer system up before second period," she told me.

I pulled my legs out from under the blankets, moving around Ginsie, and stood up next to Gabriel in my nightgown he must have put me in. With the amount of times Gabriel has dressed and undressed me lately, there really won't be much left for him to see on the wedding night! "Oh, um, sure," I told her, looking around the room to see if where my jeans went. "I'll head right over," I continued.

"Oh, that will be wonderful. I'll let Mr. Greene know to expect you," she told me. We said our goodbyes and I closed the phone, looking at Gabriel. He still looked hesitant, like I was going to bite his head off or something. A vampire scared of a little human, now there was a joke!

Sighing, I shook my head slightly and looked at Gabriel. "My jeans?" I asked. I watched as Gabriel moved, vampire speed, to the dresser, pulled them out, and handed them to me. "Oh," I said, figuring he would do what I always did and throw them on the floor in some random place. "Thanks."

"Claro," Gabriel responded. I moved past him to find a t-shirt and something long sleeved to wear over it.

"What's wrong?" I asked him over my shoulder. I hope nothing had happened. I thought I remembered most of last night. I was angry at him, yes, for killing the poor homeless man but I didn't think I was that angry with him. Did I say something? Or was I being totally egotistical and this had nothing to do with me?

Gabriel took his time in answering. I had found the black t-shirt with the red fairy on it that I wanted. As I looked for a matching black and red flannel baby doll top I know I had in the other drawer, I stopped to take a look at Gabriel's face. He looked frustrated but pensive before he answered.

"What is grounded?" he finally asked. I smirked a bit and turned my head towards him.

"Did they not have groundings in 15th century Naples?" I asked him, teasingly. There are a couple of punishments as old as the world for children; grounding was one of them. Spanking, based on all the mosaics, woodcuts, and other art I had seen, was the other.

"No, we did. But it is not something a wife would do to her husband," Gabriel answered. I raised an eyebrow at him as I bumped the dresser drawer closed with my hip. I wasn't his wife, yet. We had two more weeks for that. Not that I minded him thinking of me that way already by any means.

"It means," I started as I came up to him, trying not to trip over Ginsie in the short distance. "That you are not allowed to stay in my room at night. No more 'practicing' for a week, at least. And I don't want you leaving the house unsupervised," I told him. The last well, it wasn't like he'd leave the house without me anyway so it was a mute point.

Gabriel's mouth opened and closed like a fish again before his eyes narrowed. I rolled my eyes at him before he even started to speak. "Grounded?" he asked in disbelief. I nodded my head and put one hand on my hip, daring him to argue.

"You slipped up again, Gabriel. You need some reminder to help you not do it again. So, grounded," I told him, seriously.

"I need no reminders of what sins I have committed," he told me, a hint of anger in his voice. I looked down and sighed.

"Can we talk about this later, Gabriel? I need to go to school," I asked him. He nodded curtly in reply and left the room at vampire speed. His demeanor hurt me. I didn't like leaving the house with him angry at me when I wasn't angry at him. Well, not like that at least. I was angry at him but that really wasn't the right word. I guess it was more disappointed.

I got dressed, kissed Miss Ginsie on the top of the head, did my make up to cover the bruise, and headed up and out go to school. I'm going to High School. Again. It really was bad enough the first time. My books prove that.

Upstairs, Alice was waiting for me, smiling. "We get to drive Rosalie's car today!" she told me. I smiled back a bit, even though I wasn't feeling too terribly jubilant right now. Esme was at the door as well. She hugged up both goodbye and held back Miss Ginsie for me. The poor pup wanted to follow me to school.

The red convertible was ostentatious. It also was not my cup of tea. I much prefer something more along the lines of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. BMW's just never cut it for me. Still, we got to school in plenty of time. Alice gave me the keys so I could drive home when I was done. I'm sure Rose will love that. The human driving her car.

I gave Alice a hug before she ran off to classes. Pulling out my sparkly turquoise and pink emergency computer kit that Carlisle got for me, I remember when he brought it home from Newton's Outfitters. He said the tackle box looked like something I would like. I kissed his cheek for that.

It was only a few steps from the car that I heard the rumble of a motorcycle. All the kids –damn, I must be getting old when they all look like kids to me- turned to see the owner of said motorcycle pull up right in front of the school and turn the mini beast off. Jacob Black didn't even bother with a kickstand.

I glared at him from across the parking lot. This wasn't supposed to happen. I changed it, gosh darn it! The treaty was changed! Bella and I were safe from annoying nosy werewolves who want to dictate other people's lives. Given Jacob's grin, I guess he didn't seem to think so.

I marched up to him through the gaggle of High School students. "Jacob, go home or I'm going to make Sam make you go home," I told him seriously.

Jacob crossed his arms and grinned at me like he thought I couldn't do anything about him. "I've come to talk to that leech, not you, Buffy," he stated, smirking. My eyes instantly narrowed at the insult. I was so not some blond bimbo whore of a vampire slayer. And Gabriel was way cuter than Angel.

"If you do not leave in three seconds, I will make sure to toast your entire village, you pathetic son of a bitch," I said very low, knowing he could hear me. I choose my words carefully. If anyone did hear me, it wouldn't sound too terribly unusual to them, hopefully. Although I guess a 31 year old chewing out a 16 year old was a bit much.

"Make me, leech lover," Jacob growled just a low. It was then that Edward and Bella came up next to me. Edward placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned to my cousin and immediately let go of my glare when I saw his worried eyes. I was angry but I wasn't angry at him or Bella.

"Jacob, why didn't you just call?" Bella asked him, stealing Edward's line…sort of. Edward was already shielding Bella and pretty much handed her over to me. Gently, I squeezed her upper arm, letting Bella know I was right next to her.

"Needed to talk to the parasite and this was the place I knew he'd be," Jacob answered gruffly. I rolled my eyes at him. I yanked out my cell phone and scrolled through the numbers until I got to Billy's. I thought copying the numbers down for all the council members would be a good idea. I put the phone up to my ear as Edward smirked at me.

"What are you doing?" Jacob asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Calling your father. He'll know what to do with you. Causing a public disturbance! Really Jacob, you have got to learn how to behave appropriately and things like times and places," I argued with him.

"Hello?" I heard an older voice answer the phone.

"Hey, Billy. It's Elizabeth," I answered. Meanwhile, Jacob, Edward, and Bella were continuing their own conversation.

"…just coming to point out to your leech some of the finer points of the new treaty," Jacob said in response to something Bella asked. Edward's jaw tightened and he glared at Jacob like he was about to take the kid's head off himself.

"Hey, kid. What's up?" Billy asked me concerned. I looked over to the three kids in front of me.

Jacob raised his eyebrows but looked slightly smug at the same time. "There really isn't anything you can do about. The new terms are for me to…show Charlie. If I don't, then you can't do anything without starting…a fight," he said. I glared at Jacob.

"You son is causing trouble. I assume he'll be home in less than an half an hour but he is causing a public disturbance. Not exactly a good thing if we want…everything to go well," I told him. Jacob glared right back.

"I see. I'll handle it when he gets home," Billy told me.

"Thanks," I muttered before hanging up and turning to Jacob. Edward, Bella, and Jacob were already involved in another conversation.

"Jacob, I'll call you tonight," Bella told him sadly.

"Sure, sure," Jacob answered as his grin got bigger. I glared that boy down as quickly as I could when I saw Edward cringe. Bella's face went pale.

"Stop it!" she yelled at Jacob, hugging Edward's arm worriedly.

"It's his own fault if he doesn't like the things I remember," Jacob told her, smiling.

"I'm sure Mr. Greene is on his way. Unless you want him to call Charlie to come and lead you away in handcuff's, I suggest leaving, now," I told Jacob seriously.

"Let's get to English, Bella," Edward murmured to her. Bella nodded sadly.

"What, not allowed to have a little trouble? Let me guess, you're not allowed to have fun, are you?" Jacob asked. You know, when I read all of this in the books, it wasn't nearly as scary as actually being here. Bella looked like she was going to go into shock, Edward looked like well…a vampire, and Jacob looked like the ignorant jerk he is in the setting of the school grounds on this extremely overcast day. I bet it would rain. Again. In a hour.

"Edward, take Bella inside, please," I muttered to my cousin. I'd deal with Jacob Black. Edward nodded once and started to lead Bella inside. I could see Bella about to say her "shut up, Jake" but I gave her a look. Luckily, I think she understood because she just hung on to Edward and went towards the school building.

Jacob looked after them, angry. "If you ever feel like having a life again, I've still got your motorcycle," he shouted after them. I saw Bella tense and Edward whisper something in her ear before carefully leading her towards the school building doors.

"Okay, get to class," a heard someone who was clearly an adult say. "Move along, Mr. Crowley."

"Go home, Jacob Black," I told him before moving past him in the direction of the voice. I felt an overheated hand on my shoulder. If we had been anywhere other than a public place, the idiotic werewolf would have lost said hand right then. I glared at him hard, breathing through my nose like I would kill him with my eyes alone.

Jacob actually retracted his hand, slightly confused, as Mr. Greene managed to get through the gaggle of students. "I mean it," the man began to threaten. "Detention for anyone who's still standing…," he started to say. Mr. Greene did get to say his entire line but I ignored him. All the kids left the ground quickly as soon as the world "detention" was uttered.

"Ah, I'm sorry, are you new students?" Mr. Greene asked with a disapproving look at our little show.

"No, I'm Elizabeth. Edward and Alice's aunt?" I stated. Recognition flickered in the principal's eyes as he appraised me before turning to Jacob.

"Nope," Jacob answered with a slight smirk.

"I'm sorry for the disruption, Mr. Greene. Jacob was, unfortunately, attempting to bully my nephew and Bella again. I believe he goes to the reservation school but I know you would not allow such ignorant behavior on your school grounds," I said, glaring at Jacob the entire time.

"Quite right, Ms…?" Mr. Greene asked me.

"_Miss_ Bruin," I answered. Ms was made up in the 60's for a bunch of ultra feminists who wanted to be whores and show that they were better then men, not equal to them. I refused to even sign papers that didn't give the Miss option. I wasn't married –yet- and I had zero problem with showing that in writing. Only regretful old cougars did.

"Bruin," Mr. Greene said kindly before turning back to Jacob.

"If you are not a student here, then I suggest you remove yourself from school property at once, young man, before I call the police," Mr. Greene told him in a very authoritative tone. I guess you get that when you are principal of the school.

Jacob grinned widely before saying "yes, sir" in an almost mocking tone. Climbing on to the bike, he started it on the sidewalk and raced out of sight. The tires squeaking the entire way. I turned to Mr. Greene after Jacob was gone.

"Thank you, Mr. Greene. That child has been nothing but trouble for my family, lately," I told him.

"Of course, Miss Bruin," he told me politely, still looking at me curiously. What? I dressed fairly normal today…for me. "If you wouldn't mind helping us out with a few computer problems? My computer has been acting odd and I'd much rather have a…professional look at it," Mr. Greene said with pursed lips. I nodded in response as we walked towards the office.

Holding open the door for me, he looked at me again. It's not like I'm going to take a computer apart in a business suit so were jeans really that uncalled for? "If you don't mind me asking," the principal started as I stepped through the door and headed to the main office. I could already see the faded red hair of Mrs. Cope from behind a desk. "but well, you do look young enough to be one of the students and," he started to say. I burst out laughing and quickly bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing any more.

"I'm sorry," I managed to say after he opened the next door for me and I went into the main office. "But I was in college when Esme and Carlisle adopted Edward, Alice, and Emmett," I told him, smiling. Of course, I was lying through my teeth. They were probably all in college –again- when I was born!

"Ah," he said. Maybe it was just all the make up I had on that made me look younger. And poor lighting. And maybe he was just so much older that anyone ten years or younger looked like a high school kid to him. Something like that.

After showing me the computer –and the problem with it- I set to work. I began to upload drivers, roll-back a few, and defragment the computer. I will never understand why more people don't defrag their computers. It makes the computers so much faster and they don't hang up nearly as much.

It turns out that a lot of computers needed help. The one in the history class room was acting up just as I finished with the principal's computer. Mr. Greene walked me through the mini-maze of buildings over to the classroom in question. Turns out it was a class that Alice was in. She grinned happily when she saw me enter. I smiled back and then looked at the two boys and the grown man standing around a laptop and a projector system. Nothing was on the screen.

"Well, maybe it just doesn't recognize the cable," one of the boys said.

"Now, guys, I'm sure there is a logical reason for this. We'll just have to…," the teacher –obviously- said. "Oh, hello, Mr. Greene." I suppressed a giggle at the sounds of kids shifting in their seats when the teacher acknowledged the principal and the two boys quickly turning to go back to their own seats.

"Mr. Anderson," the principal said in greeting. With all the kids' eyes on me, I felt like it was my first day of class! Ugh, I hope I don't have to repeat High School when I'm a vampire. I'd be a nightmare. I was a nightmare the first time around. It's a problem with being more informed than the teachers…

"This is Miss Bruin. She's been gracious enough to help us with all our tech problems today," Mr. Greene said before gently pushing me forward. I nodded to the man as we exchanged pleasantries. I checked the cable, the wiring, and quickly found the problem. They had a switch on the back of the projector on output rather than input. I flicked it and smiled at Mr. Anderson as the screen suddenly flickered to life, much to the delight of the students. They began to giggle, laugh, and clap at seeing their teacher become embarrassed, in front of the principal.

"All better," I said, happily before turning towards the door. It reminded me of the time I was in high school when the English teacher I loathed called me up to help with a computer problem in the yearbook room. Turns out, no one plugged the computer in.

Mr. Green quickly said goodbye and followed me out. He showed me a couple of other computers that needed help and gave me a couple hundred dollars –cash- for all my help. Not bad for only a couple hours of work. I think I rather like my latest occupation.

My good mood fell as I drove the M3 back to the house. At least Rosalie didn't look angry about me driving it. Instead, she flipped her hair back and looked around the edges of the car. "I need to tune it anyways," she stated.

"I promise, I only drove it from the school to here. It's fine," I told Rose. She muttered something about it smelling like human now. I rolled my eyes. "I'll get you a car air freshener, Rosalie," I said as I rolled my eyes at her.

Rosalie was quiet until I was almost out of the garage. "Pine. I…I like pine," Rose told me. I turned to look at her and smiled.

"Balsam & Cedar good?" I asked, thinking over the Yankee Candle car gels that might smell like pine.

"I haven't smelled those before," Rose told me, but not with her usual harshness.

"We'll have to find a Yankee Candle store and go then," I told her. She nodded and I went back in the house. I just wanted to crash –three and a half hours of sleep was not a good thing- but I also knew that Gabriel would probably want to talk. I prepared for the worst.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Mini Cliffy! For what ever reason, I'm not getting the reviews via email right now so I can't respond to them. My guess is it's an FF problem and not a gmail problem…given the track record. But, please, don't let that stop you from reviewing!!


	54. BII C xxvii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I have a keyboard that has an awesome back light so I can make the keyboard turn blue, red, or purple. I think I'm sticking to purple for now. I also have a desktop now, and my own wireless network that I put together. Oh, and Miss Ginsie...and a truck.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Thank you for all the reviews! I'm just going to warn you all now why this took a bit longer to write…I kept laughing too much while writing Alice and Elizabeth's little conversation. ::giggles:: So, I hope they make you laugh too. Again, liberally taken from Eclipse in parts.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 27

I walked in through the front door slowly, slightly scared about what would await me on the other side of the door. What I did find shocked me a bit. Gabriel was sitting in the living room, on the sofa, talking to Jasper. They both looked up when I came in. Gabriel didn't look _as_ angry but he wasn't smiling either. Jasper at least smiled at me comfortingly. I could also feel some of the worry and fear disappear.

I stood in the foyer for a moment, not sure what to do. Should I grab Gabriel and take him someplace where we could talk without curious ears or should I sit down and ask what was going on? I was going to be strict on the grounding. I may not have worded it right but the only thing I could think of that would punish Gabriel for his behavior- for going after that piece of trash and ending up killing an innocent man; which sounds a lot worse than what really happened- is no 'practicing' or letting him even touch me for a week. Now, I'm not sure if I'll survive that week but it seemed like a decent punishment. It will force him to think twice next time, hopefully.

Jasper began to get up and motioned for me to sit down. I raised an eyebrow at him. Was he going to play marriage counselor or something? Yes, technically, he had about 50 years more experience than I did but physically, he was 20. Feeling my emotions of annoyance, worry, and probably a couple other different things, Jasper chuckled and walked over to me.

He placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered very low in my ear, to the point I almost couldn't hear him. "He loves you. There is no doubt in that. He's also upset with himself and…annoyed that you believe he isn't as upset as he should be," Jasper whispered before turning. I gently stopped my nephew before he left and gave his arm a friendly squeeze –a silent thank you- before I went over to my soon-to-be husband. God, that just sounds weird even in my own head.

Gabriel stood up before I got within three feet of him. Without looking up, I glanced at the back door. "We should go out to talk," I said lightly. It wasn't that I was really worried about anyone hearing us as much as I was worried they'd try to break up a fight if they thought we were getting too loud. Gabriel turned, took one step, and then, as if he regretted his actions, offered me his hand. I took it and squeezed letting him know I wasn't as upset as he might think.

Walking outside, I shivered slightly. They had been keeping it warm in the house for me but it was still very cool outside. I'm just glad I hadn't taken my jacket off yet when I got into the house.

Gabriel helped me up onto one of the rocks near the river. We were far enough away from the house that I could still see it but no one could hear us unless they were really trying. Hugging my knees, I looked at him. He seemed to be gazing off in the distance as something that was too far away for my eyes.

"I spoke with Jasper about acclimating to this diet," Gabriel started softly. I watched my fiancé with curious eyes, resting my head on my knees. "He said that he still struggles but he would never wish for any other way to live again." For a moment, I could see the pain, the struggle, in my fiancé's eyes. He had told me he was cured of the bloodlust with my case at least…

Turning away from him, I buried my face in my knees before I spoke. "This isn't so much about the homeless man. I see that is nothing more than an accident. A bad one, but not something you could have stopped, Gabriel," I started. I figured I'd pick up the argument from where we left off this morning and remind him of what I said to begin with at the cathedral. Looking at him again, the denim of my jeans probably making interesting patterns embedded on my face, I continued. "I'm upset because you went after someone out of a different sort of bloodlust. You wanted revenge over a piece of garbage who would never bother us again. What did you plan to do to him? Kill him because he cursed in front of me?" I said a bit loudly as my anger slipped in.

"Wives do not ground their husbands," Gabriel said almost haughtily. I glared at him.

"First, you have two more weeks until you _are_ my husband and two, you think I'm the first woman to make her fiancé –husband, whatever- sleep on the couch when he's screwed up?" I asked.

"I do not sleep," Gabriel pointed out. I just raised an eyebrow. As if that were the point! I knew perfectly well he didn't sleep but he was totally ignoring the boat on this one. Sighing, he sat down, gracefully of course, next to me. "No, you are not," he admitted.

"Good," I muttered, burying my face against my knees again. "And if you can think of another word that's better than 'grounded', I'm all for it," I told him. Gabriel smirked slightly at that.

"Perhaps I should buy you a manico del ventaglio of brass so that you can beat me with it," Gabriel teased lightly. I smiled a bit back at him. In the 15th and 16th centuries, women of Italy had long handles on their fans to beat their husbands. It might sound unfair to us today, but it was generally accepted then that the women needed the extra leverage since their husbands were so much stronger than they were. It made for a decent weapon unless your husband was a vampire.

"You'd be buying a new one each week since I'd just break it over your head and you wouldn't feel a thing," I teased back. "This punishment is far better for you," I told him. At least I hoped it was. I'm betting that Gabriel enjoyed 'practice' as much as I did and that this would cripple him quickly.

Sighing, Gabriel pulled at his non-existent beard again. "I need no reminders of my sins, cara mia," he told me again. I shook my head.

"No, I know you remember what you did perfectly well but just because you remember something –and always will- does not mean that it should go unpunished," I told him. We were both quiet for a few minutes.

"You are truly more upset regarding my going to find the cretin that insulted you and would have done unknown things to you had I not been there than regarding the innocent man I did kill?" Gabriel asked again, more for clarification but I could still hear the hints of disbelief in his voice.

I shook my head slightly as I started to explain, looking up at my soon-to-be husband. "I wouldn't have gone to the nightclub if you weren't with me, Gabriel. I would have gone back to the hotel," I explained. Gabriel looked confused so I sighed, and flicked a small pebble down from the rock we were both sitting on. "All my life, whenever I go into a place like that, I attract the…creepy guys. The guys that think they are all that but are nothing more than disgusting low-lifes. It's why I didn't date much. The few times I did it was either through a mutual friend or one of those matchmaker sites online. The guys that would talk to me in public were either old enough to be my father or just plain creepy," I muttered out.

Gabriel was quiet for a couple of seconds before he started to chuckle. I looked at him, wondering what so hilarious. "And I am not old enough to be your ancestor as well as a vampire. Does that not qualify as 'creepy'?" he teased. I rolled my eyes.

"You look like you are thirty five and not sixty. And as much as you try to be, you are absolutely not creepy," I informed him. "I trust you," I whispered, looking out to the river. The guys who gave me the creeps I didn't trust. At all. They only saw a pretty young thang that they could show off as arm candy for a couple of years before throwing her away like some old artifact and going to the next shy clueless girl. Gabriel didn't see me as a "thing" –well, he saw me as a human but that was different-, he saw me as his mate. Someone that needed protecting and that could help him to be better as well. Or so I hoped. Either way, he didn't see me as an object but as a person; that much I knew.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow before his face softened. He reached out, tentatively, to put an arm around me. "Is this alright?" he asked, a hint of humor to his voice. I nodded.

"Just no kissing," I muttered as I rested my head on his shoulder. Gabriel smirked.

"Is that not a punishment for you as well?" Gabriel teased.

I glared up at him before looking back out to the water. "I'm adding an extra day, just for that," I told him. Gabriel chuckled and squeezed my shoulders as we sat on the rock near the river.

By the time the "children" got home, I was inside the house attempting to beat Emmett at some James Bond shoot 'em up game. I remembered playing with my brothers years ago but I couldn't remember all the tricks. As Emmett shouted when he won…again, I muttered "I can't wait until Wii comes out."

Emmett's eyes went big. "You've played the Wii?" he asked in awe. I nodded once.

"I like Mario cart and the Super Mario stuff. Wii fit is okay, but I prefer Zelda archery. That is just too funny. Clearly the guys in Japan weren't thinking when they made that game," I told him as I died. Again. I'm just not good at this one at all. "Or, I guess, will make that game," I grimaced slightly. It's so hard to remember that it's 2006 and not 2009 sometimes. When the new year rolls around I'm going to have a heck of time writing checks!

"No, Alice," Edward's voice sounded through the living room. Both Emmett and I turned our heads and placed our game on pause. Alice huffed as she came in but hugged Esme –who came down the steps- before she continued on her little tirade.

"This isn't about you, Edward," Alice shot back.

Edward looks a mixture of amused and annoyed by that comment. However, that comment brought a few other things to my mind; like Alice planning Edward and Bella's wedding. I guess she was already on her "wedding planner" idea list and was trying to convince Edward to let her speak to Bella about the wedding; or something like that. Edward looked at me and nodded once, a hint of his crooked grin on his face.

Jasper came down the stairs and hugged his wife before, clearly, starting to calm her down. She pushed against him and shook her head. "I don't want to be calm right now, Jazz. Thanks though," she told him before turning back to Edward, a quick glance at me on the way. "It's not," Alice insisted. "This is a female thing."

Edward sighed and ran his fingers through his mess of bronze hair. "You'll never be able to convince them," he muttered. Alice looked straight at him, her lips a thin line, before Esme stepped between the two of them.

"Why don't you tell us what this is about, sweetheart? I doubt there is any need to fight," Esme told her in a mothering tone. Alice looked worried now and glanced over at me before looking down. I was just as curious as everyone else as to what was going on in Alice's head that had Edward riled up. I'm 99.9% sure it had to do with his wedding, given the nod, but why argue about it without Bella here?

"Elizabeth?" Alice asked me in the saddest most dejected voice ever. I knew this trick. She was NOT planning my wedding that was only two weeks away. We'd been over this!

"No!" I quickly said, jumping to my feet, terrified of whatever was about to come out of Alice's mouth. I heard Edward chuckle and Esme gasp. Alice just turned the whole cute sad panda trick up a degree as she came over to me, slowly, not looking up until she was a few feet away. Her big, golden eyes looked like a lost hurt puppy. Even Ginsie –who was currently outside bonding with Gabriel still- couldn't do that face that well.

"You don't love me?" Alice asked me in the most horrifically saddest tone ever. Really, the girl should get an Oscar for her performance.

"Agh!" I screamed at her before scrunching my eyes shut so I didn't have to see the adorable cuteness that was Alice right now. Edward was full out laughing now and I heard Jasper joining in the chuckling.

Keeping my eyes closed but my hands on my hips, I took a breath. "You know I do, Alice," I told her truthfully. I loved my favorite little annoying pixie but she was quickly losing brownie points right now.

"Then why won't you look at me when you say that?" Alice asked me, dejected. I swear that girl could probably cry real tears if she tried hard enough.

"Agh!" I screamed again. I think I heard Esme ask someone what was going on before I opened my eyes. Ugh! The cuteness! It hurts! "I love you, Alice. But you can forget about whatever you are thinking because the wedding is in two weeks at that's final," I told her with as straight a face as I could muster. Think of gross things. Disgusting things. Like sewer slime. Yuck.

"How _much_ do you love me, Elizabeth?" Alice asked me, still turning on the adorable death ray of cuteness. It didn't help that I was a good head taller than her even when she had shoes on and I didn't. She was playing up the whole cute innocent sweet card like only Alice could.

I cringed. "Alice, please, I beg of you, no," I pleaded with her before collapsing back into the sofa, my head in my hands. I felt a familiar cool hand on my back and a wet nose on my hand. I guess Gabriel and Ginsie cam back in. I reached out to pet Miss Ginsie while looking up at Gabriel, begging him to help with my eyes.

"Please, please, please," Alice half whimpered, half whispered as she stood before me. Her lips were really trembling at the corners. It was beyond heart breaking; I felt like a starving child had asked for my biscuit out of my five course meal and I told her to get lost. "Please, Elizabeth, please – if you really truly love me…you'll let me do a double wedding," she told me. I looked at her, eyebrow raised. Alice kept her starving child in Africa expression as I turned to Edward –who was still chuckling a bit but no longer full out laughing- for an explanation.

"She wants for us to have our weddings on the same day," Edward explained.

I shot right back to Alice. "Hell no!" Emmett joined in the laughter then.

"Elizabeth! Language," Esme admonished me. I looked down but put my hand on top of Gabriel's for strength in defeating the pixie known as Alice.

"If you really, truly love me, Elizabeth," Alice whispered. Agh! I can't take the cuteness. I went through it all in my head. I knew Bella would not want to be married while she was still in High School so the whole 6/6/6 day would be out but there was no way in God's green Earth I was going to get married on any other day unless it was some time in December. I knew Bella would never go for that; she wanted to get married a good month, a least, before her birthday so she wouldn't be more than a year older than Edward for eternity.

Slowly, a plan formed in my mind. As it formed, my smile became broader and more evil. "Okay, Alice," I said and watched as her eyes glowed with happiness. "But," I stated clearly. Alice's head tilted in question and slowly formed a scowl as she saw my plan. Edward saw it in my head –and Alice's I guess- and started to laugh again. "You'll have to convince Bella to get married in December instead and you only have two weeks to do it in," I pointed out.

Alice scowled more, the whole adorable oppressing cuteness now pretty much gone. Not that Alice wasn't adorable every single day; just not oppressingly so. "I'll have better luck getting you to marry in August," Alice muttered. I grinned, knowing that was probably true. But, it was going to be 6/6/6 for me or some random Wednesday in December. Either way, it would not be August. Ugh.

Alice turned the cuteness on again and I slumped against the couch with a sigh. "No, Alice. You convince Bella for December or nothing," I told her with a sigh.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Gabriel asked. I shook my head. Edward chuckled while Alice just glared at him.

"I was told it was a female thing," Edward said lightly, doing a rather good impression of Alice at the end.

I watched as my fiancé's eyes met Alice's. Alice finally looked away from Gabriel and his cocked eyebrow with a sigh. "But it would be so much nicer to have two weddings at once! And since you two," Alice said, looking at myself and Edward –who was now about three feet away from Gabriel behind me-, "_are_ cousins, it would be perfect!" Edward and I both groaned. I slumped further down in my seat, petting my puppy, while Edward pinched his nose. Emmett just started laughing again.

"Alice, Elizabeth has made a good stipulation. If you can convince Bella –convince, not torture out of her- to agree to a December wedding, I will not argue," Edward muttered. Alice huffed but went back to Jasper's arms. I didn't hear what he whispered to her but they both went up towards their rooms. Turning in my seat on the sofa, I looked to see Edward, Gabriel, and Esme all behind me.

"She can't be serious, can she?" I asked in disbelief. Oh yes, I knew about the double or even triple weddings during the 19th century and earlier. Parents would marry off their children all at once to save money. It wasn't exactly like money was the issue here. Based on Alice's "cousins" point, I'm guessing it was more of a genealogical issue of having two family members married at once just for Alice's sense of well being. That, and I'm sure she'd have even more fun planning a wedding that both wedding parties can agree on.

"She is. And I believe she'd only want you and Bella to agree. It seems that neither Gabriel or myself will be allowed to have much of a say," Edward smiled. I groaned and slumped back into the sofa again.

"Two weeks, amata mia," Gabriel whispered as kneeled before me, squeezing my hand. "She will not be able to convince either of you of a change in dates in two weeks."

I sighed and just prayed he was right.

* * *

**Author's Note: **A bit short, sorry, but this was a semi fluffy chapter. I might make the next one the really fluffy one. This entire story was started by reading Twilight and having Foster's Home for Imaginary friend's playing in the background. In that vain, if you want to understand the really fluffy one, that may be coming up next, just go watch the episode "Mac Daddy" on youtube. You'll probably get the chapter without it but it's always more hilarious if you actually get the inside jokes.


	55. BII C xxviii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. Ginsie, the really awesome Ford Escape, and way too much fabric belong to me. See the difference?

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Reviews make me happy. :-) This chapter should be entitled: Why never to read Twilight and watch TV at the same time. This chapter is, honestly, the entire reason I started this story. The story got umm…a lot more serious as I thought it out by asking such relevant questions as "Okay, why would a fangirl and Edward be in the Cullen home together anyway? Why would they let her in? Why would Edward sit there and watch cartoons with her?" …this was all way back in uh…April, I think. Maybe earlier. Something like that, Anyways, the first part of it is very silly and the second part is actually relevant.

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 27

Blustery. That was the word used to describe today. The wind just would not stop and the gusts were almost enough to knock a person over. Well, a human person since mythological creatures just seemed to find everyone else rather amusing. I gave up going outside after my second attempt was met with the door snapping and slapping back in my face. Yes, Gabriel grabbed me and pulled me out of the way before I ended up with another bruise on my face –which was healing nicely-, laughing the entire time. He thought I was hilarious. As did Emmett…and Jasper. I think even my dear sweet _sister_ got a giggle out of my reaction. Blustery; it's not the word I would use and I'm just glad I've already been through a tornado.

"We do not get tornados in Forks, Elizabeth," Edward told me, amused, as he flipped through the channels. Vampire speed, of course. We were both sitting in the living room to watch TV. Gabriel was out…with Carlisle and Rosalie. He said he had to pick up something but I'm pretty sure that that something was either the wedding rings –which he was leaving as a secret- or car shopping. I just want my pretty Escape back. I have a need to go splashing through mud puddles and you just can't do that in a Bentley.

Edward chuckled at me. "No, I suppose that would be rather unseemly," he agreed. I nodded. Of course it would be! "However, rumor has it that Bentley is coming out with the Cross Continental. It has a 4x4 drive tran. Perfect for your needs," Edward continued as he flipped through the channels at lightening speed. I looked directly at my cousin.

_Gabriel better not be getting me that. In fact, NO ONE in this family better be replacing my- what was perfectly fine Escape- with anything other than a good, reliable truck._

I told him seriously with my thoughts. Edward grinned at me.

"Who is to say that it won't be?" Edward teased. I let out a slight frustrated scream. No vehicles that cost more than what my yearly salary use to be. All I want is something that I can pack up an will survive four wheeling across the Olympic Peninsula. Edward smirked but didn't reply.

"There doesn't appear to be much on," Edward commented after a minute or two. I think he had gone through the entire list of channels at least twice. First he checked what was on _now_ and then what would be on in two hours.

"Are there any decent cartoons on or something like that?" I asked not even bothering asking for the remote. Boys and their magic wands. Edward rolled his eyes at me but didn't surrender the magical device that can control the magic mirror.

"The plasma is hardly a magic mirror," Edward stated.

_And how many times has everyone caught Rosalie looking into a blank screen?_

I asked via my thoughts. Given Edward's grimace, I'm guessing a lot.

Sighing, Edward began to flip through the channels again. I guess it was just to show me what was on because he did go slower. "We are not watching SpongeBob again," Edward muttered. He had a thing against SpongeBob ever since Emmett decided that Squidward was based off Edward. I think the exact quote was "But they are both moody and end in ward!" There was much nose pinching.

"Something called Foster's Home for Imaginary…" Edward started, looking at the title a bit bewildered.

"Oh! That!," I exclaimed happily. I adored that cartoon. I was so upset when they pulled it in my time. And entire cartoon using only Flash? Epic!

Edward chuckled and shook his head at me before putting the cartoon on. "There are some days when I wonder exactly how old you really are," Edward told me.

_Some days I'm as old as my shoe size, sometimes I'm as old as my bra size. _

I thought with a shrug. Edward grimaced slightly at that. "Do you mind?" he muttered.

I simply smiled and turned to watch the show only to discover it was my favorite episode ever, Mac Daddy. Cheese! Cheese was in this one! _I like chocolate milk!_ I started to giggle, watching it with delight. Edward raised an eyebrow at me.

Only a split second after I thought the infamous phrase did Cheese say it on screen. Edward looked at me in a mixture of disbelief and amusement as I started to giggle a bit louder. I couldn't help it. I had been in Frankie's position many many times. Where you have a perfectly capable person asking you to do something that they could do themselves when you are clearly in the middle of something. In this case, Bloo wanted Frankie to get Cheese chocolate milk so he'd shut up….while Frankie is busy fixing the door to the bathroom under the stairs of the very large mansion. Hey, wait. Isn't there a half bath just like that near our staircase?

"Yes, but would this remind you of our home at all?" Edward asked. I started to smile.

_Let's see. First, I'm pretty sure you could call this the Cullen home for imaginary friends. I mean, who has ever heard of such fictional creatures as Vampires and Vampire huntresses all living under the same roof._

Edward smirked, giving me a hint of that crooked grin.

_And you have a human –perfectly normal, every day non-vampire/werewolf slaying human- that comes over pretty much every day._

I pointed out just as it got to the seen were Madame Foster makes the same arrangement for Cheese that Mac –the main character- has with Bloo; Mac must come over and see Bloo every day or else he goes on the adoption block. Given the brown hair, Mac does kind of remind me of Bella a bit. I mean, I can just see Esme trying to find another girl for Edward if Bella lost her marbles one day and decided to become a showgirl in Vegas.

Edward scoffed at that but had a smile on his face. "Yes, but clearly, there are two humans that live within the confines of Foster's Home," Edward pointed out. I shrugged.

"Yes, but I can just see Esme as Mrs. Foster," I replied allowed as I started to giggle again at the show. Cheese was just too funny.

Edward quirked an eyebrow at me. "So, if I am this strange little blue creature, Esme is Mrs. Foster, and Bella is Mac, then who is everyone else?" He asked. I grinned evilly.

_Oh, I'm definitely Frankie. Having to establish new treaties because werewolves and vampires won't play nice with each other._

"And you play nice with them, Elizabeth?" Edward said as he started to laugh. I crossed my arms.

_I play nice with Seth._

I pointed out. Of course Seth was hard not to be nice too.

"Precisely. Seth is nice and you want nothing more than to be nice to him," Edward stated in a slightly arrogant manner. I began to glare at him when he changed the subject. "So who is everyone else?" he asked me.

"Well, Cheese is Jacob," I stated easily. After all, it made sense. Cheese was connected to Mac/Bella but sort of not. And Bloo and Cheese –hehehe Blue Cheese!- didn't get along at all at first and Cheese seems to be annoy Bloo half on purpose, half without even trying.

Edward shook his head at me, a smile threatening on his lips. I smiled a bit before I continued on my who-is-who little discussion. It was hard to concentrate because it had gotten to the bunnies-no-hot-rod-flames argument between Cheese and Bloo on the screen and I can just so see Edward and Jacob getting into that argument and Bella declaring that they paint both. Edward quirked another eyebrow at me.

_And Mr. Herriman, the giant Harvey like bunny? Well, that's totally Carlisle._

I could tell Edward was having a very hard time trying not to laugh. The screen flicked to where Mac, Bloo, and Cheese all go to a suicide like hill to go down in their cart they made. Edward pointed at the screen. "Now you see, it would be Bella screaming if she were involved in any such endeavourer. I doubt the dog would even be conscious of the speed down the hill," he stated.

_Oh yes, because cliff diving, motorcycle riding Bella is really terrified of such things._

I threw right back at him. Edward frowned.

"Then explain the rollercoaster," Edward more asked then stated.

I shrugged. "Easy, she wasn't able to build up her emotional level –herself- to prepare for the ride. Besides, going up and down multiple times is a bit different on a human stomach than simply going down hill once," I stated. Edward at least looked to consider this before turning his attention to the cartoon. I kept giggling, now replacing all the characters in my head with people I know. It really just made it that much funnier.

Wilt became Jasper. After all, they were both rather on the outside but nice and both had visible scares due to life before they came to live with everyone else. Eduardo was not Edward. He was definitely Emmett. They were both big, loveable, and just seemed to match perfectly. Not that I could ever see Emmett really being afraid of Jacob/Cheese but oh well. Alice is Coco. There is no doubt about that. The personalities just fit. As for Rosalie, I think Duchess would probably work…although I don't think she's in this particular episode.

"And Gabriel?" Edward asked, now full on laughing at me. I was watching the TV but the characters on the screen were all replaced with my friends and family.

I shrugged. I couldn't really see Gabriel as any of the reoccurring characters. Maybe he's one of the ones that Cheese runs into at the end.

By the time the rest of the family came into the living room, Cheese/Jacob was at the "I like cereal!" argument with Eduardo/Emmett who happens to like potatoes. I was curled up in a ball, on the sofa, giggling madly because Edward was NOT helping with my over active imagination when he started to repeat some of Bloo's lines…in Bloo's voice. Of course, I guess I wasn't helping him either because he was giving into to nearly full belly laughs at this point.

Esme looked between the two of us, looked at the TV, opened her mouth to say something but, instead, shrugged her delicate shoulders and probably decided that since the two of us were just laughing, to leave it alone. Alice, on the other hand, had other ideas. She'd sat in front of me, looked at me quizzingly –which only made me laugh harder because I kept picturing her as Coco in my mind- and then turned to Edward when he started laughing even harder.

Jasper threw himself into a chair, highly amused by both myself and Edward based on his expression. Even when the episode was over, it took me a while to stop giggling. Bella had come over by that point, and sat down near Edward. He kissed her cheek and slung an arm around her, trying not to laugh too much. She had just gotten back from work at Newton's and come over in that noisy old jalopy that was her truck.

Alice tried to get us to tell her what had been so amusing about that cartoon, but neither of us caved. Well, not really. I got up to leave and go see if Gabriel forgot to clean out the cache in the hopes of figuring out what he was up to –I figured he must have looked online first- when Edward just had to say "Good luck, Frankie."

I half heartedly glared at my cousin. "Shut up, Bloo," I stated before going towards my little basement apartment, a smile on my face. I could hear the others start to snicker as they figured out, presumably, what Edward and I were laughing so hard about.

It was maybe an hour later when I heard someone knock on the basement door. I was curious as to who it could be since my vampires tend not to knock –they just come down. Not that I cared, but the knocking on the door was odd. I got up from the computer –which I didn't get much info out of, unfortunately- and looked up the stairs curiously. "Come in!" I shouted a bit louder than probably was necessary but I'm not sure who would knock.

The door crept open and I saw Bella, with Edward, at the top of the stairs. Carefully, Edward led her down the staircase, holding her arm almost like she was a child. I guess when you are as clumsy as Bella, it was a necessity. Once she got down the staircase, Bella looked around. The apartment was very different than the white-on-white color scheme from upstairs. Down here, everything had a rather bright color palette. I hated white and, thank goodness, Esme got that.

"Hey, y'all. What's up?" I asked. I was curious as to why they would come down here. Not that I minded in the least –I adored my cousin and Bella- but Bella hadn't bothered to come down before and Edward never bothered to knock.

Smiling, Edward looked to me and then to Bella. Bella looked down and was turning slightly red. Okay… I couldn't fathom what would get that kind of reaction out of her. Turning back to me, Edward said, "Bella wishes to go to the reservation." I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms while I looked at the top of Bella's head since she had taken up an interest in her feet, or, at least, she was looking at them.

Edward chuckled, which Bella shot him a look for and gave a slight "humph". He shook his head slightly as Bella turned to me for a split second before looking at her feet again. "I do not wish for her to go alone, despite every reassurance that I have. Considering that I am still not allowed on to the reservation lands, even under the new treaty, I was hoping that you would go with Bella," he told me gently.

"I don't need a babysitter," Bella muttered.

I looked at her. Did she forget every little thing in the books? Did she not read all my notes in them pointing out what a jackass Jacob really is? I know some part of him was still her friend and it's hard to give up on friendships even when your friends change into people you just don't recognize anymore but she really wanted to go out there? Was it just to tell him of the engagement and maybe about Renesmee? I saw Edward nod once out of the corner of my eye. Oh.

"You do too need a chaperon, Bella," I told her before completely caving into the idea. I'd go. I'd watch out over Bella and make sure the idiotic furball behaved. Sighing, I threw up my arms and turned to look for my sword. "Fine…just let me get my sword," I muttered before feeling the sheath for it in my hands and a cool arm around me.

"Thank you," Edward whispered to me as he gave me a hug. I nodded and gave my cousin a kiss on the cheek before turning back to Bella.

Conjuring up the sternest look I could, I told her, "You will listen to me when we are there. I want you to keep in mind everything I've already written to you in the books. If for one second I think that the werewolves are getting out of control, we are coming home. Is that understood?"

Bella paled slightly and then narrowed her eyes at me. I kept my own look up, arms crossed, sword through the belt loops now. "I'm a legal adult now. I don't need a babysitter. I've been to the reservation a ton of times and nothing ever happened!" Bella almost shouted at me. My look never wavered. Poor Edward looked like he didn't know which side to take. He knew I was right but he hated to see his mate upset.

I kept my voice low but very controlled. I was the oldest of four children and I knew exactly how to get someone Bella's age to behave. "Nothing? Shall I start with the things that have already occurred like Emily or Paul or should I go into the things that have yet to occur like Jacob almost changing with you right next to him? You are incapable of seeing risk, Bella. Do you really want to be unprotected when you have to tell Jacob about the engagement?" I asked her.

Bella flinched. I knew I had struck a nerve and I just waited for it to settle in for a moment before I spoke again. Gently, I put a hand on her shoulder. "Bella, I promise I won't get in the way but I also don't want to have to deal with Edward if you got hurt on the reservation," I teased lightly at the end. Edward growled, lightly at me and Bella sent him a quick look before taking up an interest in her feet again.

"It's just that," Bella started, frustration clear in her voice. I squeezed her shoulder before I interrupted her.

"I know, hon. And I honestly don't like the idea of playing chaperon either but it is what is best given the cards we've all been dealt," I told her.

Bella sighed and then grumpily muttered, "Fine. Let's go." I gave Edward another quick hug before following Bella up the stairs. Ginsie, who had been resting by my feet the during the entire exchanged, followed all of us up and to the door.

I grimaced when I got to the porch and realized we'd have to take Bella's jalopy. If it actually did more than go forward and had a decent engine, I wouldn't be too terrified of it but the thing was louder than a parade of Elephants during the fourth of July. And I'm pretty sure Jacob installed the seatbelts himself. They weren't mandatory in cars until sometime in the 60's, I think.

Edward kissed Bella, holding her face delicately before he spoke to her. "Be safe," he whispered to her before gently letting her go. As Bella passed me by, I turned to Edward, smiled when I saw how worried he was and thought only one thing to him.

_I'll watch her. We'll be home soon._

Edward nodded, his face nearly unreadable as I followed Bella to the truck. I managed to climb into the passenger side and could smell the odd mix of fading cigarettes, rust, old leather, and what I think was supposed to be peppermint. The truck just smelled old.

I looked down at the floor and then to Bella. "If I put my feet down, the floor won't give out, will it?" I asked, half seriously. I remembered Hugo's rust bucket that I got in once in High School and never again. I literally saw the road beneath my feet as we went to school.

Bella leered at me before starting up the truck. "It's not like Hugo's car, Elizabeth. This thing has plenty of life left in it," she told me.

Incredulously, I looked at her. "I don't think venom works on trucks, Bella." I swore, as we turned on to the driveway, that I saw Edward laughing from the front porch. Thusly, we headed to La Push. Oh joy. I really should have brought my lighter and a can of hairspray instead but then again, burnt dog hair smells awful.

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**Author's Note:** So, I saw Inglorious Bastards. Wonderful film. Very typical Quentin Tarantino movie: bright primary colors, lots of blood, awesome story that has a moral to it. I also am now the proud owner of the entire first season of True Blood…and a matching mug. My Dad got it somehow and figured daughter just might like that kinda thing. Maybe it's the "I love vampires" lanyard. ;-)

Short chapter, again. I'm sorry. I think the next one will be a lot longer. I hope.


	56. BII C xxix

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own ummm…a really screwy computer right now. Computer, I swear, my camera is not a mouse. Really!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** hehehe…okay, got the silliness –mostly- out of my system. Thank you for the reviews! I don't think there will be many more chapters until I start book 3 of this little saga. I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be but I'm thinking four or five? Not sure…

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 29

La Push. I hadn't ever been down to First Beach or the tidal pools. The furthest I had been into the forbidden territory –forbidden to my family at least- was Billy Black's home. And there I was going, again. I really hope this wasn't becoming a pattern.

Bella's truck was agonizingly slow. I think she was going slow on purpose. Maybe if I painted it green, got a cab for the back to make it look like a turtle shell, well, it would at least serve as a warning to everyone else on the road. Good thing this truck won't make it until the end of June. I don't think _I_ could take it. …I want my truck back.

We pulled up to the house that I recognized as the Black's. I saw Jacob already out on the front porch, looking rather shocked. I turned to Bella and she looked like she was starting to hyperventilate while looking at her knees. "Breathe, just breathe," she whispered to herself. "You can do this," she continued. Gently, I placed on hand on her shoulder and used my other hand to turn the truck off.

"Bella, sweetheart, if you're planning what I think you might be planning, it might be easier to do this some place more neutral, with Edward around," I told her. I could bet that she was planning on telling Jacob right now about the engagement and I doubt that would be a good thing.

She shook her head. "No, I don't want it to get to a fight. I need to do this on my own. For him. For both of them," Bella begged of me with her eyes. I watched her for a moment, looking for any signs of wavering, before I nodded once and climbed out of the truck. Bella, being Bella, more fell than climbed out. Jacob and I both chuckled.

"Bella?" he called to her. Somehow, she managed to plaster a smile on her face.

"Hey, Jake!" she said to him. When I looked over, that's when I noticed the thick set of papers she had in a plastic bag on her arm. Now, I was getting worried. What was on those papers that she'd bring them here? It's not like she'd bring homework over…

"Bella!" he grinned as he ran over to her and hugged her tight, swinging her in a circle. "I can't believe it!" he said looking over at me curiously. I smiled at him.

"You don't think Edward would let Bella come unaccompanied on to scary enemy territories do you?" I asked him lightly.

Jacob's eyes narrowed at me, his big arm slung around Bella's shoulders. "He's making you have a babysitter?" Jacob almost growled as he spoke to Bella. I rolled my eyes.

"It was either Elizabeth or I didn't get to see you at all," Bella muttered. I felt slightly bad for Bella but was also a bit upset with her. I didn't _want_ to be the third wheel but I also knew that Bella was going to need a lot of protection if she's going to tell Jacob and Bill about the engagement. I found out they already told Charlie. I rather liked that story.

The decided to go about it just as it had been in the books. When it got to the point that Charlie said she had to tell Renee –laughing, of course- Bella mentioned she already did. Charlie, according to Edward, turned paler and paler, rather than redder and redder. He ran to the phone and dialed up Renee only to hear her squeal with delight. "Oh! They told you, didn't they? I hope so! Oh! This will be so much fun. I've got to get Edward's mother's number because I think Bella said something about her making the arrangements…." Was the beginning of Renee's little speech.

Then Charlie got upset because he was the last to know. Edward apologized profusely but also added that his family only knew because he had gone to buy the ring with his father. And Renee knew only because he had proposed while they were in Florida. After that, it went by the book, literally. But still, I wish I could have been there to see it all.

Thinking on that, I heard my name again. "Because Edward thinks anyone that has already killed two vampires and three werewolves will be a good enough babysitter for me," Bella muttered. I smiled.

"Two werewolves. I only caused the third one to be down for an hour or so and go mental before Felix and Demetri caught him," I pointed out as I walked towards Billy. Billy eyed me questioningly, making me feel even more unwelcome. Really, I was just doing my job.

"Okay, two," Bella sighed.

"Two werewolves? I thought you only killed one," Jacob said in disbelief.

I shrugged and looked at Billy's questioning look. "It was another attack. Two of the other kind of werewolves," I said with a sigh before pointing to the now mostly yellow and green bruise on my face and then rolling up the shirt sleeve on my right arm. The arm was still bandaged but you could see some of the bruise bleeding out from beneath the currently pink and lime green wrap. Carlisle would re-wrap it every couple of days. He'd bring home interesting colors since I didn't like the normal tan ones.

"And you killed them both?" Billy asked, eyebrow raised.

"Tried to," I answered a bit sheepishly.

Billy's face broke into a grin. "Your count is getting better than the pack's!" he teased before wheeling himself back inside, motioning for the rest of us to come into the house as well. I gave him a half smile before following.

Wheeling himself towards the fridge, Billy looked inside. "Beer?" he asked me. I shook my head.

"No, thanks. I'm not one for beer. Too bitter," I mentioned as I watched both Bella and Jacob begin to practically bounce into the living room. They were acting like regular teenagers. I shook my head slightly at the entire scene.

"Got some Mike's here too if that's floats your boat," Billy told me. I turned to face him.

"Mike's?" I asked. I rather liked the lime and lemon stuff.

Billy didn't say anything. He just brought over the familiar bottle of Mike's hard lemon and handed it to me. "Thanks," I said as I took it from him.

Billy nodded and did the familiar male "grunt" that I think meant you're welcome while he watched the kids. He smiled before he turned back to me and motioned for me to take a chair. "They really thought it necessary for you to play bodyguard?" Billy asked, amused.

I shrugged. "If Jacob came over there and wasn't a giant walking throw rug, wouldn't you want Sam or someone else to go with him?" I asked before taking a sip.

"Your bloodsuckers are over protective of her," Billy said just as Bella tripped and nearly landed on the coffee table. "Guess I can see why," he muttered as Jacob caught Bella and helped her to the couch to watch whatever was on.

"She needs twenty four seven supervision," I said with a hint of a smile. It disappeared the second I thought of that other event that had been going on. The one I was trying to forget about. "Especially with Victoria still out there," I told him.

"Heard we both almost got her this weekend," Billy stated, a hint of anger in his voice. I nodded. I heard what had happened.

Yes, both groups worked together and they both saw the flaming red-haired villain but Victoria had dodged out of the way each time. If the wolves gained on her, She'd jump into the trees and jump from branch to branch as easily as if she were running on the ground. If the vampires gained on her, she'd head back over to the wolves line. Sam let the Cullens cross to try and catch her but it was too late. Victoria had made it to the coast and swam. Jasper and Emmett lost her on the other side and figured she had a car waiting.

"It's her ability to escape or avoid capture. Neither side wants her around but neither side can fight in an unknown terrain in the city either," I said quietly before I looked up at him with a hint of a smile again. "Besides, a pack of wolves hanging out in Seattle might just get a bit too much attention."

Billy chuckled at that. "No, probably isn't the best to go after her there but waiting for her here while she's causing all that chaos," he muttered.

"What choices do any of us have? The number one rule for either of our respective families is no exposure," I told him. Billy sighed. I could tell he was about to say something else when Bella came up behind me.

"We're heading down to the beach," she said, nearly bouncing in place.

I smiled a bit as I got up. So I'd get to see the beach. Jacob, I noticed, was frowning. "Aw, come on, Elizabeth. You don't have to take the leech that seriously," he grumbled. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yes I do," I said, taping the side of my head. "_Edward_ will know if I was with Bella at all times or not. And I don't want her falling into the ocean or breaking a leg without me right there to see with my own eyes," I informed him.

Bella huffed and muttered about overprotective vampires and their cousins. Jacob looked at her and then me. "Good point," he said to which Bella's jaw dropped a bit. She cross her arms and shot a glare at both of us. I could hear Billy chuckling behind me.

"You ever been to First Beach, Elizabeth?" Billy asked. I shook my head. "Jacob," he stated, looking at his son. "Why don't you show her a couple of the tidal pools while you are down there," Billy continued.

Jacob sighed and then looked at me. "Fine," he muttered. Before turning towards the door, Bella following.

"Jeez, thanks guys," I muttered before following them out. Bella looked at me.

"It's not you Elizabeth. I do like having you around. It's the fact Edward wouldn't let me go without someone he thought could protect me –the fact that he doesn't even think my Dad can watch over me- that bugs me," Bella grumbled before looking up at me…and tripping. I caught her this time while Jacob grinned.

"Sorry, Elizabeth," Bella whispered. I kissed her forehead to let her know all was forgiven. Edward could be overbearing when he wanted to.

First Beach was interesting. I don't see how anyone could call a shore line that was more stones than sand a beach. I mean, there was sand but I couldn't see how comfortable this would be to walk around in barefeet like Jacob was. The pebbles were just too many. They pretty though and I thought about taking some back to use in Esme's flower vases.

"Hey, Bella?" I asked her. Bella and Jacob had been talking. I wasn't sure about what, exactly, I was too enticed by the smell of sea salt. I needed the ocean like most people needed the sun. I had been born near water and almost always lived near the ocean thanks to Dad being in the Navy. To be too far inland –landlocked- would drive me crazy probably. Even in Northern Mississippi, my house was just a couple minutes drive from a big old lake. It was only a few hours drive down to the gulf; an easy enough day trip. I needed the ocean.

"Yeah?" she asked, curious.

"You got any extra bags on you by any chance?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"No, why?" Bella replied curiously.

I shrugged. "Just thought Esme might like some of the stones for her flower vases," I told her, looking up. "You know how she is."

"Oh yeah, she's starting that natural theme in the dining room, right?" Bella asked. I nodded.

"The vampires have themes in their rooms? Is one of them the dungeon?" Jacob asked incredulously.

"No, that's my room. I live in the basement. I wanted to get a coffin bookcase but Esme seemed to be against that," I said as I walked past them. I turned, slightly, to look at Bella. "Although, since Edward broke my faint couch, I might be able to play the pity card and get her to buy me one," I said half thoughtfully, half trying to indicate to Bella she might want to bring up the engagement soon.

Jacob was just looking at me with his jaw slightly dropped. Bella grumbled but didn't say anything more before I headed to look for only the prettiest stones. I wouldn't be able to bring back a lot but I could fill my pockets up pretty well.

"So what's the story, anyway?" I heard Jacob ask Bella. I also heard a snap and looked to the ocean were a piece of something had flown into thanks to the care of Jacob's foot. "I mean, since the last time we…well, before, you know…" he stuttered almost. I kept a small smile on my face. I think I remembered this scene. Hopefully, Bella did too. I kept my eyes on the ocean, enjoying the sea spray even if it was cold.

"What I'm asking is...everything just back to the way it was before _he_ left? You forgave him for all that?" Jacob asked her after he took a deep breath.

Bella was quite for a moment. "There was nothing to forgive," she stated. Unfortunately, it sounded too much like a line. I grimaced a bit but kept walking, about twenty feet away. Enough so that I could hear them but far enough away they wouldn't recognize I was eavesdropping.

"I wish Sam had taken a picture when he found you, that night last September. It would be exhibit A," Jacob started, a hint of anger in his voice. I controlled myself from reaching for my sword and, instead, decided to pick up some more pretty looking stones.

"Nobody's on trial, Jacob," Bella started, a bit angrily herself. "Even you wouldn't blame him for leaving if you knew the reason why," she told him.

"Okay," Jacob said after a minute, acid in his tone. "Amaze me."

Bella, I saw out of the corner of my eye, began to walk away from him, her head hung down in thought. "Edward left me last fall because he didn't think I should be hanging out with vampires. He thought it would be healthier for me if he left," Bella told him carefully. I wanted to go over and hug her when I saw the look on her face for one second. I managed to compose myself and pretend to be in my own little world. I was here because Edward was back and he loved her.

I didn't hear the first part of Jacob's response but I did hear the "Too bad he can't stick to a decision," part.

"If you remember, _I_ went and got _him_," Bella told Jacob angrily.

"I guess that's true," Jacob stated. "I never did get the story. What happened?" he asked, curiously. Knowing this part, I sort of ignored them for a few minutes. Bella went through it a bit more quickly since, I guess, even she remembered what was already written in the books.

I only came back over, a bit, when I heard Bella say, "Now you know that part of the story, at least." Jacob was looking thoughtful and I guess Bella thought so too because the enxt words out of her mouth were "What are you thinking about?"

Jacob shrugged a bit. "I'm thinking about what you told me. About that fortune-teller. I mean, how do the vampires know so much about us, about what will happen, if she can't see us?" he asked. Damn, of all the time for Jacob to get a brain.

Bella looked to me and Jacob followed her line of sight. "Buffy?" he asked, incredulously. I immediately tensed at the nickname he had given me and felt my hand reaching for my sword.

"_Elizabeth_ has…a lot of information," Bella told him. I watched as she reached into her coat, pulling out the stack of papers she had in the truck. Oh no. Is that what I think it is? It was hard to tell from where I was, but I think it was a photocopy of a part of the books. It didn't take much to guess which part if Bella was handing it over to him.

Jacob looked at her, cluelessly, as he took the photocopies from her. "Being apart from Edward, it didn't work out well for either of us," Bella whispered as she let her arms fall limp at her side.

"Did you know Sam is mad at you?" Jacob asked her, a bit angry. Bella nodded.

"He has no right to be. You can tell Sam to go right to," Bella started, anger building in her tone.

Jacob interrupted her, "What is this anyway?" He held up the massive amount of paper as evidence.

All the anger left her features. I bit my lip, not sure whether I should go over and help or not yet. "I wasn't sure how to tell you, how to explain it to you," Bella said softly. "I think I get now why Elizabeth just gave me all of the books and ran," she continued, casting a sideways glance at me. I took a step forward but Bella shook her head. Rather than staying where I was, I went back to looking at the ocean, walking along the waves, and picking up pretty rocks to add to Esme's flower vase collections.

"Books?" Jacob asked, confused.

It was quiet for a moment but I refused to look over. "I didn't want to do it this way but I'm not sure how," Bella almost whispered. The sound of her voice was heart breaking.

"Bells? What's the matter? What is all this?" Jacob asked, alarmed.

"I'm…this summer, Edward and I…we're…," Bella stuttered. I've really got to help that girl get over the whole fear of saying the word "married" and all associated matrimony words.

The only thing that caught my eye was Jacob beginning to shake. I didn't even think. I ran over, stood in front of Bella and pushed her back gently, my sword drawn. I glared down the werewolf before I started to speak to him. "Calm down right now, Jacob if you want to continue runnin' on four legs and not three," I told him.

When he opened his eyes, he was furious. He quickly looked at Bella, who was safely behind me. "He's going to change you into a filthy bloodsucker in the summer!" Jacob screeched, teeth clenched. I shot him another glared which seemed to make him calm a bit more. It might have just been the sword now that he saw it too.

"Of course, Jake," Bella whispered. "He's seventeen forever and I…well, we are going to get…_married_ first but then," she managed to spit out. Jacob let out what could best be described as a howl at that and dropped the pages to the book with a thud onto the sand and pebbles.

"Married! You can't become one of them! It's against the treaty unless I phase in front of your Dad first! Do you really think Charlie will want you to be around them when he knows something is _wrong_ with that _entire_ family?" Jacob yelled at her. He looked at me at the last part. Well, at the wolves get that I'm part of the Cullen Clan now…no matter how weird that sounds in my head. I could hear Bella behind me move slightly.

"You don't think Charlie will think there is something wrong with you too after you do that?" Bella told him bleakly before looking at me. Her eyes were both angry and sad. I hugged her with one arm, still holding my sword out towards Jacob. The two of us started to walk away when Jacob went to grab her.

Actually, I'm not sure if he was grabbing Bella or he was trying to stop me. I'm not even sure if Jacob knows what he was doing. What I do know is that I used the sharp side of my sword to deflect his arm from getting anywhere near Bella. Jacob hissed and held his arm right above where I sliced it. The wound was deep but it didn't slice through.

"What did you do that for? I wasn't going to hurt her!" Jacob said defensively. I sighed and looked to Bella and then to a nearby fallen tree.

"Sit down, Bella, and try not to breathe until you are far enough away. Okay, hon?" I told her. Bella nodded and half ran, half tripped over to the whitened bark of the old dead tree. I turned back to Jacob, who was glaring at me. "Go wash it out with the ocean water. It will help it to heal even quicker," I muttered to him as I looked at all the spilled blood on the sand and pebbles. I took out a Kleenex to clean off my sword. I'd have to clean it more when I got home, darn it.

Jacob grumbled but did as I asked. I kicked the sand around, burying the blood beneath the pebbles and earth. "You didn't have to do that," he grumbled again when he came back. I put my sword in it's sheath and yanked on his arm.

"Let me see," I told him. He rolled his eyes but let me check his arm. All that was there was a large pink scar that looked like it was from a surgeons scalpel. Sighing, I put his arm back down. "Do not grab. Ask first, cave boy," I told him.

"Whatever, Buffy," he grumbled. This time, I didn't bother taking the sword out of the sheath. I just hit him over the head with the sword –and the sheath still around it- hard. "Ow!" he shouted before glaring down at me. "What was that for?"

"Call me that one more time you overgrown flea bag and I swear to God we'll all get a chance to see if werewolf heads can be re-attached, understand?" I asked him, angrily.

Jacob gave a mocking salute. "Yes, ma'am," he grinned. He looked beyond me and must have seen Bella again because his face fell. I could feel Bella coming up behind me and I put an arm back to keep her from walking any closer. She ignored my unspoken warning and came around me, standing near Jacob, tears in her eyes.

"Please, Jacob, don't be like this," Bella pleaded with him. I watched as he stiffened and I went to draw my sword again, just in case.

"Like what, Bella? Should I just step aside, show off the fur coat to your father, and then act like it's totally cool that you are _marrying_ a murdering bloodsucking leech?" he said, his voice raised. I continued to watch him carefully, ready to strike if I thought for one second he'd hurt Bella. Thank goodness, she let me pull her away from him.

"They aren't like that. You don't know them," Bella began to cry.

"And I don't want to," he started. I shot him another warning glare as he took a step towards us, my sword drawn and the sheath back, safely, in my belt loop.

"I love him, Jake. What else can I do?" Bella whispered next to me. I hugged her close with one arm.

"Anything! Anything else. You'd be better off dead. I'd rather you were."

I hissed at him, covering one of Bella's ears as I realized what he was going to say. Quickly, I started to walk her towards the truck. Looking back before we headed to the trail, I saw Jacob switch into his wolf form…carrying a bunch of papers in his mouth. Hopefully the overstuffed furry will actually read it. It might help.

At the truck, Bella was sobbing. Carefully, I tucked her into the passenger seat and started to drive her back to home. I drove as quickly as the old truck would let me, praying that the wind speed might just help give the truck a bit more umph. Between her tears, Bella was trying to apologize to _me. _ I kept telling her not to worry and brushed her hair back.

Edward didn't even bother waiting at the house. He slipped into the truck, silently and cradled Bella in his arms before we made it even back into Forks. At the house, I left them both in the cabin of the rusty thing and went straight to the front door, where Gabriel was waiting for me with Ginsie. I didn't even think. I just hugged him with all my might. I hated seeing other people hurt and seeing Bella hurt –for real, not just reading about it- drained me.

"You're home, cara mia," Gabriel whispered. I nodded, hugging him as tightly as I could. I was home, finally home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, a bit sad. Again, liberally taken from Eclipse in parts. Hoped y'all liked it! Now, to go make a birthday cake. Happy Birthday, Mom! Also, for anyone under 30 reading this and is also an author, check out the Young Writer's Society. (I promised to plug it so if you see Nate over there, who owns the website, tell him his favorite sister sent you)


	57. BII C xxx

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own ummm…a really screwy computer right now. Computer, I swear, my camera is not a mouse. Really!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** So, I'm going to continue following the book a bit because it won't be until the Victoria battle and then Breaking Dawn where things will really get screwed up. Elizabeth's influence over Eclipse is more witnessing that anything else for now. It will change up relatively soon though and then I get to have fun with Breaking Dawn. Squee!!!

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 30

It had been 3 days since I grounded Gabriel. Well, really, 2 days, 12 hours, and 37 minutes since very late Sunday night, early Monday morning when I grounded him. And yes, he was already off the hook. Stupid dazzling sparklepires.

I had sat down on the couch next to him in our living room in the basement when a commercial about rings came on. It was one of those typical "the diamond solitaire" type commercials that the jewelry companies have been spewing since the mid 20th century. The whole diamond engagement ring thing was an advertising campaign to get people to buy more diamonds. I'm still rather glad that Gabriel went with the more traditional pearl necklace. Well, traditional if you are a 500+ year old vampire. The pearl necklace just fit me more. Besides, I already had my grandmother's engagement ring.

For my 16th birthday, my Grandmother –my Mom's mom- left me her engagement ring. It was a gold band with four silver cherry blossoms and a single diamond in the center. It wasn't a big diamond, but it fit my finger well. I loved it partly because it had been Grandma's and partly because it was my birthstone. I didn't want another diamond.

Gabriel began to watch the commercial with intense interest which I found amusing slightly. We had discussed wedding rings. I told him I wasn't too terribly picky just nothing too big or too ostentatious. I wanted something on my finger that I could lift while I was still human and wouldn't scream "money" when I went out years from now in public with only jeans and t-shirt. I knew he had been pondering it and trying to get Edward to pluck ideas out of my head. In all honesty, the only ring I've ever really liked was the claddagh but that was Irish and just didn't fit my vampire.

"There must be some preference you have," he told me, slightly frustrated as the show we had been watching came back on.

I sighed and leaned against him, my head on his shoulder as I curled up on the couch. "Something old looking," I told him, truthfully. "None of this post modern clunky stuff," I grumbled. Some of the rings styles I had seen on one of my internet searches were just plain ugly. I thought they were guys rings and were horribly dismayed to find out they were for girls.

"That does not narrow down the choices much, amata mia," he muttered, wrapping an arm tight around me. I had noticed that he had stopped calling me _cucciola mia_ ever since our fight. I sort of missed it but I didn't want to bring it up either.

I turned my head to him. "I'm happy with a simple band, Gabriel. I don't need a specific design," I stated. His eyes locked with mine for a moment and it took everything in me to look away. I hadn't kissed him in so long at that point that it was getting almost too hard to resist.

Unnecessarily, he cleared his throat before squeezing me closer to him. "A plain band does not belong upon your finger, cara mia," he said quietly. Slowly, I looked up at him; determined not to kiss him.

"What rings have you been considering?" I asked, curious. I was trying to remember if there were any special types of rings in Italy that would have been given but I couldn't think of any. I hadn't ever really researched beyond the dowries and betrothal rights because there hadn't been a need. I was more curious about what the brides wore, what their dresses looked like, than I was about what was on their fingers.

"Many," Gabriel said slowly as he smiled. I rolled my eyes and huffed as I turned back to the TV screen. Placing a finger beneath my chin, Gabriel made me look up at him again after a minute.

"But none have been beautiful enough to be placed upon your hand," he said gently holding my hand in his as he looked into my eyes again. This time, I couldn't help it. I knew he was dazzling me but who cared? He was my fiancé, right? So, I reached up and kissed him, totally forgetting the whole grounded thing. That had been Wednesday. Today was Thursday and I was not pleased.

I wasn't pleased for many reasons. The first, and foremost, of which was that the boys were all gone on a hunting trip today. The second, and the slightly more annoying, was that someone –and I still wasn't sure if it was Edward or Bella- let it slip about a certain slumber party going on while the boys went hunting in the book around this time in which another certain vampire –probably Riley- bought out the Bella's fragrance shopping mall. Alice was thrilled. The third was that the boys weren't going far; just far enough away to get a quick bite and then coming back to stay downwind of Charlie's and watch for Riley. Knowing that Gabriel was only a couple of miles away but I wouldn't get to see him irked me to no end.

"But it will be fun!" Alice said and she held my hand and twirled around in the living room. I had just called up Billy to let him know about Riley. He promised he'd pass the information on to the pack. There was an odd edge to his voice that I didn't quite understand until I remembered the papers Bella gave Jacob. I just prayed that Billy hadn't gotten a hold of them -without Jacob's permission, at least.

I half smiled and half sighed at the same time. "Alice, the last slumber party I went to, I think the X-files was still on the TV on Friday nights," I informed her, remembering High School. Well, maybe I had a few slumber parties after High School. I think Kit, Laura, and I had a slumber party or three after College.

"So? You don't want to hide down in the basement the entire time when the rest of us will be up here, do you?" Alice asked me skeptically. I collapsed like a pile of bones on to the sofa in the living room, Alice watching me from a cushion over.

"No, but," I started when Alice interrupted me with a squeal. She bounced up and down on the sofa and gave me a big hug.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed.

"Alice, there are conditions," I told her, eyeing the pixie carefully as she bounced back to her cushion.

"Oh, I know. No toenail painting and you get a final vote on all the chick flicks," she told me. Yeap, that was pretty much it. I had a thing about other people touching my feet. I tried to get a pedicure once but my feet were just too ticklish! That and…feet were just gross. As for the movies, I love While You Were Sleeping but I never want to see Sleepless in Seattle ever again. Or You Got Mail. Or really any chick flick that guys are known to complain about. My movie tastes are more in line with most boys –typically- probably because I had brothers growing up. If I had sisters, I'm sure that my tastes would be a bit different. At least I had Esme now…

"Good," I told her, nodding in approval. Alice left to go pick up Bella a few minutes later. Judging by the clock, Bella would be getting off of work in about twenty minutes or so.

It wasn't even a half hour later that Alice showed up, Bella in tow. Bella looked just as uncertain and wary of this whole slumber party thing as I felt. I smiled at her slightly and patted the cushion next to me. Quickly, Bella came over, only tripping once, and sat down next to me. Wrapping an arm around her, teasingly, I whispered, "Don't worry, I'll protect you from the Alice monster."

Bella grinned and let out a small chuckle as Alice huffed. "You two are supposed to be having fun," Alice said, her eyes narrowing and arms crossed. Holding Bella behind me but picking up the remote and waving it like a sword, I shouted, "Back evil Pixie! Away with your glittery nail paints and movies of doom!" Bella was full on giggling behind me now while I grinned at Alice.

Alice looked like she wasn't sure whether to be mad at me or what. After a couple seconds of deliberation –and probably some future reading help- she broke out into that heart-wrenching sad face, complete with the trembling lips, as she slowly approached both of us. "Don't you both want to spend time with me?" Alice whispered. Agh! She was just too cute.

I looked away since the scene before me was too adorably sad to possibly look at. The whole sad puppy dog looking out the window pictures? Alice could teach them a thing or two. "Agh! Alice! That's not fair," I told her.

"Aww, Alice," Bella started. "Elizabeth was only joking," she continued.

I couldn't look. I wouldn't look. The entire scene was much too tragic. "But why do you both act like you don't want to play with me?" Alice said. Even though every fiber of my being knew she couldn't cry, I could totally picture the tears streaming down that petite face and it broke my heart…so I buried my face in the sofa's arm.

"It's not that I don't want to spend time with _you_, Alice," Bella started. I felt a cool hand brush back my hair. Looking up, I saw my sister. Esme looked down at me confused, but smiling. I pointed behind me to Alice.

"She's using the death ray of cuteness again. It's too horrible to look," I explained. Esme looked over to where Alice was, still confused.

"Death ray of cuteness?" Esme reiterated, her thin eyebrows pulling together in thought.

"I'm not being that bad," Alice said, back to her normal tone. I realized it was safe to sit up and look at her without fear or her tugging at my emotional strings much.

"Yes, you are," Bella and I said at the same time. Alice scowled at us as Esme pushed my knees slightly so she could sit down next to me.

"Now, girls, behave," Esme said in her motherly tone. "Rosalie?" she called out without raising her voice much. A split second later, Rose entered. Of course, since she came in at vampire speed, she woke Ginsie up who had been lying by the front door, waiting for the boys to come home. Ginse, promptly, growled at her. It didn't help any that Rose looked at the dog, eyebrow raised.

"Ginsie, stop it," I grumbled, slinking back into the couch. Of course, since I called her, the pup came right over and began to wag her tail at my feet. I patted my lap as Alice began to discuss movie options, letting Ginsie know it was okay to jump up. The pup ignored me and curled up at my feet instead with a sigh.

We spent the entire night watching movies for the most part. It was only an hour into the slumber party that Esme and I went up to Port Angeles –along with Miss Ginsie- to pick up some Italian food. Alice was insistent that we keep everything to the books as much as possible. Now that she knew what to look for –sort of- she was pretty sure Riley might come early Saturday morning but she wasn't sure. I didn't want Alice to look too hard because it might tip Victoria off given her ability. If she figures out that Riley will get caught –and her in extension- then Victoria won't let him come. We needed this opportunity, badly.

It was around eleven when Bella started to yawn. Alice looked over at her and, way to cheerfully for me at this late at night, asked, "How late do you want to stay up?"

I guess it was a bit too cheerfully for Bella too because she looked at the evil little pixie and grumbled. "I don't want to stay up. We have school in the morning," Bella answered. I could see she was fighting another yawn and tried not to smile. I was getting use to waking up around nine and going to bed around one. It wasn't like I had anything to do during the day except play with my nieces and nephews, annoy my brother in law, cook or go shopping with my sister, and make sure my very soon to be husband behaves.

Alice pouted at Bella's response. Bella turned to looking thoughtful and then, as if she remembered something, she bit her bottom lip and turned to Alice again. "I'm sleeping upstairs, right?" she asked, a hint of a blush coming on. Oh yes, the bed in Edward's room. That had been fun.

Yesterday, in an effort to replace my fainting couch –originally, or so I was told- we went to Portland to go shopping. Well, we stopped at every single antique shop along the way and found all sorts of fun things to play with –including a coffin shaped coffee table that I sort of demanded in replace of the fainting couch- and a gently used probably early 1990's wrought iron canopy bed. Edward bought both…and a new fainting couch that Esme and I are going to refinish this weekend. It's this hideous mustard yellow that…it just doesn't go. No matter how you look at it, it just does not go. I think grandma's cabbage flower print would look more appealing on the couch than the clearly 1970's gone array fabric that was on it. I refused to even touch it. Edward seemed to find that amusing.

So, now, I had a new fainting couch –currently covered beneath a few blankets- and a coffin coffee table that had a glass cover on it that I thought was the most awesome thing ever. And Bella got her bed, which would explain why she was turning more and more red.

"Yeap!" Alice said perkily to Bella's question. Bella bit her lip again.

"And you've already gotten my things?" she asked Alice to make sure.

"Already taken care of," Alice smiled. Alice lead Bella upstairs only for both of them to come back down a couple of minutes later. Bella looked angry and Alice looked confused as they both marched over to the telephone in the kitchen. The three of us that were still in the living room –well, four, because Miss Ginsie turned her head too- all looked to the kitchen, curiously.

"I don't think he'll have his phone on him," I could hear Alice say. Bella didn't reply.

"Just because I accidentally let slip about the slumber party," I heard Bella start. Oh, so it was her. Good, now I knew who to blame for Alice's over exuberance at all of this. "Didn't mean you had to follow every single little item in the books," Bella continued, angrily. I looked behind me when I heard a slight smirk and saw Rosalie trying not to smile. Esme had her hand over her mouth, covering her grin. "Enormous trouble does not begin to cover what you are in. I hope you don't find any mountain lions!" Bella stated and then hung up. "I'm done," she told Alice.

Alice, of course, gave one of my favorite lines from the books. "This hostage stuff is fun!"

I tried not laugh as Bella passed. Alice and Bella got almost to the stairs when I simply could not help myself. "What? Nothing about angry grizzly bears?" I teased, while looking at the TV screen. I could see Bella turn bright red as she tripped up the stairs, Alice close behind. Esme elbowed me gently in reprimand. I doubt she got the reference but she knew I had embarrassed Bella.

"What do you mean angry grizzly bears?" Rosalie asked, curious.

I shrugged. "The message Bella originally left in the books went along the lines of 'angry grizzly bears will look tame compare to what's waiting you at home'," I repeated. I wasn't sure if I got it right or not, but it was close enough. Esme let out a slight giggle and even Rosalie smiled a bit before her face became more serious.

"What else does the book say?" Rose asked. She was trying to look only mildly interested but I knew what she was really asking.

"That you will go upstairs and talk to her for a bit," I said gently. "Go," I told her. "I'm sure she's waiting."

Rosalie nodded and almost nervously looked at the steps. I smiled and waved her up the stairs. I had a feeling that this wouldn't be the same conversation as in the books –given that Bella already knew what happened to Rose and Rose now knew that Bella intended to have a child with Edward- but I also was hoping that Rosalie would still want to talk to Bella. As the blond beauty queen went up the stairs, I only prayed this conversation would go alright.

The next morning, I was awoken by an awful commotion. All I heard was a loud gruff sounding voice followed by a voice I immediately recognized as Rosalie's and a bang. I also heard Esme's voice but I couldn't understand anything that was being said. I yanked on my robe and realized it was only seven or so in the morning. Whomever it was the disrupted my sleep better like having one less arm.

As I got up the stairs, the voices became clearer. "Jake, please! You are supposed to be helping out near my house. What about my Dad, Jake?" Bella's voice sounded. I heard a growl, Rosalie, I think and the shuffling of feet. I'm glad I grabbed my sword on the way up because I just might need it. I made sure to keep Miss Ginsie locked up in the basement and away from the commotion.

"So did that slayer write this? What is this about, Bella? What kind of sick joke is this?!?" Jake bellowed. I heard him scream an "Ow" just as I turned the corner. Bella was behind Rosalie, amazingly, and Alice had just stamped –hard- on Jacob's foot. Esme looked aghast in the corner of the room, almost unsure of what to do.

"Alice!" Esme admonished her daughter.

"I told him not to get any closer, Esme," Alice crossed her arms and glared down the over grown wolf. I sighed, turning all eyes to me –except for Rosalie's- and went over towards Esme.

"Esme?" I called to her. Esme looked at me, biting her bottom lip. "I'm sorry we woke you dear," she replied. Knowing my vampire sister was alright –other than being unsure of how to calm the situation- I stood beside her and turned towards Jacob, glaring down the werewolf.

"Please, Jacob. We can talk about this later," Bella begged of him, but he wasn't listening to her anymore. I doubt he ever was, really. His eyes were focused on me and my oversized pink robe.

Jacob took a step towards me only to be blocked by Alice. He looked down at her, then to the pages he had in his hand, and back over to me. "Bella says that these came from you," he tried to say with as little anger as possible. At least he wasn't trembling.

I nodded once and felt Esme take a protective stance in front of me. It was rather amusing. I think _I_ had more training on how to fight werewolves and vampires than Esme did. But, still, I let my big sister play a protective role. "I brought them but I didn't write them," I stated. While Jacob was mulling that over, I looked to Bella, still safely behind Rose. "Which pages did you give him, anyway?" I asked her, curiously.

"Umm," Bella started, turning a bit red. "All the ones from his point of view. I photocopied them," she said timidly. I nodded and turned back to Jacob.

"What do you mean 'brought them?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. Alice hissed at him and I shook my head at her before returning my gaze to Jacob's. I glared him right back down and he did back up a little.

"I mean, I brought them from where I come from," I stated, my accent started to get thick as my temper threatened to show through.

"Where the hell is that? The slayer dimension?" Jacob asked incredulously.

"Umm, kinda," I answered as truthfully as I could. Jacob looked shocked; he was trying to be sarcastic. Sighing, I pointed at the floor and walked around Esme. Esme looked at me, worried, but I just gave her a hint of a smile. "Sit, Jacob," I told him.

Jacob smirked slightly and looked from me to Rosalie and back again. "Want me to wear a collar too?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.

"You smell bad to them and I doubt there is enough Febreze in the world to get your smell out of the fabric of the chairs," I told him. Esme looked at me shocked.

"Elizabeth!" Esme said before looking at Jacob. "Jacob, please. Sit where ever you feel comfortable," Esme told him gently, giving me a hard look. I think I did hear Rosalie smirk at my statement at least.

"I think I'd rather stand," Jacob answered, still watching me. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the floor.

"Fine, but I'm still tired and don't feel like standing because some jackass werewolf just had to come over first thing in the morning and cause a commotion!" I grumbled. I ignored Esme hitting me with a tea towel and watched as Jacob wavered before finally sitting down. "Bella? Alice? You better get to school," I said, not taking my eyes off Jacob.

Bella tried to object but Alice, carefully, took her and headed outside. Jacob stayed right where he was, watching me. Rosalie moved towards Jacob and hissed at him but didn't move to strike him.

"You know Blondie," Jacob started, getting another hiss out of Rosalie, "you might want to get a pair of earmuffs to avoid the draft."

Rosalie looked like she was about to say something, or hit him, but I quickly intervened. "Hey, Jacob, do you know what is brown, red, black, and blue all over?" I asked him. Both Rose and Jacob turned to look at me.

"No, what?" Jacob asked seriously.

"A brunette that told one too many blonde jokes. Now, do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" I asked him. Jacob's face fell and he grumbled something. Whatever it was, it made Rosalie smile a bit.

"Fine," he muttered to me.

I took a deep breath and looked over to him. Rose was ready to pounce him at the first sign of any aggressive movement and Esme sat down next to me, protectively. I bit my lip, trying to think of where to start. "On March 19th, I took a road trip to help out a friend that lived north of me. During a rain storm, I started to get a migraine so I pulled off to the side of the road and took a nap. When I woke up, I found out it was still March 19th, but no longer March 19th 2009. I was, somehow, in 2006, _again_," I told him.

"So, wait," Jacob stated, watching me. "You're saying you're from the future?" he asked in disbelief.

"Kind of," I told him.

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" he repeated, using my accent. I rolled my eyes at him but felt Esme's hand on my shoulder before I could respond. I gave her a weak smile before turning back to him and gesturing to the pile of papers he still had.

"Those," I started, "Are very popular in my universe."

"You're universe?" Jacob continued in the same unbelieving tone. "Look, slayer, I'm not sure what your game is or if the legends about your kind being insane are true," Jacob started. I glared at him.

"Look at the evidence yourself, Jacob," I told him, interrupting him. "Doesn't that sound like what you would think? Say? Do? Given all that situation?" I asked him. Jacob's face twisted and I knew he realized I was right. "In the books those came from, I didn't come here. My presence, " I started, biting my lip as I thought over my next words, "Disturbed a lot." I felt Esme squeeze my shoulders.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Esme whispered to me. I gave her another weak smile.

"Ugh!" Jacob gagged. "So these books are all written like this? And you've read them?!?" he asked angrily. I nodded.

"They are mostly from Bella's point of few but there are a few chapters from your point of view as well," I told him. Quietly, I looked down at my hand folded in my lap. "I have another, well, it's not a chapter, but it's the entire couple of years from your point of view, on my computer," I whispered.

"I don't want to see," Jacob answered. "I don't want any of this!" he said as he got up.

"And what are you going to do, Jacob?" I asked him. He turned to look at me. "Deny fate? Destiny? I've tried that. It totally doesn't work," I continued, remember everything from my own books. I had tried to be something I wasn't for so long that it hurt me. It wasn't until I did something that was so me –creating costumes- that I ended up here. I think this is where I truly belonged all along. Maybe God just decided it would be fun to send me here all the sudden back on March 19th. He made sure I already knew everything I'd need to know, made sure I'd see everything I needed to see, and then placed me here. I guess it made sense. Still, I missed my family from my universe.

"This isn't real!" Jacob said, starting to tremble. Rosalie hissed at him again.

"You know that's not true, Jacob," I whispered as I looked down again at my PJ's and robe covered knees.

"I will not imprint! It's not possible!" He began to shout. I realized it wasn't me he was upset with anymore. It was the story. He didn't want to imprint, to change the way he felt. He'd much rather be hurt than have everything fall away. I tried to remember from the book the way he put it –that he wasn't in as healthy a place as Leah.

"It is," I said softly.

"Stop throwing a fit, dog. Or I'll have to let you outside," Rosalie grumbled at him.

"You know the only smart Blonde is a golden retriever," Jacob mumbled at her.

"Heard that one. Get some new jokes, mutt," Rosalie replied. I smiled. This was almost exactly how it happened in the books. Well, much later than today, but still.

Jacob sighed and looked at me. "So all of this is from a book and you say it will happen?" he asked. I nodded. Jacob gulped. "So the whole baby thing? Bella…changing?" I nodded again. Jacob closed his eyes and seemed to stand up a bit more after a second.

"Fine then," he stated, his eyes still holding some anger. "I'll phase in front of Charlie. I'll do it tonight if she wants. What's there to lose? It looks like I'll lose everything anyway," he grumbled. I smiled a bit and raised an eyebrow at him as I got up off the floor, my pink fleece robe swirling around me a bit.

"Yes, but you also get a lot more. I know Bella didn't give you everything but I think you can guess, based on your pack brothers, what it will be like," I told him.

"Sure, sure," Jacob responded.

"And you know how it will be here," I said, taking a quick glance at Esme and then back to Jacob. He sighed.

"Don't mean I have to like it," he grumbled. I smiled a bit more.

"Never said you did," I answered.

As Jacob turned to go to the front door, Rosalie hot on his heels, Esme called out to him. "Jacob?" He turned and looked at her. "I realize how early it is and I know Elizabeth can't finish the food I cooked on her own. Would you like any of it?" she asked in a motherly tone. Knowing Esme, she probably cooked a lot.

"Umm, maybe later. I have to get back to the pack. We're patrolling near Charlie's for now," he said guiltily before quickly getting out of the house.

The second Jacob was gone, Rosalie muttered a "Thank God" and waved her hand in front of her face. "We should light the candles to get rid of that stench," Rose said aloud. I headed to the basement to let Miss Ginsie up and threw a lighter from my robe pocket towards Rosalie.

"Do I want to know why you have a lighter in your robe, Elizabeth?" Esme asked me as I turned the corner. I shook my head when I came back a second later, the pup in my arms and grinned.

"Nope," I said before letting Ginsie out the way Jacob had just left. As I looked up after putting Ginsie down, I swore I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was red. Firey red. My eyes got big and I hissed at my pup. "Treat!" I said quickly, and, thankfully, got the response I wanted. I slammed the door shut the second she was inside.

"Elizabeth?" Esme asked me, worriedly.

"Victoria," I whispered. Ginsie went from sitting at my feet, looking up at me anxiously, to snarling at the door. Yes, it was Victoria because Ginsie only acted like that around strange vampires and werewolves. Not around the ones she knew. And suddenly, I was very very nervous.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Cliffy! I think I'm going to start posting every other day, rather than every day like I was for the past month. The new job makes it harder to post as much. Sorry!


	58. BII C xxxi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own ummm…a rather impressive fabric collection!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Yeap, things are changed up a bit. Sorry about the cliffy. I'm hoping everyone likes this chapter.

* * *

_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 31

Victoria. The red headed whore of James who had made it her sole objective to destroy Bella so that Edward would suffer. And she was right outside the door. The other two shared a look, saw Miss Ginsie, and immediately went into action. Esme yanked me away from the front door in one swift motion and pushed a button on the underside of the doorframe.

I could barely pay attention as the clinging of metal began to snap over the various windows, covering the mural like window to the backyard. Rosalie was speaking so fast over the phone, I couldn't understand her. She wasn't bothering to be quite at least. I looked to my sword, still near the kitchen, and realized that was useless. We all heard a crash upstairs but no one moved to investigate.

Rather, Esme immediately pulled me behind _her_ and had my back up against the wall that was between the open living room and the kitchen. Rosalie was at the base of the stairs and growling.

I was defenseless. I had given Rose my lighter earlier. Looking over to the shelf about ten feet away was the "boom" stick, also known as the candle lighter. I might have some advantage with that but I had to get to it first. With the way Esme had me pressed against the wall, that would be impossible. Thank God, it wasn't necessary yet.

A white flash flew down the stairs but, rather than attacking, both women relaxed. Edward appeared, frantic, in front of Esme. She let me go and took a couple of steps forward, hugging her youngest son as Rosalie moved slowly near him. She still had my lighter in her hand and I held my hand out for it. She tossed it lightly, to which I quickly caught it and placed it back in my pocket where it belong. Ginsie was still at the door, growling, but not as loudly now.

"Emmett has Riley. The wolves are helping us to run after Victoria. Where are Bella and Alice?" Edward stated and asked quickly. Esme and Rose looked at him while he spoke. I just went over to pick up Miss Ginsie and see if I could get her to stop growling.

"They already went to school," Esme stated, her hand going to her unbeating heart. I could see the horror written on her face as I came back over, Ginsie in my arms. Edward's jaw went ridged before he turned, stiffly, to go to the front door.

She wouldn't try anything at the school, would she? It was far too public, far too many people to cause a disturbance. Then again, look at Seattle. Victoria doesn't seem to mind a little chaos. It's almost like she does have a death wish.

"I'll get them and bring them back here. Esme, please watch over Elizabeth," Edward almost pleaded with her, his face wavering for a half second as he looked at me. I could see the worry and pain in his face and knew how worried he was about Bella and Alice. If he lost either of them, well, I didn't want to think about that. They'd be fine and Bella and I could hide in the basement and watch Monty Python or something. "Rose?" He asked, indicating he wanted her to come with him. Rosalie followed him out the front door easily.

Silence. The wasn't a sound except for, probably my and Ginsie's beating hearts. Esme looked towards the front of the house –the back still covered in metal plates- listening for any sound what so ever. I couldn't hear a thing other than Ginsie and my breathing.

Something in me felt like something was wrong. Far more wrong than just everyone chasing after Victoria again. Emmett had Riley. With Victoria, it was all about speed and not strength. The wolves and most of the rest of my family were going after her. Edward was going after Alice and Bella to bring them back here…so was my Gabriel with everyone else? Chasing down Victoria?

Some part of me said no and another part of me thought I was overreacting. Where were the newborns? Did she not bring them along? Did we really just mess up her plans that badly? Maybe. I bit my bottom lip in thought, trying to figure out what was the most logical reason for what was occurring…when I couldn't see it or hear it.

Ginsie whined a bit and I put her down, sitting on the floor, again, next to her. I pet my precious pet, the only connection I truly had to my life prior to almost four months ago. It was a little less than that, I guess. Three months and a couple of weeks, but it felt like years ago. I was a different person then. I lived in a very different world. Now? Now I had a totally different but very loving family and I would have a husband in just a few more days. Today was Friday –I'd be married on Tuesday.

…Assuming that Victoria didn't hurt my family first. If she hurt any of them, even a little bit, I'd want to burn her myself. But what could I do? Distracting Victoria wasn't an easy feat. Edward barely managed to do it in the books because he could read her mind. He knew how to get her to stay. Until Alice and Bella were safe in the house, we wouldn't have that advantage.

And how exactly was Edward planning on getting them out of school? Well, I suppose Alice would see that Edward was coming and be able to drag Bella to the front office without too much suspicion. Or maybe that's why he asked for Rosalie? She could say that she just got back from college and she wanted to see her baby sister and her friend. That would also make some sense. I did that when I got out of High School and went back to get Giselle or Estelle out of class.

So, bring them back here and then what? Have Esme and Alice protect Bella? Thinking it over, I sighed and got up. Esme stole a look at me but snapped her attention back to the front door.

"I'm going to get dressed and find some spray paint," I said quietly. Esme nodded but I'm not sure if she even really heard me. I walked over towards the basement, Ginsie quick on my heels, and was about to go down when I heard something out back. I strained my ears to hear it as Esme came rushing to my side. I don't think I have ever heard anything odder than Esme hissing. Ever. It just sounded wrong. Like Sister Mary Patrick cursing; it was just not something you could wrap your mind around when actually hearing. It wasn't something that was really possible given what you know of the person. Esme was just too good, too sweet, to hiss. Now, Ginsie growling and throwing a conniption fit –that was pretty much a given.

I glared down at Ginsie, since she was too loud for me to hear anything. Esme let me lean over and clamp my hand around the dog's muzzle, not that really helped much. She wasn't quite as loud, but she was still barking and growling. It wasn't at me, of course, but at whatever she was able to hear outside. I looked up and could see Esme's face. Whatever it was, Esme could hear it too and it wasn't good.

"Esme?" I whispered. The second she looked down at me, I heard something hit the window with a thud, the sound of glass breaking, and it made my stomach positively turn. I wasn't even sure what it was, but something in Esme's face, in Ginsie's howls, told me it wasn't Victoria.

I felt the blood rush away from my face as my nerves took over. Who was it that was loosing? Why were they loosing? Did everyone get split up? Another crash. This time from the front of the house. I found myself suddenly erect and behind Esme only for her to relax a bit a second later. Alice and Bella were inside. Bella looked as pale as I felt and as terrified. I barely had my own wits about me. I slowly went to her, pulling her close.

"The basement," Alice said so quietly, I almost didn't hear her. I nodded and lead Bella down the stairs, making sure to hold on to her tightly as we went down to my apartment. I heard another thud against the metal and gasped. Bella had her eyes trained on the stairs but I looked up towards Esme and Alice.

Alice made eye contact with me for all of a split second before grabbing Bella and running her down the stairs. Esme came right behind her with Miss Ginsie, closing and locking the door at the top of the stairs. I noticed she pressed another button and metal bars crossed over the simple wooden door like a portcullis in a castle.

"What is going on out there?" I asked, somewhat demandingly, of Esme as she started to pass me by. She fretted and looked from me to Alice. Alice had a look of severe concentration on her face and I realized she was looking into the future. They couldn't use Alice with the wolves in the way. Did that mean the wolves were out there still? Helping? What was going on?

I waited on the steps, hopeful that someone would answer me. Ginsie took her place beside me, my hand automatically going to pet her. It was quiet as Bella sat on the couch, hugging a pillow, Esme at her side, holding her while they both looked to Alice. Alice opened her eyes and looked straight at me.

"Bah!" Alice shouted, making us all jump. She looked to Esme and then me meekly. "Sorry," she said in apology before going on a mini tirade. "I just can't see much of anything. Victoria's not making decisions and the wolves are in the way of everyone else! All I do know is that, " She started and then abruptly cut off. I looked at her curiously.

"All you do know is what, Alice?" I asked. It had to do with someone in our family. It had to. Alice wouldn't cut off like that unless something happened and it would make at least one of us upset. Unfortunately, she didn't get time to answer. There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I called up, hoping to get a decent familiar answer.

"Jasper," I heard my nephew's voice. Alice was already up the stairs and unlocking the basement. It was a matter of seconds before she was next to his side. I wouldn't feel safe until I could see my Gabriel again.

Alice smiled brightly when she saw her husband and more danced than walked next to him, giving him a quick kiss and taking his hand. Jasper smiled back at her softly but he was holding his arm a bit stiff. Alice looked at it, then to him, with a scowl. "You know, you didn't have to go after that one like that," she reprimanded him. Jasper just continued to smile until he saw myself, Bella, and Esme on the stairs. Esme was still holding Bella too her tightly.

"Is everyone alright here?" Jasper asked. I nodded quickly.

"Yes, but what happened?" I asked quickly. I could tell there was something no one was saying. Something that caused Alice to cut off. Something that, given the face Jasper just gave me, he didn't want to bring up. Did something happen to Gabriel? They kept looking at me, seeing me, and being quiet. Or was it one of the wolves? Was my over-imagination getting the better of me again and they just didn't want Bella to know something went wrong?

"Maybe it would be better if everyone came upstairs," Jasper said warily, looking to Alice to see if that, indeed, was the better option. I got up but didn't move from the stair I was standing on and stamped my foot.

"What happened?" I demanded. Okay, so the whole stamping a foot while on the steps? Probably not such a brilliant idea when you have a mild case of bathmophobia. I immediately clutched the handrail but continue to look up to my nephew, demanding an answer. He knew I had a slight fear of stairs and I could see his face flinch a bit.

Jasper looked to Alice, then to me, and sighed. "Everyone is going to be fine," he said quickly. At least that alleviated some of my fears. Apparently, it did for Bella too because she let out a breath of relief from somewhere behind me. But then I realized he said "going to be" as in, some one did get hurt. I narrowed my eyes.

"Who?" I asked, not even bothering to frame any more of a question than that. Japser looked at me, then to Alice, before his gaze returned to mine again. "Who, Jasper?" I asked as I took a step closer, clutching the railing as I did so.

Jasper seemed to think over his words carefully before he actually opened his mouth again to tell me whatever he was going to say. I was already thinking the worst. If Gabriel was injured, I'm not sure what I would do. If he was dead…I doubt I'd bother living any longer myself. I couldn't even conceive of a world without Gabriel anymore. Such a place was too dark, too foreboding for me to even construct. Injured. I'll go with injured. Didn't Jasper just say that everyone is going to be fine? That had to mean everyone was alive. I'd just destroy whoever injured him myself.

"We didn't understand her plan until it was too late," Jasper stated. I glared at him. He shuffled his feet a bit and looked down. When he looked back up, he looked every bit of his one hundred and fifty plus years. "Gabriel sustained some significant injuries," he told me.

I started up the stairs as quick as I could, no longer caring if I fell down them or not. I needed to see Gabriel. I needed to see my beautiful fiancé. I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and turned only to see Jasper's dark gold eyes pierce into my green ones. He looked to be judging something in me and must have found whatever he was looking for. "He's not here. I'll take you to him," Jasper stated softly, calming me. I nodded.

My mind was reeling as Jasper lead me out back. The metal plates were gone now but so was one of the windows. Esme gasped when she saw it. "We'll fix it later, Esme," Jasper said quickly as he let me go out the door first. I hadn't been paying much attention to the outside world as we passed by the windows but now that I could see the backyard, I was horrified.

The deck was mostly gone. I had been use to the small deck out back and the stairs that lead down to the river. All that was left was splinters. Looking up at the house, there were pieces of the house that were missing too. Not completely, but like someone had scraped the edges of it with a bulldozer.

However, even that could keep my attention. What did keep my attention was a small piece of what looked to be a somewhat pale off-white piece of stone though I knew it wasn't. I knew that color better than almost anything else in this world. It was an odd thing I could do, to be able to remember an exact shade of color. I guess it was just years of training for sewing and fashions. I had to remember what was in my fabric stockpile and match it with a variety of ribbons when I was in the store. Sometimes, I'd just see something and realize it would go with something else. The pale piece of stone though was from my soon to be husband and it only went with him.

I went to grab it but Jasper stopped me and, carefully, while keeping a hand on me, he managed to pick it up and lead me, slowly, around the corner of the house. I realized he was the reason I felt sort of numb. Jasper was keeping all my fears, all my worry at bay as best he can. I'd thank him later.

We turned the corner of the house. I only somewhat realized that Bella and Esme stayed behind. Alice speed ahead of us before I could go around the side of the home, still wearing nothing more than my slippers, robe, and PJs. I hadn't had a chance to change and I could care less, really, given that my Gabriel was in any sort of pain. I wouldn't care if I was only wearing a towel and it was minus fifty out. When the person you love is in pain, all you want is to be right there with them, to help alleviate any part of it at all.

Before I had time to even recognize the scene before me, I heard a scream. I knew that scream. I had heard a bit of it three months ago when I went down that dark street in New York. I didn't even think, I just ran to where he was. Jasper's influence over me, fading slightly. The only thing that really relieved me was when I also heard "porca miseria" among a nice long line of Italian curse words which meant he wasn't hurt too badly…well, if he could still curse.

Instantly, almost, well, as instantly as a human can be, really, I was at his side. My robe swirled around me and I immediately looked over him and held his hand –which was, thankfully- still attached. Carlisle was on his other side, paying little attention to whatever Gabriel had just yelled at him for. I could see some of the injuries. Who ever attacked him had gotten a good chunk of his shoulder and a lot of skin off of it. Everything else looked okay, but I wasn't sure. "Gabriel?" I whispered, holding his hand tightly.

Gabriel looked at me, his eyes black, and grunted in pain as Carlisle worked to put more of Gabriel's skin back on correctly. It looked like a gigantic 3-D puzzle that he was almost done with. I wondered how bad the injuries really had been before I had gotten here. "Elizabetta," he whispered, squeezing my hand. "You shouldn't be here," he told me gently before turning a harsher glance to Jasper.

"You should not have brought her," Gabriel told him sternly. I tried not to think about it much as Jasper handed Carlisle another piece of Gabriel's skin. I also tried not to think that Carlisle was clearly using a pint of blood –probably from the blood bank- to help knit Gabriel back together like it was glue.

Jasper shrugged and smiled a bit at me before looking at Gabriel. "Do you really think she'd stay in the house?" he asked him. Gabriel looked at me and sighed, realizing Jasper's point but didn't shake his head. Rather, he stayed almost perfectly still. "No," he muttered before tensing up in pain as Carlisle repositioned a piece of skin on Gabriel's back. I winced with him, unable to see my beloved in any pain like this.

Gabriel immediately dropped my hand and looked horrified suddenly. My own face mirrored his, worried that Carlisle was, somehow, causing him more pain. "Gabriel?" I asked frantically.

"Your hand," he more asked than stated. I realized what was going on immediately and relaxed. He must think that he hurt my hand, that that's why I winced.

"Its fine," I said, picking his back up again. I bit my lip this time when I saw him in pain. Carlisle had to rip a large section back off and smooth it out again in the back. It sounded like tearing metal. I tried not to think about the sound or how it made my teeth hurt.

As Jasper ran off to, presumably, where his brothers and his sister were –along with his wife-, I shook my head. "What happened?" I pleaded with him. Gabriel brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently which made me given him a small smile.

"Only two more pieces and you should be fine," Carlisle murmured from the other side of Gabriel and somewhat behind him.

"Grazie," Gabriel said back before looking at my worried face again. His black eyes searched my green ones before he answered. "I, as well as one of the wolves, took after what we believed to be a newborn who was in the company of Victoria. It was not until we had run a mile after her and the wolf was able to get in front of the creature we were chasing that there was any problem," he started. I listened intently, clasping Gabriel's free hand with both of mine.

"I will be alright, cara mia," Gabriel whisper to me.

Carlisle stood up about then, patting Gabriel on the back he had just fixed. "You will have a few new scars but other than that, you are back together again," Carlisle stated, slightly amused. It was almost like he was talking about the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

Gabriel stood up swiftly, wrapping an arm around me but looking at Carlisle. "Grazie mille, Carlisle," Gabriel told him.

I couldn't see Carlisle but I did hear him answer "Prego" before going after his children, I guess. I looked up at Gabriel, hugging him with all my might. My Gabriel was fine. He'd be okay. I can deal with a few new scars but I also wanted to deal with the vampire that did this to him. Based on the thick purple smoke just across the river, I doubted I'd get a chance. Maybe I could get Ginsie to pee on the ashes or something…

"Gabriel?" I whispered, hoping he'd continue the story and tell me what happened.

His face twisted a bit before he kissed me on my forehead. I only scowled a little bit, too worried about him to give him a full scowl. "Let's get you inside, amata mia," he said to me, moving with me to go towards the back of the house again.

I nodded, hoping he'd finish the story inside. Bella and Esme were right there. The second Gabriel saw Bella, he stopped breathing. Did he even have a chance to hunt or did the injuries cause too much blood to be used to help him heal? I'm not sure and I really didn't want to know. All I did know was that I had my Gabriel and I was not letting him go.

Esme gasped and came towards us. "Gabriel? Are you alright?" she asked worried. Gabriel offered her a small smile.

"I am fine now, Esme. The others are clearing up the problem in the western side of the woods. They shall be in shortly," he said, using up all of his air. I bit my lip, holding on to him with one arm now, as I saw him take a real breath. I don't think Bella noticed it.

Gabriel's face twisted slightly but he managed to breathe out a bit before taking another breath. I could tell it wouldn't be easy, but he would manage to be in the room with Bella despite being hungry. I reached up on my toes and kissed his cheek. He smiled back at me before leading me to the living room to sit down.

"So you and one of the wolves were chasing the newborn and there was a problem?" I asked as we sat down on the loveseat. I retook his hand in mine, squeezing it again. Bella sat down in one of the chairs –downwind, I think in here, thank goodness- with Esme in the chair next to her. They were both curious about this story too.

"Si," Gabriel started, looking around the room. He looked to where the broken window was, not that you could really see it from here. "I apologize for the window, Esme," he told her.

Esme shook her head. "I am just happy you are okay, Gabriel," she replied, smiling at me a bit. I looked back up at Gabriel, waiting for him to continue the story.

"The creature we had been chasing was not a newborn," Gabriel started. He let go of my hand but only to wrap his arm around me. I didn't have a problem with that. Instead, I rested my head on his good shoulder.

"Jasper believes that Victoria may have learned the trick from you, to switch clothing in order to confuse the scent," he started. I held my breath, realizing what might have happened. Finding a newborn with flame red-hair might be difficult but not impossible in Seattle. She could have even convinced someone to dye their hair the right shade. It wouldn't be hard…

"You chased Victoria?" Esme asked, her hand over her heart again.

"Si," Gabriel answered quickly. "The others, the rest of the wolves and the clan, were chasing a newborn. She was easily destroyed," Gabriel said as if he was concerned over Esme's worry for her family. No one following the newborn was injuried.

"Victoria?" Bella asked, timidly.

"Gone, ragazza. She will not bother you again," Gabriel told her gently. It was like seeing a weight lifted off Bella's shoulders when she slumped back, rather happily, into the chair. Victoria was gone. She wouldn't try to take down Bella again. However, that still left an awful lot of newborns running amuck in Seattle. Maybe they'd be easier to see now that Victoria was gone? And so was Riley?

"The small gray wolf stood before Victoria. When the red-haired witch turned, I came about her side, to block her," Gabriel explained. Leah? Leah actually went to chase a vampire with another vampire voluntarily? Our Leah?

"Realizing that she was blocked, I suppose, Victoria went to take at what she believed to be the easier option at a possible escape and went towards the wolf," Gabriel stated. Bella's eyes went big and I think she stopped breathing. Smiling, Gabriel told her gently, "Do not worry, ragazzina, the small wolf is well." As Bella relaxed, again, Gabriel continued his story.

"I pulled at the witch and yanked her away from the wolf. Unfortunately for me, Victoria turned upon me and managed to injure me," Gabriel stated. He was clearly editing but I'd ask for details later. I just wanted to know what happened to Victoria for now.

"The small wolf attacked her quickly and injured her in the process. It gave me an opening," Gabriel started but must have seen something in either Esme or Bella's expressions because he stopped. His voice was less excited, more gentle, when he spoke again.

"We both took care of Victoria and she will bother no one again," Gabriel stated firmly.

"Thank goodness," Esme whispered from across the room. Bella bit her lip.

"Everyone else?" Bella asked quietly.

"The wolves and your clan took care of the newborn and this Riley. No one else was injured," Gabriel said to her gently.

"But what about the rest of the newborns? Are they still out there in Seattle?" Bella asked worried. Esme patted her hand gently, motheringly.

"We are unsure but I believe Alice may have greater insight," Gabriel told her. It didn't seem to help Bella's fears much but she nodded.

When the others came back in –which included the entire family and three wolves- all Alice could tell us was that the newborns were easier to see now and that the Volturi were taking care of them. So that was it. No epic battle up on the mountain. No Bella getting to see Edward fight. Nothing. Well, except that we had two wolves and one human wolf in the living room. Not that Seth really was that much of werewolf. Well, he was, but he just didn't make me as angry as the others.

The other two –who refused to switch into their human forms- were Leah and Quil, I think. One was a small gray wolf that kept growling at anyone that got close and the other was a chocolate brown wolf. Ginsie was having a field day growling at all three even though Seth was in human form.

I guess I should have felt improperly dressed given that I was still in my PJ's –the by product of being rudely awoken by Jacob and not having enough time to change before seeing Victoria in the woods out front- but since Seth was only in his sweatpants, and Gabriel only had his jeans left on –which looked to be pretty well shredded on one side- I, at the very least, was covered. I hugged my oversized pink fleece robe around me as I cradled myself next to Gabriel.

Everyone had their own version of what happened. Mostly, it involved exactly what Gabriel had already said. When the time was right, both of us retired back down stairs so that I, hopefully, could change and Gabriel could too. Those jeans couldn't even be saved by the looks of them. I didn't care, of course. All I cared about was that I had my Gabriel and Victoria hadn't taken him from me. I'm not sure what I would do if she had.

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**Author's Note:** So, hopefully, not too bad. Not really a lot of action in this chapter, more psychological. Only four more days until the wedding! …assuming Alice isn't planning anything. Ugh. She better not be.

And the first person to review this chapter will be the 700th review! Coolness!


	59. BII C xxxii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own ummm…a rather impressive fabric collection!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Wow! I guess y'all really liked Victoria's unseen death scene. It's the most highly reviewed chapter yet! :-)

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 32

"Alice, are you crazy?" Bella almost shouted at the small pixie that was standing before both of us. It was now Friday afternoon. I was quite happy in my jeans and sweater given that I don't think it ever gets above 60 here, ever, despite it being June. Curled up next to my fiancé, I had been perfectly content until Alice decided to ruin it all.

Gabriel and I were upstairs, again, watching TV with everyone else. He had hunted nearby and came home complaining about venison. My guess was that deer to a vampire was sort of like cheese covered broccoli was to me. Just because I happen to like cheese does not disguise the fact that broccoli tastes like battery acid. It is totally gross and I could care less that it's good for me. Now a good old salad with ranch dressing? That's not half bad.

Before he had gone to hunt though, I had seen the scars along his back. He tired to hide them from me when he went to change but I saw them in the odd lighting we had in the basement. Esme wanted to change from the fluorescents to something softer but, well, given the past few weeks, no one had a chance to do so. The light bounced off his newly formed scars in the light like someone had inked a map of rivers on his back with a dull tattoo needle. I gasped when I saw them knowing what it was. Gabriel cringed when he heard me and stood frozen as he grabbed for his shirt.

I didn't say anything. I just went up to him, my fingers gently floating over the marks I could just now make out in the light. I had to look at them a certain way to truly get them all. The cross hatched design seemed to be fading a bit before my eyes and was concentrated on his right side. "How bad?" I asked carefully. I was terrified that he might still be in pain. Well, any pain other than the pain of being thirsty right now. I knew he could deal with that.

"Most will fade," Gabriel said quietly. "I promise they will mostly be gone by our wedding day." I shook my head, not that he could probably see that from where I was standing as my fingers ghosted over the marks.

"What did she do to you, Gabriel?" I whisper, trying not cry. I didn't want him to think I was crying over the scars of my perfect vampire but, rather, I was upset that Victoria had hurt my perfect soon to be husband.

Gabriel was quiet for a moment and didn't turn around to look at me. Rather, he stood there, perfectly still, like my own personal David statue wearing a new pair of black jeans. "She managed to bite my shoulder to tear off my arm, taking many pounds of flesh with it," Gabriel told me soberly.

Turning him around, I looked up into his eyes. I was horribly angry and sad at the same time. I wanted to kill Victoria myself for daring to hurt my fiancé, for causing all of my family so much pain. It frustrated me that I couldn't –that Gabriel had done so himself- but also made me glad that Gabriel killed her, destroyed her, and burned her after she did this to him. I was only sad because Gabriel seemed nervous; as if a few scars would possibly make me love him any less.

I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He seemed taken back at first, which only made me angrier at Victoria, before he kissed me back. His pulled me closer to him, his arms around my waist. Before we got too carried away, I gently pulled back from his kisses – his addicting lips – and smiled at him. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't gotten you back," I whispered.

Gabriel smiled back before attacking my lips again. The sobering thoughts of the events just hours earlier was the only thing that kept us from practicing too much –or rather, kept me from practicing too much. I just needed to be around my entire family right now. I needed the people I loved around me after being terrified I might loose them.

Rosalie and Emmett were out in the garage, fixing up one of the cars. I don't think it actually needed fixing as much as Rosalie just wanted to play with the car and make sure it worked absolutely perfectly. Emmett was playing jack. I laughed when I saw it and had to go back into the house. Part of me really wished Bella would punch a werewolf just to hear Emmett say something about it. Of course, that isn't supposed to happen yet and probably never will now; given the events the past few days and, particularly, this morning.

Sam had asked us, or, rather, he had Seth ask us if we knew anything about where Jacob had gone. I told them the truth –that Jacob came here, asked some questions, and decided he'd take his rightful place while finishing up his end of the treaty- amazingly, the wolves seemed to accept that. I'm guessing Jacob couldn't keep all his thoughts to himself when he phased before going Alpha. We still aren't sure if he phased in front of Charlie or not. I have a feeling, if he did, Charlie would be beating down our door by now.

"Say whatever you like about me," Alice answered Bella's question. "But it would be so much more romantic and lovely if you both got married on the same day! Just think of how many people we could have there!" I rolled my eyes and curled up tighter against Gabriel. It was the same speech Alice had been trying to convince me of for the past few days. Not only would we be able to have the celebration here, not only would she be able to do all the decorations, not only would I get to have my December wedding, but they could call in friends far and wide to join in the wedding celebration. Yes. Because I'm so sure the Denali coven would love to know that I'm marrying Gabriel and that I've been adopted into the Cullen clan. I'm sure that will just make Irina's heart beat again to hear that.

Edward bit back a chuckle to which Bella looked at him, concerned, and Alice just glared at him. I bet no one has even called them lately to let them know about the human living in the basement. "No, they know," Edward stated with a hint of a smirk.

_Okay, so it's the whole Gabriel thing y'all left out then?_

Edward nodded at my unspoken question. "Great…" I muttered out loud.

"If you two are quite finished," Alice started, narrowing her eyes at both me and Edward. I smiled at her slightly. Once she was sure we were done with out little conversation, Alice looked to Bella. "Please, Bella? Just imagine! In a church rather than here. And I can order the prettier cake from that bakery in Seattle but they have a three month waiting list right now," Alice started to ramble on. I tuned her out and watched the game. With only a few days left, she was getting desperate. I was getting curious as to why she wanted this so bad. She didn't see anything bad happening if I marry in four days, right?

Edward shook his head slightly no, which earned me a glare from Alice. I mean, I guess the whole pregnancy thing would be a bit easier but uh, that wasn't something I wanted to think about right now. I'd much rather think about having my wedding at that cute little mortuary chapel near the graveyard in New Orleans. I wonder what Gabriel's tux looks like. I'm not allowed to see it, apparently, since he isn't allowed to see the dress. Really!

My dress was almost done. I had the chemise all hand sewn. That was fun. I only worked on that when Gabriel went hunting but it didn't take quiet as long as I thought it would. Still, it was a pain in the neck to do it that way. I'm just glad I gave up on the embroidery idea.

The ice blue silk of the dress made the entire thing look sort of like an ice sculpture. I had a crinkle silver silk overlay for the skirt that also had the blue embroidered and beaded silk panels in it. I added what felt like a couple of thousand pearls in various colors. I couldn't decide on white, pink, black, or blue pearls and just added them all. They lined the raised waist line of the dress and made small beaded flowers on the bodice. I also added even more pearls on the gauntlets for the dress. It wasn't exactly like something out of Gabriel's time, but it was close. I just wasn't allowed to hem it. Alice promised she would before the wedding. According to her and Esme, its bad luck to finish your own wedding gown.

Thinking on all of this while Alice rambled on about how wonderful it would be if Bella and I got married on the same day –leaving Gabriel and Edward effectively out of her one sided conversation- the phone rang. I hopped up and turned around on the sofa to answer the phone since it was on the small end table behind to sofa anyway. "Cullen home for the completely insane, how may we admit you?" I answered, earning a chuckle for Jasper, a glare from Alice, a shocked look from Bella, and an eye roll from Edward. I didn't bother to see Gabriel's reaction.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a couple of seconds before I heard a gruff voice say "…Elizabeth?" I recognized it immediately as Charlie's. I sat up straight and could see Edward trying not to laugh too loud and give away exactly who was home. The boys, technically speaking, were still out on retreat or hunting or whatever excuse Esme and Alice cooked up.

"Oh, hi, Charlie," I said a bit shyly. I probably should check caller id before answering the phone. Bella's face turned a bit paler than usual.

"Hey, um, I got a call from the school saying Bella wasn't in her classes this afternoon," Charlie started. I knew I had to think up a lie quick. Seeing Jasper –Jasper who, as far as Forks knew, was in college somewhere far away- an idea formed quickly in my head.

"Oh no! The girls said they called you and you said it was alright," I told him with mock shock. Everyone in the room was listening in with rapt attention at this point. Well, except for Bella, who looked nervous. Jasper moved next to her and I could see her visibly calming the closer he got. "I'm so sorry," I continued.

"So, you got her out of school?" Charlie asked for clarification.

"Oh yes, I'm so sorry. You see, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie all came back from college this week and Rosalie just got in last night," I started as the lie formed in my head. It should fit with the given cover story pretty well right now. I had gotten good at lying in my past life. If you didn't want the social workers to come and take you away from your Mom because it was your Dad's fault that your broke down in class again, then you had to get good at lying. I swear I just saw Edward's eyes twitch.

"I suppose either Esme or I should have asked you ourselves but the girls assured us that you were informed," I told him. "I guess they meant the school informed you," I said disapprovingly. "We only got her out because Rosalie hadn't seen Alice or Bella yet. She got in so late last night both girls were just zonked!" I continued.

"Well, err, I would have liked to have known about school but I guess missing a day won't hurt. So all the boys went out?" Charlie asked. I smiled a bit. I could see Alice visibly relax and tell Bella that everything was alright.

"Oh yes, we kicked them out and the girls get the house," I said, grinning. Gabriel squeezed my shoulders gently at that. Charlie chuckled on the other end of the phone –a good sign since we did take Bella out of school, just not for the reasons he now thinks.

"Well, you have fun. Mind if I speak to my girl for a minute?" Charlie asked good naturedly.

"Nope, not at all," I responded, handing the phone to Bella. I knew better than to toss it. I bet, somehow, the phone would hang up or get crushed and Charlie would run right over in his cruiser.

Thinking on that, I was surprised that he hadn't run right over in his cruiser. I guess that means Jacob hadn't upheld his end of the treaty –yet- and phased in front of Charlie. I suppose that's not a big deal yet, given that Bella wants the wedding on the fifth of August…which I'm guessing is the same date as in the books. Stephenie Meyer never did give an exact date. Of course, I'm finding out that Megan Rodgers doesn't give exact dates for a lot of important things either –like my senior prom during my junior year. Really, what was I thinking wearing a white lace dress that only came to my knees? The red satin ball gown I wore to the political balls a couple of years later was much better.

"Umm, yeah, sorry, Dad," Bella muttered into the phone, turning an interesting shade of red. I listened intently as Alice grinned, Jasper silently laughed, and Edward shook his head smiling to whatever Charlie was saying. I heard Gabriel smirk behind me as well. "No, well, ummm, yeah. Tomorrow, fine, Dad," Bella told him, her face twisting up in an odd way as she spoke. It only relaxed when she told her Dad that she loved him and then handed the phone back to me.

"Charlie?" I asked into the phone to make sure he hadn't hung up yet.

"Oh, hey, Elizabeth," he started but I interrupted easily. I had to continue on with the lie.

"I'm really so sorry, Charlie. I don't know why I didn't call to check with you. I feel horrible about this," I told him, keeping up a worried tone that probably didn't match my facial expressions at all. Lying over the phone was extremely easy. Lying to someone's face was a bit more difficult but I was good at that too. Well, unless you have the lie detector boys around –who were both looking like they couldn't wait until I got off the phone so they could really start to laugh.

"Its fine, Elizabeth. You still getting married on Tuesday?" Charlie asked. Alice made a face but I grinned.

"Yessir," I said easily. Gabriel kissed me on the forehead and I looked up to scowl at him. He just grinned back.

"Good, just remind Esme and Carlisle to bring Bella back after the wedding," he told me. I smiled a bit. As far as Forks knew, I was having a small wedding in Portland –not a small wedding in New Orleans. Bella would go home, go to school on Monday, and then we'd kidnap her again after school to fly down to New Orleans. The arrangements had already been made but I guess after today's fiasco, Charlie just wanted to make sure.

"I promise I will," I told him. We said our goodbyes and hung up quickly. I sighed a sigh of relief as I re-collapsed on the sofa after putting the phone back behind me.

Jasper, Edward, and Gabriel all let out huge belly laughs. Bella looked rather confused, or maybe just thoughtful, while Alice looked a bit miffed at me. "What?" I asked her. It was also sort of directed at the boys. I didn't think anything was that funny.

"We have one human that can't lie to save herself and another human that can lie so well that I almost believed you," Alice grumbled and crossed her arms.

"Really?" I asked, smiling. I knew I was pretty good at lying but I didn't think I was that good. I guess years of practice when slitting your wrists only become "crafting" accidents or the latest nervous break down is because you miss your Dad and not because you never want him to come back home again. Edward immediately stopped laughing and looked at me, his face somewhat angry.

_Whoops, sorry._

I thought as I curled up next to the still chuckling Gabriel a bit more. Jasper's laughter was also calming. "Yes, really," Alice said while eyeing Edward.

"It's not you who should be apologizing, Elizabeth," Edward said, pinching his nose. I shrugged. It was simply the way life was for me from the time I was about seven until I was twenty seven pretty much. The worst was from when I was 13 until I was 20. Most people think it was just typical teenage angst but most people don't come home from college to a picture drawn by their 8 year old brother of him up in a balloon being shot down. The caption was "This is me when you aren't here". It broke my heart. When I wasn't there to protect them, Dad went after them. I'd take the yelling and screaming any day if it meant he went after someone who was close to his own size and not my brothers.

I looked away from Edward, the anger clear in his eyes. I didn't want to think on sad things, bad things. I just wanted to be around my family and think on happier times. Like my wedding in a couple of days. Well, really more like three and a half days but I don't think that matters.

"Do you mind letting the rest of us in on this conversation?" Alice said, tapping her foot. It was slightly comical really. Maybe I should get her tap shoes just to make her gag.

"It's not exactly a conversation, Alice," I muttered to her, leaning into Gabriel. He hugged me closer to him.

"Fine. Edward? Do you want to explain why you are burning holes into the side of Elizabeth's head?" Alice asked.

"It's not Elizabeth he's mad at," Jasper said quietly. I stole a glance over at him, and could see the slight hint of confusion as well as curiosity on Jasper's face.

"I was not burning holes into the side of my cousin's head, Alice," Edward stated with an exasperated sigh. I looked up at a frustrated Alice and knew she wouldn't stop until she got the answer she wanted. This was Alice after all. Which gave me another brilliant idea if I do say so myself.

"If you want to know, Alice. You have to promise me something," I started. Alice looked like she was readily going to accept until she got a vision –I guess- of what I was going to make her promise.

"Elizabeth! But the wedding," Alice began.

"is in four days," I informed her quickly. Alice sighed and sat down next to Jasper.

"Alright, but I still think a double wedding would be so much better," she mumbled. I grinned.

"Fine," I told her. My condition was simple. If she wanted to know what I was thinking, then she had to promise not to try to disrupt my or Bella's wedding plans anymore. Not that Bella had wedding plans beyond a date. Just no more talks of double weddings.

"I was just thinking why I manage to lie effectively. It's not something I like to do, but I had to lie a lot when I was growing up," I stated with a shrug. "Part of the fun at the FBI was being able to lie to my bosses and get away with it. I had to since, sometimes, I had information that they just didn't need to know," I continued.

"That's all?" Alice asked skeptically. I shrugged again. I wasn't going to tell anyone about the rest and Edward better not either. Alice sighed but let the subject drop. She was probably working on a scheme to get it out of me or Edward later, knowing her.

The rest of Friday was spent with the family around. I didn't want to leave the living room, really, until it was nearly morning the next day. Bella had already crashed hours ago and Edward carried her up to his room. I decided I probably should attempt sleep around four or five in the morning and went downstairs.

Ginsie followed me faithfully and Gabriel helped to make sure I got down the stairs. I barely remember putting on my PJ's before collapsing in the bed. Thank goodness Gabriel tucked me in because I don't think I had the strength left to pull the covers over me.

I'm not sure how long I had been asleep when my dream started. All I knew was that I was home. I was in my parents house in Maryland sitting on the old Regency era couch in the living room in front of the picture window, reading. I think I was reading Eclipse again, visualizing the events in my head as I read along, before I put my celestial bookmark back in it's place. Ginsie, of course, was there, sunbathing on the living room carpet like she always did. The carpet was one from Turkey. I can't remember if it's one my parents actually got in Turkey or one they bought from my school when the Turkish rug sellers came. I think it was the latter.

I got up and walked towards the hallway to go to the kitchen in the back of the house and get something to eat. I was starving and I wasn't sure why. Just as I was about to pass the huge picture mirror that use to hang in my Grandparent's house, I heard someone cry. It was more of a muffled sob but it was still very disturbing.

I looked at the direction it came from and saw my brother's room as well as my old room. I check in my old room first, figuring nothing would be in there. My parents had long ago switched that to a guest bedroom but Mom kept the bright turquoise walls that I painted it back in 2001 I guess. My original bedroom was upstairs but I switched the room down here with my youngest brother because no one would help me carry my new bedroom furniture up the stairs. So it was either switch rooms or figure out a pulley system.

I was shocked to see a woman sitting on my bed in red pajamas. I knew those pajamas. I wore them every time I'd spend the night at Mom and Dad's and hadn't packed anything. They were my Mom's pajamas. But Mom didn't have salt and pepper hair like that. She dyed it to keep it all an even brown. Her hands weren't that wrinkled. She used this special lotion to keep her hands from getting too horrible. And Mom wasn't that thin. Oh, she was thin, like maybe a size six when I left, but this woman in my room was skin and bones before me.

"Excuse me?" I called out to her gently. I could tell she was holding something in her hands but I couldn't tell what. I don't think she heard me though, since she kept crying. I knelt before her and touched her hand –which felt as cold as my vampires'- but she didn't respond. Biting my lip, I tried to think of how to ask her who she was and what the heck she was doing in my parents house. I didn't get a chance to ask.

The woman who looked up at me was clearly my mother. Her face looked so much older now, every bit of her 58 years plus some. My mom had always looked so much younger than she really was. People honestly thought we were sisters when we went out anywhere. But now, this woman before me looked old enough to be my mother. She looked older than old enough to be my mother.

I gasped and fell back on to the familiar itchy wool oriental carpet that went in my room. Her eyes didn't look at me. It was as if I wasn't even there. "Sis, please, Elizabeth, why don't you call me?" she pleaded with the air. I felt my lip tremble.

"Mom?" I called out to frail woman. "I'm right here," I told her as I scrambled to get up off the floor.

"Even a letter, something, to let me know you are alright," she stated, tears streaming down her aged face.

"Mommy? I'm right here. I'm fine but I'm right here," I told her as I went to grasp her hand and hold it. It felt like ice but that was pretty normal for my Mom. We had poor circulation in my family.

"I know it can't be you they found today. It just can't be," she whispered. I noticed she had her rosary in the hand I wasn't holding. She moved the beads through her fingers as she mumbled off another Hail Mary. Tears started to stream down my face, mirroring my Mom.

"Mommy? Find who? I'm right here! Your daughter is right here!" I told her emphatically. She just kept mumbling Hail Mary's, oblivious to me. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to act. Ginsie cocked her head at me and I heard someone in the back of the house turn the TV on. Curious, I kissed my Mom on her head.

"I'll be right back, Mom," I told her quietly before patting my thigh to indicate to Ginsie to follow me. Ginsie looked at me, and then at Mom, before curling up on the itchy wool rug and deciding to stay with the person she always saw as the Alpha. I was just the Beta in Ginsie's mind.

Sighing and wiping the tears from my eyes, I followed the hallway down to the back of the house, into the family room and kitchen area. I didn't bother to look in the mirror to see the dining room on the way; I just wanted to see who else was home and what was going on.

_Reports have been unable to confirm if the body found in the remote part of Pennsylvania is in fact, the remains of Elizabeth French. You may remember, since we have been reporting on this story for the past few months, that Elizabeth French is the FBI's intelligence analyst that went missing on a trip. We understand now, from recent reporting, that she might have been heading to Cornell to help with a production at the college. However, she never made it. _

I heard Shepard Smith say from the TV. I stopped in the hallway, listening intently. I was missing? I was right here! I wasn't missing! Hoddy Toddy, Shep! I was in my house, well, my parents house. It was close enough. I had just come over to spend the day with my family again but I wasn't missing. What idiot would report me missing? Is that what had my Mom so worked up that she couldn't even look at me?

Slowly, I took another step into towards the family room.

_The FBI, local police, and even some private companies have devoted countless hours to trying to find her. _

But I'm right here! Another step. I was right next to the basement door, almost into the family room area.

_What is odd in this case is that there is nothing, and I mean nothing, in terms of evidence left behind. The FBI issues these phones, you see, that Miss French had, and they tried to track her using it but they didn't get a signal at all. Which might make sense if the battery was dead but she had called from it only an hour before police believe she went missing._

I looked around the family room. My brother, Lee, was there. I smiled faintly at him, hoping he could see me. He looked up towards where I was and then back down again, like I wasn't there. Even Shiloh, the family dog, passed me by without a growl or bark. He always barked when he saw me until I told him to hush. He couldn't see well so he growled and barked at everyone until he heard a familiar voice.

Lee was looking at the TV with a stony expression. Was he mad at me? It wasn't like I asked anyone to go looking for me. I wasn't lost! I was right here! Not that I could get lost anyway. I knew how to navigate by the stars and I knew how to tell time by the sun. It was impossible for me to get lost. "Lee?" I called to him but I got no answer.

…_reports are conflicting in the information on the remains found today. Some say that it is Elizabeth French, others claim that it isn't. What we do know is a body was found approximately five hundred yards from the place we believe that Miss French last pulled over. _

A body? Where I pulled over? Suddenly, all my memories of the past few months came back to me. I was heading to Ithaca. I met the Cullens. I killed Jane. Gabriel kidnapped me. I killed Alec with his help. A truce. I love Gabriel. I will marry Gabriel in three days now.

I stood in the family room, shell shocked. Lee looked up at me like he could see through me. "Oh, hey, Mom. Didn't mean to disturb you," he said, quickly clicking the TV off.

Mom walked right by me, not even sparing a glance my way. "No, leave it on," she whispered hoarsely. Lee nodded and clicked the TV back on with the remote. The news reports started to spew out of the speakers again.

"It's not her, Mom," Lee told her. My Mom only nodded.

"Of course it's not me! I'm here," I shouted at them, but neither responded. Maybe they couldn't. Maybe it was because I wasn't apart of that dimension anymore.

"Oh, you are a part of it," I heard a familiar voice say. Turning, I saw my Dad.

"Daddy!" I screamed, happily. I grinned at him when I saw him. But his face twisted and he wasn't my Dad anymore. I didn't recognize the man in front of me. I turned to my brother and Mom to see if they saw the strange man with the long black hair who was too young, too off looking to be my Dad.

Mom wasn't Mom either any longer. Her hair went from the salt and pepper –which didn't look right on her to begin with- to a brilliant flame red. Victoria. And Lee twisted into that burning boy I saw in the motel all those weeks ago. Alec.

I started to scream when Alec lunged for me and the world went black. Well, it didn't go completely black. I woke up and the room was dark. Gabriel cradled me into his arms quickly as someone else opened the curtains for the single window I had in the apartment. I didn't care who else was there, I just wept into Gabriel's shirt.

Was that what was really going on? Was that how my universe looked now? I could imagine that all happening –well, the part before everyone I loved in that universe turned into monsters from this one-. The FBI would be out looking for me. My Mom would be a nervous wreck. I don't know how my Dad would respond but I bet it wouldn't be pretty. He finally realized he had a daughter and I get taken away from him.

My entire family, my blood family, did they miss me? Could they miss me? I mean, I was still in the past so did the future just keep going or did I have to catch up first? Was it all just my imagination or was I seeing something of reality there? The more I woke up, the more I realized it was just a dream. A horrible nightmarish dream, but a dream. This was my reality now and I think I liked it that way.

Beyond Gabriel's murmurs in Italian of how everything was alright, I heard a familiar velvet voice as well. "He won't get you again, Elizabeth. No one will," Edward vowed. I looked up at my cousin as he walked back out of my room and towards the stairs. I believed him. I had a family here that loved me. But what of my family in my universe? I have my happy ending laid out before me but do they have theirs?

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**Author's Note: **So, depressed yet? One more chapter for this book and then on to book three!


	60. BII C xxxiii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own ummm…a rather impressive fabric collection!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Okay, I really hope everyone likes this chapter. It's the last one before Book 3/the Wedding! :-) As always, thank you to everyone who reviews. I'm sorry I haven't responded to every review. But do know that I like 'em all. :-) Oh, and did everyone see that Nordstrom's has a New Moon fashion collection in their junior's department? I need the baby doll dress...

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_Shooting Stars_

Chapter 33

After the disastrous morning, I quickly found out that I had "awoken" the entire house. Well, except the other person that actually slept. I was horribly embarrassed. Gabriel had been in the room with me, reading, when I started to have my nightmare. Everyone else was in their rooms through out the house up to various pursuits that I doubted I wanted to know about in most cases.

According to Alice, what happened is she got a vision of me waking up and not wanting to talk to anyone for the rest of the day; only crying for brief periods before curling up into a ball and not sleeping again until I literally collapse in two in a half days from exhaustion. To prevent that, Alice, Jasper, and Edward all came running down the stairs to the basement. Edward said he was watching my nightmare as it was happening but it was going by pretty fast. He just knew he had to wake me up because what he did see he didn't like. According to him, my dreams are normally pretty amusing -like me being lost in the mall or going down to the beach.

Well, because those three came rushing down the stairs, the rest of the house wanted to know what was going on. Carlisle ended up checking my temperature and blood pressure to make sure I was alright and not going into shock or anything. I tried to explain to him that it was just a nightmare but he wouldn't listen. Esme stayed downstairs with me for a while, while Carlisle gave Gabriel instructions to make sure I take some sleeping pills tonight. Given that I really didn't want to go back to sleep anymore, I'm guessing those sleeping pills might not be a bad idea –as long as I don't get any more nightmares.

Even Rosalie and Emmett came down the stairs. It really was only Bella that ended up staying in her and Edward's room. Of course, she was fast asleep and didn't even know anything had happened at all. Thank Goodness.

Because everyone was now worried about me after the nightmare –although only Edward had any indication of what it was about- they were all walking on eggshells around me. I just had to get out of the house for a bit so I was incredibly grateful to Billy when he called and asked if I could come over. He had some questions about what went on with Jacob that he couldn't ask over the phone. Amazingly, I was even allowed to bring one vampire as back up which I found humorous. Billy said he got the whole protection thing now. I guess the wolves working with the vampires went a lot better than I thought.

Now, the problem was who to bring. I wanted someone that wouldn't intimidate the wolves so Gabriel, Emmett, and Rosalie were immediately out of the picture. I didn't need anyone with a temper worse than my own. Edward might be useful just to figure out what the wolves were up too but they might also see that as distrust. Brining Carlisle along made sense from a tribal leader/clan leader perspective but I'm not exactly sure if it's just Billy or if the rest of the tribal elders would be there. I got the idea it was informal but a lot of questions. Carlisle has more patients than I did.

Esme was my first choice, really. My big sister helped to keep me calm. Of course, if I wanted calm, I should just bring Jasper but I also didn't want to use my nephew like that. Alice would be amusing. She looks completely un-intimidating but no one is stupid enough to go up against her. Of course, she'd be blind and complain about it the entire time which is why I didn't want to bring her. Amusing but probably not the best choice.

"Still thinking?" Gabriel asked me, amused.

"Stai zitto," I grumbled at him. He was leaning against the counter in the kitchen. I had come in here to pace for a bit and look for some hot tea. Why is it only 62 f as a high in June? It's freakin' June and it can't get above 70? I'd even be moderately pleased with 65 at this point. There is no logical reason why my fingernails should be blue in the middle of summer.

"Technically, it's not summer yet," Edward smirked at me as he came in. Alice was taking Bella back to Charlie's.

"Tu tambien," I said, in Spanish, while pointing at Edward but not looking at him. I was still debating on whom to bring –who would cause the least stress on the wolves and not drive me crazy too- while I looked through the cupboard for my favorite mug.

By the time I had taken one step on the step ladder that was kept in the kitchen, my favorite mug was dangling in front of me. I looked over at Gabriel and glared at him as I snatched it off his finger. I went to the next cabinet to get my tea and honey before getting the kettle off the stove. Hot tea was just too delicious and it did help me to think.

"I will go, cara mia. I do not like it when you go there so unprotected," Gabriel informed me. I raised an eyebrow at him before pouring the water into my mug.

"And my count is what, again?" I pointed out to him. I had two of the most talents vampires as strikes, injured a third, and a couple of werewolves. I'm the only human known to have survived that many supernatural creatures out to harm me or kill me as far as anyone seemed to know and yet Gabriel was worried about me going over to see the tame version of werewolf? Well, tame compared to children of the moon at least. I'd gotten to the point were I seriously doubt any of the shapeshifters would hurt me. Not that I seriously thought they would anyway.

Gabriel sighed and Edward smirked. "That is not the point, amata mia," Gabriel told me, frustrated. I looked at him and he looked right back at me. Both of our tempers were starting to flair. I quirked an eyebrow and jabbed a finger –somewhat carefully because I didn't want to hurt myself- in his chest.

"That is why you aren't coming," I said. Gabriel looked confused but Edward started to laugh.

"If that is the reason, dear cousin, then you shouldn't go either," Edward teased. I shrugged.

"I'm human. For whatever reason, they tend to be less scared of sword wielding humans with flame throwers than vampires," I said with a shrug before turning my attention back to Gabriel. "Particularly vampires with tempers," I told my fiancé.

"Then it is a decision between Esme and Carlisle?" Gabriel stated quickly. My brow furrowed a bit. I hadn't said I excluded anyone, yet, other than my fiancé. I knew I'd be just as protective over him as he was over me so it was just not a good situation all around.

Gabriel smiled gently at me and cupped my face. "They are the only two that I can think that would not have a temper or other ill temperament," he explained. I sighed and turned to get my tea, nodding before I took a sip. I still wasn't sure which one to ask or if I should let them decide for themselves. Maybe that was the better option, just ask my brother and sister which one of them would like to go. But then again, Carlisle would automatically let Esme go if she expressed even the slightest interest and Esme would never want to take something away from Carlisle that he showed an interest in. The dilemma would just continue on.

I sighed as I slid onto the barstool and tried to think over who to bring with me, rationally, while I sipped at my tea. "Carlisle," Edward said quietly, standing next to me. Both Gabriel and I turned our heads to look at my cousin.

Edward was looking at his feet as he mumbled his explanation. "My mother isn't a fighter, thought I doubt it will come to that. My father is the better choice. He won't fight unless there isn't any other option on the table but he can fight, if it comes to that," he said very quietly to the point I could scarcely hear him. I realized it was probably because he didn't want that information to leave this room.

Getting up, I hugged Edward. "Thank you," I whispered to him before running up to the study and knocking on Carlisle's door. I'd take my big brother with me and go see the wolves.

Carlisle was excited. Oh, he tried to hide it but he couldn't stop smiling as we drove in the Mercedes towards La Push. He was almost as bad as me when I'm allowed to go into a fabric shop. I found out, quickly, the other part to Edward wanting Carlisle to go was that Carlisle was always curious about the wolves. He wanted to know everything about them and was disappointed by the few hints and stories he could get his hands on. The shapeshifters weren't exactly forthcoming in telling a vampire about themselves and he hadn't been able to press the issue before. He hoped to get a few questions in and maybe even ask for some hair for DNA analysis. Blood would be best but a vampire asking for blood wasn't exactly the best idea. Asking for a couple of hairs or a cheek swap would go over much better.

Right now, given that Carlisle was finally able to sedate some of his curiosity by actually going on to their land by their own invitation, his smile grew. As we approached the border, however, Carlisle slowed down a bit, his smile slipping infinitesimally, probably because he had the same worry I did –that they might resend that invitation.

The second we got to the border, I saw a sandy fluff of fur on my side and a dark gray on the other. Whoever the dark gray was, it wasn't Leah. I smiled, slightly, to Seth as Carlisle continued to drive. I was only brought out of my thoughts by Carlisle clearing his throat to catch my attention. "I'm afraid I haven't ever been here so I'm not quite sure which way to go," Carlisle admitted.

I smiled a bit more. "Asking directions? Doesn't that violate one of the 'man rules', Carlisle?" I teased him. I pointed before he could object. "He lives right off La Push road, on the left," I said, pointing up ahead to the familiar faded red building.

"Those rules were constructed after I was born," Carlisle told me. "The only rules I know of are to make sure to embarrass any younger siblings at every given opportunity," he said with a smile. I watched him with careful eyes as we pulled up to Billy's house. Seth came out of the woods wearing sweatpants and walked up next to Billy.

Billy was sitting on the front porch of his house, looking like he was waiting for us. He didn't smile when he saw us but nodded to Carlisle and me. I bit my lip, suddenly worried that this was a bit more than just about Jacob running off and being an idiot. Then again, it still, very much, could be. After all, I wouldn't be smiling if my child just ran off and left without much word as to why.

"Billy," Carlisle said in greeting, smiling as he led me from the car. "Thank you, greatly, for your invitation."

Billy grunted something in response and looked at me. I stayed near my big brother despite having my sword and an instant flame thrower at my side. Emmett had jerry-rigged something together so all I had to do is press one button and the spray can came out as flames, not paint. It was a rather neat little gizmo and I gave Emmett a kiss. I was glad someone was thinking of my weapon arsenal.

"Since you've been ….good enough to let us on your land, figured it wouldn't hurt to let one of you come on to ours with escort," Billy told him, eyeing me. I bit my lip again but knew Carlisle would only respond kindly. I don't think he actually had a mean bone in his body. Unlike me. I bet I could spare one or two…

"Again, thank you," Carlisle said graciously. I wasn't sure what would happen next. We all were just there on Billy's porch before Seth finally spoke up.

"I think Sam will be here soon, guys. Shouldn't we go inside?" Seth asked. I smirked slightly. Sure, the fact that a vampire was right here next to a vampire hunter on shapeshift land wouldn't faze him in the slightest.

Billy nodded and gestured to the door with his head. "Carlisle? Elizabeth?" he more stated than asked. I went inside the house I had been in a couple of times before now and just collapsed easily on the couch. Seth took a seat on the floor, next to his mom who was already here.

"Hi, Sue," I said, giving her a tentative smile as Carlisle took a seat next to me.

"Elizabeth," Sue said in greeting but her eyes were on Carlisle. It was pretty clear that she wasn't use to the whole vampire actually in front of her thing yet. Carlisle was, at least acting, oblivious and took in the room around him. I doubt he'd been in anything so thoroughly middle class since before he had a family –maybe even since he was human. Although, I'm sure he'd been in homes of many different people in his occupation as a doctor. It's not like there wasn't a time when the doctor actually came to your house when you were sick rather you going to him. Luckily, in my case, I just had to go upstairs. Or send Gabriel upstairs. Either way, it worked.

Billy wheeled himself in and took a spot somewhat across from me and Carlisle. Sam came in almost right behind him and sat down in one of the empty chairs. "Quil senior will not be able to join us right now," Sam said.

"Is he alright?" Carlisle asked, concerned. Sam nodded and I think Billy actually cracked a smile a bit.

"He's fine. Probably just napping," Billy answered easily. Carlisle relaxed immediately.

"I see," Carlisle breathed out and looked at the assembled tribal members before us. Leah, Embry, Jared, and the younger Quil all came in and sat down at various spots around the room. They all tried to stay away from Carlisle as much as possible but it was hard in this tiny room.

By the look on Billy and Sue's faces, I guess everyone that should be here was here. I bit my lip again. What was going on? My heart stopped, I think, when Billy pulled out a couple of pieces of paper from a bag on the side of his wheelchair. "We aren't sure what happened," Billy started. The way those pieces of papers were charcoaled at the edges and the way one was completely crumpled, I had a good guess at what those few sheets were. "But I do know that my son was in his room _reading_ for two days, comes out one morning, and leaves," Billy said, a hint of anger in his voice. I looked down. I had no idea what pieces Billy had, or how much he had put together, but this wasn't good.

"This is all we found after he apparently claimed that he wanted to go his own way and left," Billy said, handing the papers to Carlisle. Of course, Carlisle hadn't ever read the books so he wouldn't know much about it. I had. I knew everything there was to know about it.

Taking the papers, Carlisle looked them over critically. Looking over his shoulder a bit, I saw which pages survived. Fortunately, it was only four pages. Unfortunately, it was enough to piece everything together. The crumbled page was the last one from Jacob's point of view in Breaking Dawn; where he imprints on Renesmee. It was enough; it was too much. No one had told them about the hybrids, yet, I think. And it mentions Leah, Seth, and Jacob as one pack –also not good. They know where Jacob got the idea from.

What to tell them. How to explain what this was? What it is? How so much has changed and yet how much we don't want certain things to change –like Renesmee… Did I explain that I wasn't from here? That I was from a parallel universe or was that too much? They knew Alice couldn't see them now. Bella let that one slip. So any references, no matter how veiled, to Alice fabricating all of this would be shown to be a total lie really quickly.

"Before he left, Jacob tried to burn all the pages except for the last one there. I only got a few out of the fire before they all went up," Billy said gruffly.

"What kind of nonsense is it?" Sam asked, anger in his voice too. I looked up, worried, at both of them. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to have to explain again.

"I'm afraid I was unaware of some the finer details but I believe these to be from a series of books Bella and Edward received," Carlisle stated carefully. He handed the pages back to Billy who put them back in a bag on the side of his chair.

"We know she has something to do with it," Sam stated, almost glaring at me. I fought the urge to glare back. I was supposed to behave.

Carlisle moved slightly in his seat. I realized, slowly, he had taken a more protective posture but still non-confrontational. He was placing himself between me and Sam. "Elizabeth brought the books but she did not write them or otherwise have any involvement in them," Carlisle told them.

"What are they? These books?" Sue asked, a mix of curiosity and worry in her voice. I looked up at Carlisle who looked at me. Everything in his eyes told me that it was up to me as to what I wanted to do. I turned to look at the assembled group of wolves and fellow humans; some them looked hostile but some looked curious.

"They are just a series of books from where I come from," I started to explain.

"Where you come from?" Leah spoke up, looking at me, already, like I was crazy. I nodded before looking down again. I wouldn't get as angry if I didn't look at them.

I started my story. The same story I've told Jacob, I've told Bella, and I've told my entire family. It doesn't change. I'm still here. My biological family is still there and I have no idea if they even miss me yet or not. If they just figure I gave up and left or if they realizing something actually happened to me. Eventually, I guess, they'd have to make a grave for me. Even thinking of going back hurts. I don't want to leave. Maybe if I could have the best of both worlds, have both my families, maybe but I know that's not possible.

I didn't look at the wolves as I tried to explain. I felt Carlisle gently squeeze my shoulder when I finished. I looked up at my big brother and he smiled at me reassuringly before I looked at the shocked and confused faces of the wolves. I quickly looked down. I know it's not an easy thing to accept that pretty much your life story is written in a few pieces of paper that are extremely popular in another universe and you didn't even get a say in it being written. I know that feeling all too well.

"Cool!" I heard Seth shout.

"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Leah said at the same time.

"Do you believe it, Carlisle?" Billy asked him carefully. All eyes burning a hole at the top of my head. I didn't want to see them. I didn't want to get angry as I had to defend myself, again, in regards to what I know to be true. People never want to believe the truth, they only want what they can rationalize. Of course, rationalizing some things is just making up excuses for things you know are wrong and making them okay in your head.

"Yes," Carlisle said easily. "I have seen a great deal of proof in what Elizabeth claims. It is from those books that we were able to discover when Riley would go through Bella's room. It is also from those books that we have learned a great deal more that we are prepared, now, to deal with," he explained, his hand on my shoulder again.

"Like the child?" Sam said gruffly. I looked up at that, anger burning in my eyes. They had no say in whether or not Bella and I could have children. None what so ever. We both wanted to give life, not take a life away. Our own lives would be saved by venom, changed into vampires ourselves so we could watch our children grow.

"Yes, we now know what to expect," Carlisle told him. It was clear that the others were just as worried maybe even angry as Sam about that development.

"You will let Bella risk her life for an abomination?" It was Jared that spoke this time. I could see some minor breaks in the ranks when he used "abomination". So, there was some dissention already.

"I cannot control what Bella or Elizabeth choose, only guide them and hope that they understand all their options," Carlisle informed him. His statement seemed to force all eyes on me.

"The hybrid children are not abominations," I stated, glaring down at Jared. "Or did you miss the part where Jacob is supposed to imprint on her?" I didn't look over at the hand on my shoulder. I knew Carlisle was still there and he was trying, gently, to keep me calm and not think about tearing Jared's head off.

"Are you saying everything on those pages will happen?" Billy asked, his tone filled with both curiosity and anger.

"Not necessarily in that way, but we have reason to believe that Jacob will imprint on Renesmee still. I kinda messed up a lot of everything else," I said looking down.

The wolves and Carlisle started to talk amongst themselves. If any offspring of Bella and Edward was to become the object of Jacob's imprint, then the wolves could not forceable object. They asked Carlisle, as well as me, a lot of questions about how we know what is on the pages will happen. We both tried to explain –Carlisle sighting the recent battle with Victoria as an example- and myself pointing out that there was a bonfire tonight in which they'd all tell stories about previous battles, like the third wife. That seemed to get the wolves attention rather quickly. Technically speaking, I shouldn't know about that or any of the stories but, having read Eclipse oh nine or ten times, I could recite the stories almost as well as they could. Billy and Sue were impressed but Jared seemed a bit dismayed about it.

"We will need to discuss this further among ourselves," Billy said in regards to the hybrid children issue.

"Of course," Carlisle answered calmly.

"As to my son, I'm pretty sure the papers are what made him run off," Billy said with a hint of sadness in his tone.

I nodded. "I'm sorry about that Billy. I doubt he'll be gone for long. He'll need to come back eventually," I said sincerely. In the books, Jacob came back for Bella's wedding. Would he do the same or would he come back more quickly than that? After all, he didn't leave until after the battle either in the books. Of course, now, there wouldn't be a battle most likely. The ring leaders were dead and from what Demetri said on the phone earlier when he called, the newborns were being taken care of by him, Felix, and Santiago who joined them.

Billy only nodded in reply. Sam looked at him then Sue before speaking again. "I have spoken with him. Jacob seems determined to remain in his wolf form for now," Sam told us.

"If there is anything we can do, please, let us know," Carlisle stated.

Biting my lip again, I had to ask, "Then you have managed to speak to him? Alpha to alpha?" Sam nodded but it relieved me a bit. At least they knew he was alive.

Everyone started to get up so Carlisle and I did the same. "Thank you for coming," Billy told us.

"I thank you for your invitation again, Billy," Carlisle responded. I only hoped that the wolves would invite the vampires back again. Even if I was only allowed to bring one at a time, it would be enough. Maybe they'd even get to see the beach! Esme did like the stones I brought home.

"Umm, I hate to ask, but y'all wouldn't mind to much if I took Carlisle down to the beach? He's never seen it and I know Esme wanted some more stones for the dining room," I asked quietly.

Billy actually smiled a bit. Sue grimaced but that was only because of Seth's enthusiastic "I'll go with them!", I think. Sam nodded at Seth and Leah rolled her eyes. I heard her mutter something but I could only catch that it wasn't nice and that Leah had no intention of letting her little brother alone with the big bad vampire and the sabbatianoi.

"Actually, we were planning on asking your clan to join us tonight. After catching that uh…Victoria today, we've got a lot to celebrate," Billy said with a bit of a smile. "I've heard she was a tricky one," he continued.

Carlisle smiled warmly. "We would love to come. I am eager to hear your stories for myself," he stated easily.

"Then, tonight, if you don't mind," Sam said a bit uncomfortably.

Carlisle nodded and we both said our goodbyes. On the way back, Carlisle tried to make small talk but I could feel the budding nervousness over the entire meeting decide to come forward. I didn't like telling my story. I hated it even more each time with knowing that people tended to react badly. Maybe badly wasn't the right word as much as I just wish someone would believe me right off the bat. It's not like I hid a lot of knowledge. If I knew something that I thought would help, I'd tell anyone. I only hid the things that I thought people would be angry about.

The second we got home, I ran right into Gabriel's arms. I could tell he was confused but I didn't say anything. I just hugged him with all my might and didn't want to let go. I could hear Carlisle and Esme behind me. Carlisle whispered to Gabriel about what occurred. I couldn't hear all of it, just bits and pieces –enough to know that Carlisle was giving both Esme and Gabriel a summary of what happened at Billy's. The wolves now knew that I was just a human from another universe, not really a sabbatianoi. I knew about them, about the vampires, about everything because of the books. Why couldn't Jacob have just burned everything? And why on God's green Earth did he crumble the last page rather than burn it?

Bella and I would hide during our pregnancies and just not let the wolves know. It would have been simple. By the time they found out about the children, they would be able to see for themselves that the children were harmless. Well, mostly harmless. No fighting, no sacrifices, just a bit of deception and everything would be fine.

But then again, nothing is ever fine. Something is always twisted and wrong and this felt wrong. Despite the fact the wolves were being nice, Jacob running away and not being at the bonfire tonight felt wrong. He was supposed to be there. He was supposed to help fight but he did neither. He didn't even show Charlie was he really was. What would Charlie do when Billy told him that Jacob ran off? Would it be posters plastered everywhere? Just like in the book? Or would the reaction be different because the timing was different? How much had I screwed up?

First there was Jane. I killed her so she wouldn't continue to hurt Gabriel. But, in doing so, she was no longer part of the offensive line of the Volturi guard. Thanks to me, the Volturi lost their entire offensive line, really. Alec was also out of the picture. I had a feeling that, if the Volturi were to try anything right now, Felix and Demetri might suddenly be unreachable. I wasn't sure about this Santiago but Demetri particularly seemed to be warming up the entire clan. So who was left? There were thirty plus members in Breaking Dawn. But how many could really take us on? How many even saw the Volturi as being the rulers of the vampire kind anymore? If one little human can take away so much, then what can this one little human do when she becomes a vampire?

It would only be two or three months before anyone found out. I'm still not sure if I'll be a crazed newborn or be nice and peaceful given that I already know what it will be like. I was prepared. I could control myself, I hoped. I would have to for my daughter. At least, I hoped I would have a daughter. A son would be fine too but all I really wanted was to marry my Gabriel in three more days and to have a child. The child would be half me, half him. The child would be perfect no matter what it was. Of course, it brought up larger issues of what if I get pregnant early? What if Gabriel can't save me? What if I can't get pregnant at all? I preferred the simple plan. I'd marry Gabriel. We'd use protection until right before Edward and Bella's wedding, and then Bella and I, hopefully, will deliver around the same time. But given my entire life, given my life here, since when has anything -ever- gone to plan?

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**Author's Note:** Sorry this is late! I couldn't figure out the wording and kept going back and forth on a couple of sections. I hope y'all like it though! Review? Please?


	61. BIII Ci

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own Ginsie who is the cutest puppy dog ever. Honestly, she's cuter than Seth! ;-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** I really hope y'all like this chapter. I've prepared the bunker just in case…. And no one noticed how OCD I got with the last chapter? Chapter 33? Exactly 300,000 words for the entire story. 60 chapters total? I wonder if the review number will get to the point where it's divisible by three as well….

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 1

Until today, I didn't feel the least bit nervous about marrying Gabriel. Oh, I knew I was insane for marrying a five hundred and twenty one year old vampire but that didn't matter. I was more worried about after the wedding. I knew Gabriel would go through with our bargain –he wanted a child too- but did he even really want me that way?

Yes, we were getting married and I had seen the lust in his eyes more than once but I kept thinking about the scars I had. I've managed to hide most of them. He'd only seen the one upon my neck that I got thanks to the stupid tumors but what about the botched reduction surgery? He hadn't seen those scars and, although they've gotten better, the scarring there was still pretty bad. Much worse than the stupid scar on my neck. Of course, once I'm a vampire, those scars, all the marks from my very human existence will disappear. The only scars I'll have are the ones from Gabriel's own venom.

There was the matter of my inexperience in such things as well. Gabriel has admitted that he was far less than virtuous before he met me. What if I didn't please him? That worried me a lot more than the scars. Of course, it's not like I could exactly state any of my worries to anyone. It was really a bit too embarrassing and I tried to keep my thoughts clean when I was around Edward. I didn't want to embarrass him or make him uncomfortable.

So, I kept my thoughts, for the most part, on the dress and the chapel. Alice finished my dress. Or, rather, she said she finished my dress for me. I just hope she didn't make any changes to it. My wedding gown was loosely based on a gown from one of my favorite movies, Ever After. The ball gown Danielle wears inspired me to make something similar. Rather than the silvers and creams, I went with ice blue and turquoise. Blue was the color to honor the Virgin Mary on your wedding day. It's why the tradition still holds to "wear something blue". My entire dress was blue so I think I was fine there. Esme had given me the penny for my shoe.

Right now, I was wearing nothing more than my hand sewn linen chemise and sitting on the vanity stool in the hotel room. The girls took over the honeymoon suite to help prevent me from seeing Gabriel for a full twenty four hours before the wedding. They seemed to be enjoying themselves; even Bella, who was along for the ride. I just kept reminding her that she had to go through this in a couple more months and that took the grin off her face quick.

Rosalie was doing my hair in a period style. It's one I've tried a couple of times before but sewing your own hair to your head using a ribbon and a needle is never the easiest thing. Rose was using ribbon and a string or pearls. Real pearls, to go through my hair once it was bound to the back of my head. I actually let her use the curling iron on my hair too so that I had soft curls framing my face. Rosalie was doing an excellent job.

Alice was having fun standing before me in her heels and her dress. Once Alice saw my decision on what style of dress I wanted to make, she declared _everyone_ had to dress up in Renaissance period clothing. Now, this wouldn't be so bad in my mind –my true dream wedding included everyone at the wedding in various forms of period clothing- if my very soon to be husband wasn't_ from_ the Renaissance and my darling big brother wasn't from a time period soon after it. They could remember what was worn. Although I loved hearing from Carlisle about the huge falling ruffs and getting to study his old waistcoats –he found that amusing-, there was something wrong about making everyone dress up that way when a few of them might have a chance of remembering it. It would be like forcing me and Bella to dress up in clothing styles from the 1980s a hundred years from now. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't mind that and it would be hilarious to wear a bubble skirt again…

Still, Alice was determined and ordered outfits for everyone. I was horrified. Really. Not that the girls seemed to mind. I also found out that Emmett was wearing a kilt so I knew that whatever the boys were forced to wear under whatever punishment Alice blackmailed them with wasn't completely accurate. Thank goodness. I don't think I would have been able to keep a straight face if they had to wear the hosen and little short cotehardies of Gabriel's time. Well, that was when Gabriel was a teenager and _I_ wouldn't mind seeing him wear that but it just wasn't a good idea over all.

Bella was wearing a similar cut to my own gown but out of blue and gold brocade. Rosalie had a kirtle style gown on that was tight around the torso and then flowed out from the hips to puddle at the floor. Esme was wearing a similar outfit to Rosalie and Alice… Alice looked like her pixie self in a lacy chemise, back lacing bodice, and skirt. I swear, I should just stick fairy wings on the girl. I think I saw a pair somewhere in the luggage…

As I was getting my hair and make-up done, I thought about the werewolf barbeque we all got invited too. That had been amusing although a bit odd without Jacob there. It was still fun, especially when Emmett got Paul into a headlock. Sam and Carlisle just watched them, looked at each other, and basically shrugged. Neither seemed too concerned that the vampire and the werewolf were fighting. Of course, this was after a couple of hours of having been there. I ignored the two meatheads completely.

Seth had brought his guitar. He was only just learning and knew only a couple of cords. Edward taught him a couple of more but it was Gabriel that, eventually, took the guitar away from him and played some sort of song I hadn't heard before. My darling very soon to be husband claimed it was from the 16th century but since they didn't have guitars at that point in time, I'm not sure how "improved" it was. It was pretty though.

The bonfire that we sat around flickered blue and green with hints of yellow. I was mesmerized by it. Oh, sure, we had those crystals you throw on the fire that I took with me to re-enactments and stuff but I hadn't seen an entire fire turn blue or green for so long. I loved the way the light played off of everything from the trees to the beach, to the faces of my family and our now friends, the werewolves. Well, sort of. If Emmett killed Paul or vice versa, I doubt this tentative friendship would last. Unfortunately, Jasper, Quil, and Embry were taking bets on how many times Emmett and Paul would get into a fight that night. I put $5 in for six times. At least once an hour.

"Amata mia?" Gabriel called to me. Seth had only asked that Gabriel return his guitar to him by the end of the night. I promised I'd get it back to him. Leah wasn't happy about that arrangement but Seth seemed pleased. I looked over at my fiancé.

"I think you know this song," Gabriel teased as he began to play one of my favorites. I stuck my tongue out at him. I know he was trying to goad me into singing. It was hard not to sing along when I heard it come on the radio. To hear my beloved fiancé play it made it even harder.

"You do not want to sing?" Gabriel teased more as he got past the first couple of opening cords.

"You can sing?" Seth asked for the other side of the fire.

"Aunt Sissy typically only sings over the other ladies in church," Edward smirked, Bella sitting next to him. I stuck my tongue out at him too and crossed my arms. I wasn't going to sing. I wasn't.

Well, until Emily asked me too and Esme. Ugh! Like I can say no to my big sister! So yes, I sang a couple of songs. One was a song everyone knew, at least a little bit, and the other was an old Appalachia song that I doubt even most of the vampires knew. It was after my little performance that the story time started. Carlisle and Sam actually had to break up Emmett and Paul then. It was sort of sad because that meant that I'd loose the bet unless they got one more fight in.

Story time was actually a lot of fun. Carlisle was fascinated by the legends and asked a ton of questions of Quil and Billy afterwards, much to their delight. I only shook my head when Carlisle and Gabriel tried to figure out who the vampires that the first pack killed were. I muttered that, based on what I had found and what I had seen, those vampires were before both of their times and probably closer to the Denali sisters birth. …Unfortunately, that only resolved Carlisle to call up Tanya after the werewolf soiree –as Edward put it- and ask her if she knew of any vampires around that time that fit the description both the werewolves and I gave.

That led to Tanya and Carlisle talking. When meant Carlisle let slip that I was getting married on Tuesday. …To Gabriel. Kate and Tanya decided they had to see this so they were here, in New Orleans, too. Irina refused to come, calling it an irrevocable wound for "us" to take away her friend and then to forgive Gabriel enough to let him marry me. I felt sorry for her and even tried, secretly, to call her on Tanya's phone but she wouldn't pick up. I did speak to Carmen and she said Irina had taken off but to not worry. Irina would come back eventually and it's just a lot for her to take in right now. I hoped she was right.

"Okay, there," Alice said as she inspected her handiwork. I normally hated wearing anything more than lipstick but I told Alice she could have her fun today. Apparently, they had to go with the lightest shade of foundation available. I was proud of that. I hated looking the slightest bit tan. It just didn't work with my coloring. I always looked orange. And who wants to look like an umpa lumpa? Especially on their wedding day?

Esme came out of the bedroom holding my dress delicately. She draped it over her arms like it was some sort of priceless treasure and not just a gown I made over the past few weeks. It was about then when Kate and Tanya decided to come back in, laughing. They stopped suddenly when they saw Esme and the gown.

Kate went up to Esme and fingered the sheer silk overlay. "Where did you get a gown like this, Elizabeth?" kate asked almost breathlessly.

"She made it," Alice chirped happily before she retrieved the gown from Esme. "Up!" Alice ordered me. I sighed and closed my eyes as Rosalie had to help get the gown over my head without ruining my newly applied make-up. Everyone else was too short to help.

"You made that?" Kate asked incredulously. I nodded as Alice danced around me and began to lace me into the dress. I had to make sure everything stayed lifted while she tugged at the strings in the back.

"I remember when that style was popular," Tanya said softly. "I don't think any of us had a dress that pretty though," she said a bit more ruthfully. Kate grinned at her.

"I'm sure we could have stolen one with all those passing merchants," Kate teased. Tanya smiled back.

"Yes, I'm sure that would have looked so much better than your sarafan while out in the fields or hunting," Tanya teased. Kate smirked at her sister but watched as Alice and Rosalie tried to get me dressed. Once Alice tied the laces off in the back, I smoothed out the skirt and turned a bit to look in the mirror. Before I could get a chance though, Alice was back with the gauntlets and slipping those on my arms. Rose took one side and Alice took the other to tie those on. I just looked at Esme for help while Bella giggled from the sofa.

"Done," Alice proclaimed.

"Finally," I mumbled before turning to the mirror. The shiny reflective surface showed my dress but it took me a second to realize it was me in the dress. The girl that looked back at me had smooth, even pale skin with blood red lips. Her bright green eyes glistened beneath long black eyelashes. Dark brown curls framed her face to perfection. Alice, as usual, had out done herself. "Thank you, Alice," I told my niece, giving her an air kiss. "You too, Rose," I said, hugging the only person in the room that was taller than me. Well, by an inch. Of course, I had my chopines on right now so I was a bit taller than Rose.

"Now, we can go down to the car. The boys already left," Alice said, almost grumbling at the end. Tanya laughed and Kate grinned.

"They had a great deal of trouble keeping Gabriel from coming in here," Tanya explained when she saw the questioning look on my face. Hmm. Good. I hated that Alice even went so far as to have us on separate planes last night so that we'd have a full twenty four hours apart. It was a nightmare, really. I hadn't been apart from Gabriel, I don't think, since he kidnapped me for more than a few hours, max! Well, apart from the slumber party of fail but even then he was only down the road. I couldn't wait to get to the chapel just to see him. I did not like being separated from him like this at all.

Esme laughed at me and kissed me gently on the cheek before guiding me out of the room to the lobby. I noticed Tanya had taken Bella by the arm to talk to her. I'm sure Bella would be beet red by the time we got to the car. Although, something told me Tanya wouldn't do anything too embarrassing; just enough to get Bella to blush –like that was hard- and cause Kate to laugh at her. Luckily, I think Rose was back with them so I doubt the Denali sisters would get away with anything, really. Despite it all, Rosalie was becoming more protective of the human members of her family. I think it had to do with our decisions to not give up on anything –to have children- and still keep the loves of our lives. It was the decision she'd make in our shoes.

All the girls gathered into the limo. It had a refrigerator and I desperately wanted just one of those little bottles of champagne but Esme slapped my hand away. "After the wedding," she told me. I huffed and crossed my arms, earning another laugh from Kate.

That was something I was only told about as we were boarding the plane. My plan was to have the wedding, get some pictures in the graveyard, and leave for wherever Gabriel had planned. I know it was somewhere in Europe but I hadn't the slightest idea as to where exactly. Alice and Esme had different plans. I had a feeling even Rose was in on this and maybe even a couple of the boys. I wasn't sure though. All I was sure about was that I was getting a reception for the wedding back at the hotel. I honestly didn't see the point. I was very adamant on the no dancing thing and only Bella and I could eat cake. With only a handful of family around, most of whom were vampires, the whole idea of a reception seemed rather ridiculous to me. However, Alice got Esme to plead her case to me and that was just the epitome of evil. It was hard enough to say no to something as cute as Alice. I felt like I was refusing to give a kitten milk. To say no to Esme when she gave me that "mom" face was just as bad. The two together? Well, it didn't matter how ridiculous I thought the idea was, it wasn't like it would hurt anything… It was just stupid as far as I was concerned.

The church was only a mile down the road so we all got out after only being in the car a few minutes. The day, as was pretty normal during the summer here, was overcast. The vampires loved it. I just prayed it wouldn't rain until I was safely back in the hotel at the ridiculous reception. What was I going to do? Eat one tier and give another tier of cake to Bella? It was totally ludicrous.

Kate held me in the car when I started to get out. "Wait," she said, looking at the chapel doors. Alice was already there and talking to someone inside the church. I sighed. Only a couple more minutes, I reminded myself, and I'd be up on the altar to say my I do's and become Mrs. Gabriel Caldola. Damn, that sounded funny.

We told the priest that nearly everyone that would be attending wasn't Catholic –which was true- and that Gabriel was allergic to the communion wafers –which was only a small lie but I doubt God minded that one. It would go over a lot better than, "Oh, hi, father. I'm marrying a vampire so he can't take communion because it doesn't work well with his system." So, only I and the priest would be fully celebrating the mass. Everyone else would stay in the pews.

Alice rushed someone in, and waved Tanya, Bella, and Rose in. Esme and Kate helped me out of the car –the chopines were interesting and not quite like modern high heels- to lead me into the church. Once Esme had my arm, Kate ran into the church trying not to giggle the entire way. Tanya and Kate found this horribly amusing. Not because Gabriel was marrying a human, I found out, but simple because he was getting married at all. He was the perpetual bachelor of the vampire world. And me, a little human, had caught him. Kate and Tanya argued that I needed more than just the Cullen clan there to make sure there were enough witnesses to this. They wanted to invite more vampires to my wedding but I told them the only other ones they could invite were Carmen and Eleazar. Everyone else would just have to hear about Mrs. Caldola second hand.

Esme kissed me on the cheek again when we got into the vestibule of the church. I tried not to bite my lip. Another part that Alice and Esme both argued was for me not to walk down the aisle by myself. They wanted one of the boys –neither seemed to care who- to walk me down the aisle. I briefly did consider it but told them they could either have someone walk me down the aisle or the reception. Not both.

"Are you sure you don't want Carlisle or any of the boys to walk with you?" Esme asked me worriedly. I nodded.

"I'll be fine, Esme. It will be better if I walked down the aisle alone," I told her. I wasn't sure, but I think the chopines could smash even vampire toes pretty well. Okay, so maybe not but I was going to be fine once the music started and I went down the aisle towards my very soon to be husband.

I argued for the Danse Macabre as the wedding march song. I was told a big fat no to that by pretty much everyone who even thought they had a say in the wedding. So, as a compromise, Edward suggested the Nocture by Borodin. That went over much better and was slow enough to walk to. Whatever song I choose, it wouldn't be one of those completely overplayed pieces that everyone has had since the 1850's. Why I even needed music was a bit beyond me. After all, they didn't play songs for weddings prior to the mid-Victorian era.

"Alright, sweetheart. I'm going to take my seat. It should only be another minute," Esme said, kissing me again and squeezing my upper arm gently. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" she asked. Once I nodded, Esme quickly disappeared into the church. I didn't see anything other than basic shapes but I could tell Gabriel was already at the altar, waiting. I just hoped he hadn't seen me. I doubt it, the way the door was. It was hard enough keeping him out of the sewing room and away from the dress. He knew the materials, of course, but he didn't know the style.

Brushing my dress out again, it took my bouquet from the small table where the bulletins normally are, and took a deep breath. The music started and it was Jasper that got to play doorman. I guess he was the reason I felt unnaturally calm and determined when I should be shaking like a leaf. He smiled at me and I quickly fell in step with the music to walk down the aisle.

The boys got forced into various outfits. Emmett had on a linen shirt and kilt of black and white plaid. Jasper had on a short chain mail jacket over a gray doublet and venetians. Carlisle looked to be wearing a traditional doctor's black robe and hosen that was worn about a hundred years before he was born. Edward was in a black velvet doublet and, I'm guessing, venetians as well.

Gabriel. I barely managed to remind myself to keep in time to the music. Gabriel looked like he could barely remember to keep his mouth closed when he saw me. My dress nearly glittered as I moved given the two tone silk and the amount of silver embroidery on the ice blue organza. The pearls and crystals beaded all over the thing probably didn't help the glittering effect much. But Gabriel? Gabriel looked perfect.

Gabriel had on a linen shirt that was embroidered about the collar and cuffs. Over that he had a jerkin, slightly opened, with black velvet sleeves. He wore the earlier style venetian britches that were puffed and slashed. He honestly looked like he stepped right out of the 1520's and I was only about ten years earlier. Alice did a good job.

I got to the altar easily and Gabriel took my hand to lead me up the two stairs to the priest. It was a good thing too since I'm not sure about these chopines. I had to raise my foot up more than I'm use to just to climb the two tiny stairs as well as remember I'm wearing a dress. I would have tripped if it weren't from him.

The priest started mass and then had us repeat the vows that had been spoken billions of times before by billions of other people. I didn't care about that though; it would be a matter of minutes now that Gabriel would be mine and I, his, forever.

"I do," I whispered, peering in Gabriel's golden eyes when the priest said the binding words.

"I do," Gabriel whispered back, holding my hands tight.

At the part of the rings to be exchanged –ones I had never seen before- Gabriel pulled out a box from somewhere inside his jerkin. Inside were both rings, both absolutely perfectly beautiful rings. Mine was in platinum and his was in gold, but they were both fede rings. I had read up on what types of rings would have been exchanged in Italy during Gabriel's time and learned about the fede. They were the precursor to the modern claddagh in Ireland which actually originated in Italy. The two hands clasped, the fede rings, had stones at the sleeve cuffs on the rings. I realized I had moonstone cuffs and Gabriel had fire opals. Perfect.

Once the ring slipped on to my finger, and his ring on to his, the priest declared us husband and wife. The kiss was a simple one. We both realized we were in a church in front of our family. Still, we got a couple of snickers –probably Kate or Emmett or both- and broke apart. The priest declared mass was ended and Gabriel ushered me down the aisle much to the delight of everyone. He was mine.

Bubbles. That is what greeted me outside the mortuary chapel. Lots and lots of bubbles. From a bubble machine. Or two. I wasn't sure. Alice did ask me about throwing rice and I mumbled about bubbles instead. I didn't think she'd actually listen to me on that one but I loved it.

Everyone, of course, followed us over to the cemetery across the street. The photographer that I hired was waiting and smiled when he saw everyone clamor out of the chapel. He made Gabriel and I halt –something I didn't want to do; I wanted to get the pictures, go to the reception, and very quickly get on the plane to go wherever we were going- so he could take pictures in front of the chapel steps.

Gabriel kissed me again, my hands instinctively going around his neck. I'm sure the photographer got a picture of that, completely with the wisteria and orange blossom bouquet behind Gabriel's head. Emmett shouted at us, which was the only reason we broke apart, again; me, blushing, of course.

We took more photos over in the cemetery. Tanya muttered something about it and looked like she was actually scared to be on the scared ground. Kate just kept looking as giggly and smiling as the rest of the family. I just wanted a few photos in front of the grave of Marie Laveau, hoping that it was her I saw the last time we were here. I already asked her my wish; I didn't have any others than a child.

After about an hour of picture taking given that not only the photographer wanted pictures but apparently so did a bunch of tourists, we were finally allowed to retire back to the hotel. Gabriel and I got our own limo. Lot of good it did us since we only had a mile to go down the street. Still, we were lip-locked pretty much the entire way. Alice was going to have a fit about redoing my make up when we got to the hotel, I'm sure.

Esme and Carlisle –turns out he was in on this too, evil older siblings- had rented out the "library" room of the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. It was a pretty room that looked perfect for afternoon tea or for a simple reception except that only Bella and I could eat any of the food laid out before us. As Alice quickly came up to touch up my make up, I glared at her.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered for the umpteenth time.

"Just enjoy it, Elizabeth," Alice snapped right back. Gabriel pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me while the family basically congratulated us again.

We were all going to sit down until the catering staff brought in a cake. This was not just any cake, this was my dream cake. It was white with black lace icing and blood red icing roses on it. It was three tiers and it was gorgeous. I was totally going to wreck it.

"We don't actually have to eat?" I heard Kate whisper somewhere behind me. I shot a look around quickly and mouthed to her the word "no". She looked relieved. However, I still have no idea how Bella and I were going to eat all of this. Maybe the leftovers could be donated to a shelter or something. There had to be some people still struggling from Katrina that would love this spread.

I cut the cake and easily ate the rose right off my slice of cake. I also ate the icing off of Gabriel's slice of cake. Bella ate her piece while everyone at the three tables we took up talked. I just downed the champagne since that was the only thing I knew I could easily finish on my own. There were three bottles, chocolate strawberries, and cake. Yeap, I was going to be super hyper on the plane ride. Not that that was a bad thing.

Food got thrown into a trash can nearby after being moved around on a plate for the benefit of the caterers. I was stuffed by the end of our reception and it was Rosalie, this time, that pulled me away from my husband's grasp. I loved being able to think that. Gabriel was my husband.

Even five months ago, if anyone told me I would be getting married soon, I would have laughed at them. I lived in a tiny home, with my tiny dog, at my somewhat boring job at the FBI. Everything was very routine and very normal. I didn't have a boyfriend so how would I get married in June? But that changed the second I went up to Ithaca. Now, I had a beautiful family and was married to a gorgeous true Renaissance man.

"Come on, Elizabeth," Rose stated. "Unless you want to wear that dress in the airport, you need to come with me, now."

I sighed and looked away from Gabriel. He squeezed my hand, gently, as I glared at Rose. Rosalie only raised an eyebrow back at me before I got up and followed her. I leaned down to kiss Gabriel –quickly- again and somehow ended up in Gabriel's lap instead. Not that I minded much. Still, I blushed when everyone laughed other than Rosalie. She stomped her foot.

Esme came and took me away from Gabriel after that and lead me up to the honeymoon suite. Too bad I wouldn't get to enjoy it tonight. Hopefully, we'd get to wherever we were going quickly. As much as I tried not to think about it –for Edward's sake- I was hoping that Gabriel and I would stay here tonight and leave in the morning. Unfortunately, the planes only fly out in the early afternoon and Gabriel wanted us to enjoy our honeymoon at some place in Europe. I don't think I was supposed to know even that much.

With Rosalie and Esme's help, I managed to get out of the pretty blue dress and the chemise, only to put on a modern baby doll top and black velvet pants instead. My luggage was placed at the door and I bit my lip as I waited the extra five minutes until it would be time to take the limo to the airport. I tried to think about anything other than the birth control pills Carlisle gave me –that was embarrassing- or lingerie or anything along those terms. Not that it was working well but my mind would be free to wander the second we got up in the air. Of course, it might wander right over into …. Blue silk. My dress. Esme has my dress. Charlie has Ginsie until tomorrow. Emmett and Rose will take her after that.

When I got back down into the lobby, I was back in Gabriel's arms instantly. We said our goodbyes to my family before getting in the limo to go to the airport. Reaching over, I kissed my husband, cupping his face. "So, husband," I said with a smile inbetween kisses. "Where are we going?"

Gabriel chuckled. "Well, Donna Caldola," he teased back as he pulled me into his lap and gazed into my eyes before kissing me again. "You will find out which country when we arrive at the airport," he told me, giving me another kiss. I scowled a bit but it was half hearted –if that. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck. I barely noticed with the limo stopped and the door opened. Gabriel lifted me out of the car with a smirk on his face when I scowled at him. The way he stood, me in his arms, wasn't exactly human.

Inside the airport, Gabriel led me to the ticket counter where we showed our perfectly done fraudulent passports. I compared mine to my real one from my universe that I kept in my bookbag and I couldn't tell them apart. How they worked with the whole computer thing was a bit beyond me but I bet the papers submitted for the passports were real –just the names, dates of birth, and everything else wasn't.

He didn't even say anything. Gabriel just flashed his credit card at the lady behind the counter and she ran it through the machine. Her eyes got bigger than they already were from first seeing my husband. I leaned in against him and he wrapped an arm around me, smiling.

"Oh, Mr. Caldola, thank you for choosing United Airlines," she said as she fumbled to hand back the card. Gabriel nodded and slipped the card back into his wallet. The girl behind the counter quickly printed off the tickets and looked at the screen curiously, like she had forgotten something.

"We have two bags," Gabriel told her to remind her.

"Oh, yes!" the girl beamed. "If you would put them up on the scale one at a time?" she asked. Gabriel lifted his bag –an expensive looking leather thing that I'm pretty sure is brand new- on to the scale first. It was exactly 40 pounds. Mine, the big purple body bag from L., was 43.2 pounds. Maybe we should by a third bag there in case of souvenirs. Not that I plan on doing much shopping. Actually, I don't plan on leaving the room.

The poor girl had a hand trying to lift each bag and throw it on the conveyor belt. She then smiled at us and handed Gabriel the tickets. Gabriel kissed me on the cheek before leading the way to the gate. I tried to peak over at the tickets to see where we were going as the girl behind the counter told us to enjoy our flight but Gabriel kept them from my view. It wasn't until we got passed security and up to the gate that I was allowed to know where we were going.

"Vienna?" I asked, looking at my smiling husband. "As in Austria?" I clarified.

"Si, you did say a country that you have not visited, did you not?" Gabriel pointed out. I smiled. It was one of my stipulations. I always wanted to go to Austria. I had been told that I looked exactly like Empress Sissy who was also named Elizabeth. Same names, same temperaments –I'm told- and we looked alike. I wanted to see her paintings for myself to judge.

I kissed Gabriel again, being mindful that we were in an airport and surrounded by people. We couldn't get too carried away here. We had to wait through a nine hour flight –first to DC and then to Vienna- and then to the hotel or wherever we were staying; then I could get as carried away as I wanted. No more practicing. I got to have Gabriel to myself now and forever that he's my husband. Holding his hand tight, I boarded the plane, eager for it to land again and get to whatever place he had chosen for our honeymoon.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So there's the wedding! I hope it came out alright. I'm going to go hide in the bunker now… The bunker needs to be redecorated a lot like Elizabeth and Gabriel's honeymoon destination…


	62. BIII Cii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own Ginsie who is the cutest puppy dog ever. Honestly, she's cuter than Seth! ;-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** So it's safe to come out of the bunker? Really? ….I'm not sure… I have a feeling that Emmett might have made a few extra flame throwers and y'all got them... So... the bunker is safe from those. I think. Maybe I should ask Elizabeth to test it....

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

**Chapter 2**

I was too excited to sleep. Gabriel tried to convince me that I should sleep but between the fact I was actually now married and the massive amounts of champagne, sugar, and now wine –first class is so awesome- in my system, sleep was a far off thing. The closest I came to sleep was a very sobering moment when we touched down at Dulles right outside Washington DC. I suddenly remembered the events of only two weeks ago and it wiped the smile off my face for a bit.

On May 17th, 23 people died in a terrorist attack that I should have prevented. I could have prevented it if I had been at my job in my previous life in my previous world. Twenty three lives paid for my happiness, because, here, I was truly happy. I no longer had any sort of routine that I didn't want. I did what I wanted within reason and loved simply being the computer geek for Forks. I had a husband and a loving family. In my universe, where those twenty three people didn't die, I had my biological family –that I think did love me- and that was it. There was nothing more to life there than the same thing over and over, repeated ad nauseam. Twenty three people died when I broke from the cycle.

The other problem with stopping at Dulles was that I knew this airport. I could tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the airport shaped like a giant skateboarding rink. I had taken so many flights out of here or picked up my Dad so many times that the ride to and from the airport to my parents house was automatic. Of course, my parents didn't exist –or at least my Mom didn't- so I didn't exist. I still didn't know if my Dad existed or not and a part of me didn't want to ever know.

Once we were back in the air and on our way to the other Vienna –since Dulles isn't that far from Vienna, Virginia- I relaxed a lot. I didn't even look through the window until about an hour into the flight; I was terrified I'd see a familiar sight and I'd get hung up too much on thinking of the past. I wanted to think about the present and the future. I had a husband that truly was mine forever. I would have child in a few more months. I just had to focus on those –which was extremely easy.

Sitting in first class, the second the seatbelt sign was off, Gabriel pulled me into his lap. It was a good thing that –since it was a Tuesday, a red-eye flight, and not a popular destination to begin with- there weren't a lot of people in the first class cabin. Actually, there were only two other people in the first row and then there was us in the back. No one would pay much attention to the googly eyed couple in the back of the first class cabin. Still, I didn't want to show too much PDA and rested my head on his shoulder, Gabriel's arms wrapped around me. I think, honestly, sitting in his lap was probably safer than sitting in my seat with my seatbelt. Gabriel was a super strong, super gorgeous, super perfect vampire after all.

I stared at the platinum ring on my left hand. I never was one for rings. Necklaces, earrings, and even bracelets were all parts of my jewelry collection but rings just never really grabbed my attention. This one was different. Not only was it my wedding ring –the symbol that I was now a married woman- and not only was it something Gabriel specifically got for me, but it was perfect. Moonstone was one of my favorites. Most girls seemed to go for diamonds or sapphires or other such pretty things. I wanted moonstones and opals; gems that had a luminescence about them that glowed rather than sparkled. I already had a diamond –and a vampire for a husband- so I needed something different to go on my other hand.

"Do you like it?" Gabriel asked, kissing my cheek, as I looked at the pretty thing. I moved my hand back and forth in the dim cabin lights to try and get a better view of it. It was pretty much impossible since it was dark outside and we only had one tiny pin point light bulb to illuminate anything.

"I love it," I whispered back. Turning my head, I kissed him again before looking back down at both our hands. I wanted to see Gabriel's ring as well. He chuckled lightly as I held his left hand in both of my hands, looking at his golden ring. The hands were larger but clasped in the same manner, and had the fire opals where the cuffs to the sleeves were. I compared them both –mine and his- in the small bit of light as the stewardess came around.

She smiled at us and whispered quietly. "Just married?" she asked. I nodded without looking away from the rings.

"Earlier today," Gabriel answered.

"Congratulations," she said cheerfully. "Would either of you like anything to drink?"

I looked up at the lady. She was pretty, about five six and in her forties. "Do you have any blush wines on board?" I asked. Gabriel groaned a bit. Even though I knew I'd only hurt myself, I elbowed him in the stomach.

"We have several," she said, listing a small variety. I asked for one of the California ones before turning back to Gabriel to glare at him as the stewardess walked away. He just chuckled at me and gently rubbed my elbow with his fingers.

"You should sleep," he reminded me again. I shook my head slightly and nuzzled against his neck.

"No," I whispered.

"Do you wish to sleep the day away tomorrow then? I will wake you when we land. I doubt there is much of interest that would keep even your attention for very long," Gabriel teased. Tomorrow. Tomorrow we'd land and go to whatever hotel/penthouse/God knows what that Gabriel has spent way too much money on and I'd….sleep? No, that wasn't right. At least not _that_ kind of sleep. My idea of what to do did involve a bed but it also heavily involved Gabriel and I was not going to simply dream away all day during my first official day as Mrs. Caldola.

"Wake me before we land," I said with a kiss to his cheek before resting my head on his shoulder.

"Claro, amata mia," Gabriel whispered. I didn't even hear the stewardess come back with the wine. I was completely out of it until day break.

Once we landed, got our bags, and rented a car –a very expensive Cadillac, of course-, Gabriel drove away from the gorgeous city. I looked at the passing country side and noticed the skies turn from partly cloudy to denser clouds as we neared the mountains. "Where are we going?" I asked, curiously.

"You shall see, tesorina," Gabriel told me, smiling. I glared at him and crossed my arms when I got his non-answer. I hated not knowing where I was. What if I got lost? I was in a foreign country and my only languages were English, bad English, Middle English, and Latin. The smidge of Italian I had picked up from Gabriel included mostly curse words and commands –neither of which would go over very well to anyone trying to help me- and the Spanish I could remember wouldn't exactly help me here. Maybe the tiny bit of French I could recall?

"We shall be there soon, amore," Gabriel told me softly, placing his hand on my knee. I sighed.

"Can you tell me what city it's near? Are we going into a different country or are we staying in Austria?" I asked.

"Saint Polten is the closest town, I am told. We may travel to Germany, if you wish, but the place to which we are headed is in Austria still," Gabriel answered. Good, so, in Austria they speak…everything. Mostly German though and I've never learned more than the simple "Gotten tag". Well, at least with the EU in place now I have a good chance of finding someone that speaks English.

It was about ten minutes or so later that Gabriel began to slow the car down. Considering he had been going at break neck speeds on the Autobahn –I found out all major roads are Autobahns, kind of like the term "beltway" back home- the slower pace meant we had to be getting close. All I could see were a few houses and farms at first. Slowly, I saw some trees and what looked to be a yellow mansion off to the side of the road. The closer we got, the more I realized it wasn't a mansion, but a castle –complete with a moat. I wonder if it's one of those castles that got converted into a hotel and that's where we are staying. It looks like it has some pretty good woods behind it –beyond the moat- if Gabriel needed to go hunting. If it turns sunny, though, he'd have to stay in the room. Not that that sounded bad to me…

I bit my lip as Gabriel turned off and drove across the tiny bridge up to the castle. I wonder if there was anything fun to find in the bottom of the moat… I always loved the scene in The Sword in the Stone where Arthur and Merlin turn into fish and go swimming. Of course, real moats were just open sewers. Still, I know I'm not the first person to drop their pearl earrings down the sink….

Once Gabriel stopped the car, I looked around, confused. There weren't any other cars insight. Maybe they had a valet and drove them off the property to one of the farms once you got your bags. Giving me his hand, Gabriel gently pulled me out of the car, smiling. "The castle is older than I but I believe it was redone in the 18th century," he told me.

"It's lovely," I said looking up at the yellow three story building. It even had turrets. I hope we get a suite in one of the turrets, which would be perfect. I looked all around and noticed a lack of signs or anything else that would designate this place as a hotel. "Did you specify what type of suite?" I asked, looking for any sign of any life really. I could see nothing other than us. No signs, no people, nothing. Which seemed very odd given that it was only overcast out and it wasn't that cold.

"Suite?" Gabriel asked, confused. I was about to explain when he let out a laugh. I half glared at him to which he smirked and cupped my face. He knew the second he touched my face that my glare would melt away. "No, amata mia," Gabriel said, kissing my cheek after he pulled his hand away. "The entire castle is ours for the week," he whispered in my ear.

I looked at him, shocked. The _entire_ castle was ours? For a week? I didn't even want to think about how much that must have cost. "It looked like a place you would…enjoy," Gabriel began to say, a smirk upon his lips. My eyes found his lips and I wanted to kiss him right then and there. However, we were interrupted by a man and a woman coming out of the castle.

"Mister Caldola?" the man asked before looking at me. "And Missus Caldola, I presume?" he continued. I nodded as Gabriel gently turned me around to face our tiny audience, wrapping his arms around me in the process.

"Indeed. I believe you are Mister Kirchmann? We spoke on the phone," Gabriel answered, taking the man's offered hand. When the man shrunk back in surprised, Gabriel muttered an apology about poor circulation and getting use to the cold again. Yes, because the three degrees warmer it is here than Forks is such a dramatic difference.

"Ah, yes," the man said, a smile returning to his face. "Now, Marta here will come only on Friday and Tuesday as you requested," he said. Marta was an older woman –probably his wife- who smiled a bit at us when he said her name. I doubted she understand much of the English. I smiled back meekly, probably blushing a bit at having been caught about to jump my husband in the middle of this courtyard of sorts. "If you have need of anything else, please do not hesitate to call," Mr. Kirchmann stated.

"Thank you," Gabriel said before telling me to go inside. He was going to carry in the bags. Stepping inside the castle was like stepping inside a fairy tale. The entire place was decorated in an English country manner, except for the dining room. I could see tell tale signs of the Baroque and Rococo influences through out the place and wondered what it must have looked like originally when it was built ages ago. Gabriel did say the place was older than him…

I had managed to wander up to the third floor –where the bedrooms where- by the time Gabriel found me again. I felt two cool arms encircle my waist again as I looked at the red canopy full sized bed. I wondered if there were any bigger beds in the castle.

"Do you like it?" Gabriel asked me, kissing my neck.

"Yes," I breathed. Turning around in his arms, I wrapped my arms around his neck. He was mine and we were finally alone in a huge castle with no one else around –I think. My green eyes met his golden ones and for only the second or third time since I've known him, Gabriel looked nervous.

There was something funny about my husband being nervous about the marriage bed. Not only had Gabriel been married before –many centuries ago- but I found out his reputation from Tanya and Kate who were happy to explain anything I wanted to know to me. Gabriel was far from virtuous in his years as a vampire. He had a reputation of being the black sheep of the vampire world. If the vegetarians were the goody two shoes of the vampire world, and the southerners were the gangsters, then Gabriel was the motorcycle loner bad boy that all the good girls dreamed off. He did what he thought was right by him, and that included being a bit of a womanizer. So for him to get married and become a vegetarian vampire, well, it was hilarious as far as the Denali sisters were concerned. It was like James Bond retiring with a white picket fence or maybe more like any stereotypical bad motorcycle boy going straight suddenly. Either way, I don't think his reputation would survive at all if anyone found out he was nervous.

Of course, he could just be nervous because I was human. Although we had worked past the issues that presented themselves during our mini engagement party at the PNE, Gabriel, every so often, still treated me like I was some delicate flower. There were other times, of course, he just handed me my lighter and told me to go have fun. Like whenever I went over to La Push to go see the werewolves…

Staring into his eyes, Gabriel looked like he wanted to say something before he focused on my lips and kissed me. His kiss was quick but his hands moved to either side of my face as he pulled away. Worried he was going to change his mind on the whole child thing or, at least, not consummate the marriage, I started to say something only to be shut off by another kiss. This one was harder, more passionate than the simple quick kiss seconds before. His lips fought with my own only to surrender slowly as I pulled my way up on my toes. My hands found their way into his hair quickly and I heard the door shut.

The door shutting somehow made this final. I was nervous out of my mind again. What if I didn't live up to his expectations? What if I did something wrong? I couldn't hurt him physically but what if I wasn't what he wanted _that_ way? All my fears piled into a ball in the pit of my stomach as Gabriel carried me to the bed. However, as soon as they formed, I looked into my husband's eyes, and every single fear I had vanished. Gabriel wanted me and I wanted him.

It was dark, again, when I awoke. It was actually the second time I awoke. The first time, Gabriel started to worry about a bruise he accidentally caused on my arm that I could barely see –the bruise on my right arm which was now an ugly green and yellow was far worse than anything Gabriel had done. I kissed him and that just started us both off again. This time, I didn't want to open my eyes but all my human needs –like not having eaten anything since we left the airport- were starting to catch up with me. My stomach growled, making it well known that I was hungry, and Gabriel chuckled.

I punched him, softly, since I didn't want to hurt myself. "Shut up, pillow," I teased, snuggling in closer to him. Resting my head on his chest, Gabriel wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer.

"You need to eat, amore," Gabriel whispered, kissing the top of my head. I was about to make some sort of come back when my stomach growled again. Gabriel chuckled and I sighed. Pulling the sheet around me, blushing a bit as Gabriel got out of bed, I sat up. My husband was smiled down at me, brushing the hair from my face as he cupped my cheek again. My lips were on his instantly, trying to pull Gabriel back down and back into bed.

"Food," he whispered gruffly, more like a reminder to himself than to me, as he pulled away. I pouted at the loss of contact when he moved, vampire speed, to the door. He already had his briefs on and I guess I threw his pants over there. Huh.

"I'll bring your dinner up, amata mia," Gabriel said before leaving through the door and out into the hall.

Glancing around the room, I noticed a lot of things. First, the canopy didn't make it through the day. I guess Gabriel must have torn it down from the wall and thrown the entire thing across the room. Looking behind me, I saw the brackets for where the crown piece use to be and two more marks in the plaster about the size of his hands right above the pillows. At least the pillows made it, I think.

Looking around at more evidence of destruction –like how only my black velvet pants survived- I got up to take a quick shower. When I stood, I felt a bit wobbly, a bit sore, like I had been at crew or some other sport all day. Well, I guess I had been burning calories…

Blushing like mad, I went to the bathroom to clean up and take care of a few human needs. I had caught sight of myself in the various mirrors that were in the bedroom and the bathroom. I didn't look as horrible as I thought I might after having spent most of last night on an airplane and just waking up this evening. My skin was flush but not blotchy. I had gotten rid of most of the make-up Alice had painted me with at Dulles. I only touched up my lipstick and added some more in the car ride over to this castle. My hair was still curled a bit but fell down my back in its typical s waves until it fell to my hips. It was a bit tangled but other than that, I looked fine. Still, after being on the airplane and making love to Gabriel, I needed to shower.

The water wasn't hot enough for me but it wasn't bad either. The shower pressure left a lot to be desired but I'm guessing I was working with well water here so there wasn't much that could be done. It was almost like taking a shower at camp, except this time my vampire husband was waiting with a robe on the other side of the curtain. I gasped when I saw him, not expecting him there.

"Desolato," Gabriel whispered as he gently wrapped me up in the robe. I had only wrapped my hair up in a towel when I pushed back the curtain. I blushed furiously as I quickly pushed my arms through the robe. Yes, he had already seen everything there is to see of me but still…

"I did not mean to startle you, tesorina," Gabriel whispered, wrapping his arms around me. I tried to avoid hitting him in the face with the towel wrapped around my hair in a beehive turban as I rested my head on his shoulder. It was the same shoulder that Victoria had ripped apart although any lines I had been able to see days ago, had now vanished. I had seen the bite mark on the back and my fingers automatically felt for it, brushing against it gently even though I couldn't really feel the subtle differences between the very slight scar and the rest of my beloved husband's skin.

"I just wasn't expecting you to be right there," I whispered back. Gabriel, very carefully, pushed me away slightly. I looked up at him confused but he was smiling so it couldn't be anything too bad, right?

"You need to eat, amata mia," he told me before leading me back into the bedroom. To the left of the bed –which was still standing despite the destruction of the wall and canopy- was a small sitting area. Guiding me to a chair, Gabriel brought over a table with a plate of food on it as I sat down, placing it in front of me.

The food consisted of strawberries sprinkled with sugar, rosemary herb roasted chicken, green beans, steamed carrots, and lots of bread. It looked delicious and I don't think my husband made all this for me and certainly not in the past ten minutes I was in the bathroom. I took down the towel off my head, letting my wet curls fall down around me. My hair would straighten as it dried unless I braided it or laid down to go to sleep before it could dry too much. "Where did you get all of this?" I asked, curiously.

"Do you not like it? I asked the cook to make your favorites," Gabriel said with a hint of uncertainty.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "We have a cook?"

Gabriel nodded. "He shall come by every day around 6 to prepare a meal for you. If we are not at the castle or…otherwise preoccupied, he will place the contents in the refrigerator," he told me simply. I blushed again at the idea of being otherwise preoccupied. With a finger beneath my chin, Gabriel pulled my face up to look at him again. He was kneeling next to my chair and gave me a brief kiss. "Mangia," he commanded before taking his own seat next to me. He felt too far away as I picked up the silverware to start and eat the green beans.

My mind started to wander a bit and I couldn't help but wonder if I had, well, lived up to Gabriel's expectations of me. He had far exceeded anything I had dreamed of and I wasn't sure how to brooch that subject. Instead, I just played with my food, eating small bits of it, while I got lost in my own thoughts. Like how we only had a week here, too. That was partly my fault because I told Gabriel I didn't want to miss Alice, Edward, and Bella's graduation. Neither Alice nor Edward cared much about the ceremony –that, given my track record thus far, I would totally fall asleep during- but I knew Alice was excited that I would be back in time for the party. Maybe after graduation we can continue the honeymoon until Edward and Bella's wedding…

"What are you thinking, amore?" Gabriel asked as he brushed some of my wet locks of hair back behind my ear. I quickly swallowed the piece of chicken I had been eating.

"Just about the graduation," I said, my hint of a blush giving me away. I was really getting as bad as Bella. Maybe it was just from hanging out with vampires and werewolves all day…

"And?" Gabriel smirked, taking my right hand and kissing it. I looked into his golden eyes and bit my bottom lip. I wouldn't be able to ask with him looking at me like that.

"I just…I was worried," I started, blushing a bit more. This was ridiculously hard but Gabriel was my husband now. As the priest said, we were considered one flesh, one body. He had a right to know my thoughts and I had a right to know his as far as I was concerned.

"Worried, amore?" Gabriel asked. His tone turned from curiosity to anxiousness when he spoke again. "You are not hurt, are you, tesorina? If I hurt you," he started but I quickly shook my head. I wasn't hurt, well, not much. I was sore but not in pain.

"No, not that," I told him. Gabriel reached over and took my hand again, squeezing it in encouragement. "It's just that I know I'm not your…" I couldn't finish the thought without blushing wildly. "Well, I figured you must be comparing me," I started to try again. All I really wanted to do is curl up into a tiny ball and die of embarrassment over my not fully spoken question.

Gabriel placed a finger to my lips before I could really continue with my half mumbled thoughts. Slowly, my eyes met his. His face didn't look like his normal half smirk or any of the humor I expected to be there. Instead, he looked serious. "There is no comparison," he said softly but firmly. "You are the only one I have truly loved and that alone makes you better than any creature I have ever met," he said sincerely. Gently, he drew me closer to him. "Ti amo, amore e nessun altro," he whispered to me. I knew enough Italian to understand that. I love you, my love, and no other. For that, I kissed him again, the remains of my dinner completely forgotten.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I think I kept it to the pg-13 ish level. I hope so. I don't think it's any worse than what is in Breaking Dawn. Don't worry, they will leave the castle to tour a bit of Austria. Honestly, they will. If anyone would like to see the castle, I have a link up on my profile page. It even has a picture of the canopy room before Gabriel destroyed it…. Hopefully, they can limit the destruction to one room…


	63. BIII Ciii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric, a sewing machine this is broken (grr!), and a lot of sewing patterns I'll probably never use. I like making my own much better...

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** This was supposed to be a fluffy chapter. By the time I got to page three, I realized Elizabeth and Gabriel weren't going to let me write about the pretty monastery up on the mountain or anything of that nature. So, a tiny bit sad instead.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 3

For the first couple of days, we simply stayed around the castle. We honestly didn't leave the bedroom much and were trying to keep the destruction to one room. Trying being an operative word. Of course, accidentally almost setting the kitchen on fire wasn't really our fault. Well, it was Gabriel's. He apparently didn't know about metal and microwaves. I remember when my brothers tried to heat frozen bread in the microwave to thaw it out and didn't take the twist tie off. Luckily, they came running to me right away given all the smoke.

Gabriel was too macho for that. He unplugged the microwave and wasn't sure what else to do. I smelled smoke and came running in to see my husband with the microwave in his hands, carrying it to the industrial sized sink. I still have no idea what he was planning. I don't want to know what my vampire was planning. However, it was safe to say that my dinner plans had to be drastically altered. The walls to the kitchen and the microwave still smelled of smoke. I have no idea how we are going to explain that and the upstairs bedroom –which, unfortunately, looked like a messed up bunch of fabric and Lincoln logs at this point- to the maid. Hopefully, we haven't destroyed anything antique…

Thinking on antique, the past, and old things in general made my heart ache a bit. I couldn't help but think about my biological family. I wonder what my parents would say about me finally being married. Mom would be happy my husband was Italian. Dad would probably hate him and try to chase him away just like he did with every single boyfriend or crush I ever had. The second I would tell my parents about a boyfriend or a crush, the object of my affections would mysteriously stop emailing me, calling me, and wouldn't want to see me. I gave up a bit, I guess, for a while. When I did start dating again, in my late twenties, I'd give up on most guys after only one date. Technically, I don't think Gabriel and I have really ever been on a true date. Not that I cared. Well, I guess going to see Phantom of the Opera in New York but look how that ended. I mortally wounded a half starved werewolf!

My brothers probably would have groaned and demanded that they don't wear doublets and "silly pants" to my wedding. I probably could have gotten Nickie and Alex into at least Viking outfits or something medieval –Nickie might have even gone with a jerkin and long pants- but Lee would have been impossible. I could just see Alice trying to convince him to wear something renaissance or medieval.

Smirking, I looked outside to the courtyard from my place in the library. Gabriel raised a curious eyebrow at me but I shook my head. "Just thinkin'," I muttered as I began to think more on the subject of my other family –the family I would never see again. I had finally come to terms with the fact that I was a Cullen now –or, at least, a Caldola- and that my past was lost. I didn't have a past here. My past was somewhere that, according to most, didn't even exist. Because I shouldn't exist. Then again, vampires shouldn't exist and I was married to one.

"On what, gioia mia?" Gabriel asked, getting up to sit next to me. I curled up against him, pulling the afghan blanket around me tighter as I leaned against his chest and looked out the window. Unfortunately, today, right smack in the middle of my honeymoon, Aunt Flo decided to visit. The fact I was on birth control –something I would normally be very against- didn't help matters. The cramps were pretty bad this morning because of that, I think. Screwing with your hormones like this only caused issues down the road. Since I was going to be a vampire down that road, I doubt I'd end up like any of my cousins and get cancer because of "hormone replacement" or using birth control. For now, I had to unless Gabriel and I disappeared for a couple of months, away from the Cullens, with our newborn daughter only to suddenly reappear when Renesmee was born. Carlisle was very against that idea as was Esme. My big brother wanted to make sure he was there for the birth of my child in case anything went wrong.

"On my family," I whispered. Gabriel held me closer. He knew I didn't mean the Cullens by my tone.

"You miss them?" Gabriel asked, brushing a stray hair from my face. I tilted my head to look up at him.

"Always," I replied before looking back to the window. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed them every single second of every day. The pain was less now than it had been a couple of months ago. My heart broke when I saw Dunkirk and when I got too close where my parents' home should have been. Hearing that my Uncle was still down on the Gulf and knowing my Dad might be alive here didn't help matters, but knowing how Gabriel –my husband now- felt about me, knowing that I had a family here now in Forks, Washington did help. I wasn't alone here.

"I would bring them here, if I could," Gabriel told me but there was an edge to his voice I didn't like. I knew why. I had a pretty good idea of what both Gabriel and Edward thought of my father and trying to explain to either of them that it wasn't always like that… I should have never told Gabriel my dreams and I should play some of the happier memories in my head for Edward.

Turning around to look at my husband, I gave him a slight glare. "Gabriel," I started with a sigh only to find a cool finger across my lips.

"He hurt you, Elizabetta. Do not deny it," Gabriel stated firmly. I looked down. Yes, my father had hurt me but what parent didn't say something they shouldn't to their child? Or maybe pull their child a bit too roughly when they got angry? He didn't beat me, not really.

"He did hurt me, Gabriel, but that doesn't mean everything was always bad," I stated, frustrated. I turned back around, my arms crossed, but still using Gabriel as a back support. "You and Edward seem to like to take a few bad memories and make that my entire childhood," I grumbled.

"And do you have any pleasant memories of him from that time?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes," I said automatically. I regretted it immediately since I knew the follow up question.

"Such as?" my mosquito for a husband asked.

"I remember going to the big…I mean the Washington Monument when I was five with him," I said quickly as I could. I had to annunciate "monument" because I still had trouble with that word. I don't think he'd get what a "mummy mint" was… "I remember going to parties and things like that with him. He'd take me, sometimes, when Mom didn't want to go," I continued, scrunching up my face as I remembered. I liked going to the conventions and fundraisers. Of course, those were when I got older.

"But do the good memories out weight the bad?" Gabriel asked pointedly.

"Of course," I said. I'd much rather remember the good memories than the bad ones. Although, I doubt that's what he meant. Did I have more good memories than bad? Even I wasn't sure. I couldn't remember anything good when he was home from about the time I was seven until I was pretty much twenty seven. I'm not sure why, but I think it might be because some part of me still wants to have him arrested for childish reasons. I blocked out the good and held on to the bad just for evidence. I'm sure there had to be something good in my memory. Something there…

"Tesorina, I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice. You miss your mother and your brothers to a degree but your eyes become sharper and you voice hitches ever so slightly when discussing your father," he said gently, kissing me on the cheek when I grimaced. "He did not deserve a daughter like you," my husband whispered softly.

I struggled a bit but Gabriel let me move from his arms to stand, ignoring the cramps and everything else that made the sudden movement rather painful. Turning to face him, I could feel the tears start to fall down my cheeks. "It wasn't like that," I almost shouted at him. Concern written all over his face, Gabriel stood up immediately to embrace me.

"Shh, amata mia. Calma te stesso perché io non significava nulla da essa. queste cose non può accadere," Gabriel whispered in my ear. I could only grasp bits and pieces of that, but enough to push myself away from him.

"Nothing by it? Nothing?" I said as loudly as I could given the way I was feeling this morning. The tears welled up more in my eyes and I was crying freely now. "Don't lie to me, Gabriel. I know exactly what you meant by it," I told him.

Gabriel's face was twisted with pain, worry, and something akin to fear, it looked like. "Tesorina, sit down, please," he said, offering his hand to guide me back to the sofa. For a second, I was worried that the pain in his eyes was due to me suddenly standing up like that. My scent was probably…but if that still bothered him –which it didn't thanks to the werewolf episode- he wouldn't have been able to make love to me like he had. Realizing that, I took a step back and glared at him, sitting in the chair instead. This seemed to relieve him a bit.

Kneeling before me, Gabriel took my hands into his and kissed my knuckles. "I wish only to protect you even from those things that have already occurred," he whispered. "No one that has hurt you should be allowed to live without punishment for their actions."

Raising an eyebrow, I looked at him. "Then what about you? You hurt me just now by even thinking about going after my father," I whispered. As Gabriel's face began to crack, so did my heart for daring to state such a thing. I began to bit my bottom lip, watching as my husband's face fell to pieces before me.

"He manipulated you. He hurt you," Gabriel stated.

"You kidnapped me. Tore me away from Esme," I replied. It killed me to do this but I had to make him understand. Gabriel had to grasp that yes, my father did a hell of a lot that probably should have put me in the asylum with both Sara's and Estelle but he did a lot of good things to. He went with me to each of the colleges even though he wouldn't let me really do what I wanted in college. He wanted me to go into a science; I wanted historical or theatrical fashion design. Archeology, as fascinating as I found it, was a compromise.

"I did that to protect you!" Gabriel roared, instantly regretting it as he stood over me.

"And who is to say he didn't?" I whispered back. We were both silent for a moment.

"A father does not push his own flesh and blood out of the way because he does not like the birth order," Gabriel stated. I felt him pick up my hands again but I didn't look at him. I'm sure I looked even more miserable and hideous than I already had due to the cramps. Adding tears and blotchy skin because of the tears really didn't help matters. Lifting my chin with his finger, Gabriel's eyes looked at me gently. "A father would realize what a precious gift any child would be. He should have taken you to museums and tea parties, helped you with doll houses and encouraged you with your designs. Not blasted them and put off time with you for whatever other pursuits he had," he told me firmly.

I was quite while I thought over Gabriel's words. I realized I had never told him about the doll house. Who would have known? I don't think I had even thought about the half finished project that I ended up having to nail, paint, and electrify myself when I was all of maybe twelve or thirteen. I was proud of my shoddy work; hey, the lights worked! My dad acted like he could have cared less. It was dolls to him; not a miniature version of a home, learning to build and about electrical outlets.

"You've…read the books?" I asked, putting it all together. I knew there was a lot in there about my Dad from my point of view and some from Estelle's. I skipped over a lot of it but I knew that enough was in there that the dollhouse just might be. Gabriel looked flustered.

"I…read them while you were asleep," he answered as he started to pull away from me. I wouldn't let him, clasping my hands around his this time.

"It wasn't always that bad. It got better," I whispered. If he read the books, he might know about my suicide attempts, about all those other things I couldn't tell him.

"Si, you are here now. Safe. No one shall harm you again," he stated, getting up but only to kiss the top of my head. I scowled at him reflexively. He smirked a bit.

The rest of the morning went by quietly and the cloud cover began to increase outside. I watched Gabriel begin to pace as I tried to read my book. He would stop, stare out the window, look at me, and then take a couple of steps towards the bookshelf only to change his mind and look outside again.

I threw the book into my lap with a sigh. Drugging myself of Tylenol and the fact that it was really on the first few hours of Aunt Flo that were ever unbearable, I looked at Gabriel. "What is it?" I asked him.

Smiling, Gabriel immediately came over, vampire speed, and looked at me. "Are you feeling well enough for a small excursion?" he asked. I thought about it and shrugged. I guess I was up to some walking around. Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more I would love to walk around in the fresh air for a bit. The castle was a bit stuffy.

"There are some historic sight nearby that you may enjoy. A few castles and some other things you may wish to bring your camera for," Gabriel said, making "camera" three syllables. In the South, very few words had more than two.

"Sounds good," I said, getting up and catching my reflection in a piece of glass. I cringed. "Can I get ready first?" I asked. I probably should put on some make-up. Or a mask. Maybe go with the whole hijab for a day…

"Claro, amata mia," Gabriel told me, kissing my on the cheek before I went to our bathroom. Thank God Alice packed all the make-up she used on me for the wedding. A touch of foundation beneath the eyes and some lipstick and I looked a thousand times better. God, I was turning into such a _girl_ now that I was married. Soon, I'll be wearing aprons and high heels, _together_. Gag!

Burgruine Aggstein castle was only maybe five miles away as the crow flies from our castle in Saint Polten, Wasserburg. The castle was on nothing more than a huge slab of rock high above the Danbue river. I found out it was about as old as the castle we were staying in but it had a far different history.

It was first owned by a bunch of rebels who were constantly trying to overthrow whomever happened to be king. It was then owned by someone named George Von something a rather –I had been paying attention to the tour, really!- who taxed the hell out of every boat that passed by and, of course, that didn't go over too well. The castle kept laying in ruins and people kept trying to conquer the darn thing but well, it was on a huge slab of rock above the river. Not exactly an easy place to conquer before the age of dynamite.

What I loved was the view from the castle and the knight's hall. Gabriel laughed at me when I grinned, listening to the audio tour, about the large expansive hall. Yes, we had a hall in our castle of the week, but it was nothing like the timbered ceiling and chandelier lights of this place. You could still see the original medieval stone. It hasn't been plastered over yet like our Baroque place.

"Do you like this place much, cara mia?" Gabriel asked, wrapping his arms around me gentle as I gazed over the mountains from one of the catwalks.

"It's beautiful," I whispered back. I could just see the river all the way to my right as I gazed over the mountains and farms below.

"Then perhaps we should come back some day," Gabriel said softly as he kissed my neck. I placed my hands over his that were around my waist, trying to lean against him and just be happy that we were here. Of course, the next tour group ruined the moment. My husband chuckled at me when I grumbled a bit about too many people being here. Apparently, summer time is the biggest season.

"I want to come back in the fall or spring," I muttered as Gabriel led me to other parts of the castle.

We spent most of the afternoon out and about. Watching the sunset on the Danube river was something I never thought I'd ever get to see but, sitting in my husband's lap, his arms around me, we watched from one of the many little parks along the river's edge. It was dark by the time we got back to the castle.

Seeing the lights on confused me until I realized it was Friday. Marta, the maid, was to come on Friday. Oh dear God! What if she saw the bedroom? What about the kitchen? Oh no! What must that poor woman be thinking? I immediately went into panic mode and looked at Gabriel as he stopped the car in front of the castle. His lips were a thin line which didn't help with my fears.

"The maid," I more asked then said. Gabriel nodded. He took a deep breath and then smiled at me.

"I should speak with her," he said with a hint of a smirk. I blushed just thinking about how to explain why the bedroom was a mess. Marta was married, even if she didn't understand English, boys and kitchens probably translated pretty well. Actually, I could probably just point to Gabriel, point to anything metal, and then point to the remains of the microwave. Zero translation needed there.

Before I knew it, we were both in the house. I felt like I was about to be scolded for something that I had no control over –and I didn't really since it was Gabriel's fault- and the only thing keeping me from hiding was my husband walking in bravely to speak with the maid. Just as I was about to ask which way from the vestibule, I heard a gasp. There stood Marta with some of the familiar red fabric and I blushed uncontrollably.

Gabriel spoke to her in calm, soft tones in the horribly guttural German. I didn't understand a word of it and the guttural language sounded wrong with my vampire's operatic voice. What ever he was saying, Marta's face regained some of its color. Mine was still probably beet red.

She asked Gabriel a question, I had no idea about what, but he laughed and shook his head, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He said something more to her and Marta smiled at me a bit before looking a bit more serious at Gabriel and telling him something more. Gabriel responded again before Marta took off down the hall, past the great hall, and unto parts unknown.

Looking down at me, Gabriel smiled and brushed my face with his thumb. "Nothing to worry about, amore. Marta believes the canopy fell while I was inspecting it to see about getting a similar one for our own home," he told me gently. I let out a breath I had been holding, relieved with that story.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I smiled. "It's a miracle you didn't get hurt, then," I teased, feeling much better than I did this morning.

Gabriel laughed at me and kissed me soundly on the lips before leading me to the kitchen. "She has already cleaned the smoke from here," he said, wrinkling his nose slightly. I could smell why; way too many cleaners. I held my breath immediately and turned to leave the room, going back into the hall to get away from the smell.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel asked, as he chased after me and took my shoulders as I sat down in the breakfast room.

Shaking my head, I managed to choke out, "The cleaners." Gabriel understood and left only for a split second, coming back with a glass of water. I drank it greedily. Stupid allergies.

"Rest here. I shall speak with Marta and see if there are other alternatives," he said before disappearing and leaving me in the old, somewhat dark, room by myself. All that did is set my imagination off. I kept thinking I heard everything from a mug being thrust against a table to someone shifting in their seat near the window. But, it was just me.

"Elizabetta?" I heard Gabriel call. I jumped, startled. He immediately apologized. "Sorry, amore," he whispered, kissing my cheek. "Marta will use some of the other cleaning agents for the bed and bath rooms. She needed the harsher things for the kitchen given the smoke damage. Will opening a window help in there?" he asked, concerned. I nodded, sipping my water now.

"Yes, as long as it gets aired out, I should be okay," I said, my voice hoarse. Great.

Gabriel kissed me chastely again. "I shall open them, then," he stated before disappearing again.

Great. My honeymoon was turning out to be just like most of my life. Only a couple of days of bliss before nature rears her ugly head. Even if I could deal with nature, I then get a lovely minor allergy attack to boot it up. It seems my luck to twist things -everything I want, I get, but it gets horrible twisted, deranged, in the process- is still in full gear. Well, except for the people I want to be around in the universe. So far, that's been a big plus. But what about the consequences to them of being around me? Will the ending of Breaking Dawn now be a fight because of my influence? How much of this universe have I corrupted –turned- just for my own happiness?

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yeap, something big is coming. That's all I've got to say. I *think* the next chapter will be sort of fluffy. This one was supposed to be but Elizabeth was being grumpy…


	64. BIII Civ

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric, a sewing machine this is broken (grr!), and a lot of sewing patterns I'll probably never use. I like making my own much better...

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I just finished the Host and _love_ it. Great story. I'm also sewing, going out with friends, and preparing for the big celebration tomorrow (Edgar Allen Poe's Funeral). So ummm…sorry this is bit late? Please, please review? Things are about to get dicey and I hope everyone still likes this story…

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 4

"Eeeck! Alice, no!" I screamed, jumping away from the horrible tiny little monster. This caused Jasper to chuckle from somewhere behind me. I was sitting in their room –well Alice's room- on their bed, facing the closet. I had been sitting Indian style but I was now up on my knees, ready to bolt if that horrible little evil pixie dared to force her idea of appropriate fashion on me.

Gabriel and I had spent our week in Austria to come back today for Graduation. I wasn't about to miss out on seeing the hideous yellow caps and gowns. It was also tradition for me to fall asleep in the audience until someone –maybe Emmett this time- bounced a beach ball off my head. I'm old enough to remember when having beach balls to play with at graduation was a novelty –and something the adults looked down upon. Hey, anything was better than hearing some person you never seen before talk about how this wasn't the end but the start of yet another life. Yeah, right.

Alice tapped her foot impatiently as she held up the red velvet _gown_. She looked at it and then at me. "What's wrong with it?" she asked curiously. In disbelief, I looked at her.

"It's a _gown_, Alice," I pointed out. Wearing that tonight would not be appropriate. I was thinking maybe nice jeans and my corset top? That wouldn't be too bad at the party for one of the chaperons.

"Yes, and it's gorgeous. Don't tell me you've suddenly decided that you don't like red or velvet," she countered. I barely managed to keep the blush down when I thought about red velvet _curtains_ in the form of the canopy bed. That poor room. I think they'll have to completely redo it. The walls certainly will need to be replastered. Jasper began to chuckle more from behind me so I shot him a look.

Once my nephew at least attempted to keep his chuckling to himself, I turned back around to my niece, petting Miss Ginsie all the while. "Alice, it's a graduation party not a debutant ball. Ah'm not dressin' up like Scarlett O'Hara while y'all will be dressin' this place like some sorta discotech," I told her.

"It does not look like Scarlet's dress," Alice fumed slightly. She looked over at the dress she held up on the hanger and examined it again. Even holding it over her head, the gown pooled slightly on the floor.

"Yes, it does. The one where she goes to the party after being caught in Ashley's arms," I more questioned than stated.

"I think it would need some feathers on the shoulder to really get that effect," Jasper piped in. We both glared at him but he just grinned back. He knew neither one of us would stay mad at him for longer than a couple of seconds. Still, he found it amusing, I guess, to calm us. Alice sighed.

"Please, Elizabeth? You'll look so perfect in it," Alice begged. I sighed. Really, I didn't have anything against wearing the gown. I had something against wearing something so formal in a very non-formal, clubbing atmosphere.

"Yes, and how long do you think that dress will survive if I look perfect in it?" I asked her seriously. I already lost my favorite top to Gabriel yesterday before we got on the plane to come back. My husband was many things, but having restraint like that wasn't exactly one of his traits. Especially when he knew I had none.

"Hmm," Alice mused as she closed her eyes for a second to search. She grimaced and went to put the dress back. "Point," she grumbled before going to look through the closet for something else. Jasper laughed this time. I just rolled my eyes and slumped down on the bed, lying on my stomach this time, petting my pup.

I had missed Miss Ginsie horribly. The second we got home, the pup ran up to Gabriel and me, wagging her entire little body while dancing in circles; she was so excited we were home. I picked up the furball and hugged her while she tried to lick my face. I heard a variety of laughter both behind me and in front of me as my family came to welcome us home.

I had been playing with Miss Ginsie's fur, giving her a faux-hawk, when I felt something touch my arms. I looked over at the leather skirt Alice had yanked out of the closet and thrown on the bed. It was pretty, as far as I was concerned. It was longer in the back than in the front but still below the knee all the way around. It had a bit of an A shape to it and ruffles. Lots of ruffles.

"Am I supposed to go as a can-can girl?" I asked her, picking up the ruffles only to hear Alice's very disgruntled grumblings and Jasper laughing more.

"You are impossible!" she told me. I grinned.

Turning back to her closet, Alice would hold something, close her eyes, and mutter beneath her breath things that were getting Jasper to laugh even more. I guess whatever my snarky replies would be, Alice hated them and Jasper loved whatever Alice was commenting on about them.

After a few more minutes of going through clothing, Alice found an old skirt of Esme's –black lace- that was perfect for me. I put that on, a white billowy blouse, and my red corset top. I couldn't look more goth princess if I tried. Well, maybe the hair…

I was in my bedroom now, trying to get my hair done up before going to the school for graduation. It was only 10 am and the ceremony started at 11. I had seen the cap and gown –both Alice and Edward were kind enough to model them for me earlier- and I think the sole purpose of having that shade of yellow was to make sure that no one looked good. Not that anyone can really pull off polyester like that anyway.

Suddenly, I felt two cool arms around my waist and a pair of familiar lips on my neck. Even though I could see it was just Gabriel, and could feel it was just my husband, he still startled me. "My apologies, cara mia," he whispered right against my ear before he started trailing a line of kisses from my earlobe down across my jaw and back again. I melted into his embrace; my hair momentarily forgotten.

By the time I did remember my hair, it was a good twenty minutes later. I managed to get it done quickly, with the help of Gabriel since he was the one that interrupted and then messed my hair up in the first place. Luckily, we had only been kissing, otherwise, I don't think we'd make the ceremony. And wasn't that the entire point of coming back home?

We arrived right behind good Police Chief Swan's cruiser in Gabriel's new Chrysler 300. I grinned and decided to play some fun games with my darling cousin who was sitting in the back seat, behind the fiberglass.

_So what are you in for this time, Edward? Did Charlie catch you in Bella's room?_

I began. I went over a bunch of different images in my head; from grand theft auto to Edward being caught in a compromising position in Bella's room –both fully clothed, of course. He turned around and gave me a look to which I started giggling.

"What are you telling him?" Gabriel asked, curious as we turned in to park.

"Just asking him why Charlie arrested him. After all, only criminals get to ride in the back like that," I said as innocently as possible. Of course, it failed and I started smiling and holding back my giggles instead.

Gabriel chuckled back as he got out to open my door. Immediately, I went over to Charlie, Bella, and Edward to give them all hugs. "Charlie, thank you so much for taking care of Ginsie while we were all away," I told him sincerely. Since Emmett and Rosalie –my built in dogsitters and, hopefully in a few more months, babysitters- were with us, Charlie said he'd take the pup for the night.

"Well, um, you're welcome," he told me awkwardly with his one arm hug. It was easy to see where Bella got the blush from. Smiling, I moved on to Bella and Edward.

"So, you two ready to walk across the stage?" I asked teasingly. Yes, it was Bella's first graduation but it was Edward's fourteenth or something close to that. Well, fourteenth High School graduation. Next year or the year after that, it gets to be college. Again. Of all the place in the world, we have to go to New England? I think I'd prefer Canada if Carlisle could work in that ridiculously screwed up system.

"I guess," Bella said quietly. Edward chuckled.

"If she can," he said, smiling. Bella scowled at him while everyone else laughed lightly. It would be so like Bella to trip over everything. I can just see the yellow polyester dominos go down one by one thanks to her.

The group of the five us walked to the back door to the gym to drop our graduates off. I gave them both a hug again and warned Edward that I had my camera. After all, what fun was being here if I couldn't play the part of the snap crazy aunt?

"How will you take pictures if you fall asleep again?" Edward teased right back. I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at him and just gave him a glower instead. Oh, I knew I would fall asleep again. It was inevitable at a graduation ceremony. The second someone got up to speak, Gabriel would become a grand pillow.

"That's why I brought Gabriel," I grumbled at my nephew before leaving. Edward laughed as Alice danced to his side.

"Mom and Dad are in there. They are saving you a seat," Alice told us, smiling.

"Thanks, honey," I said, realizing that, with all the muggles around, we had to keep up the all human pretenses. I gave Alice a hug and a kiss on her forehead before following Gabriel through the main entrance.

It was exactly fifteen minutes into the horrible thing that I sort of crashed. The sea of hideous polyester yellow made it next to impossible to find anyone. I managed to make out Alice and Edward though, since Alice waved at us and then I managed to find Bella, since Jessica was talking her ear off and then…out. I didn't go completely to sleep but I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer either. I heard Jasper chuckling somewhere nearby and I was curious if it was his fault I felt so lethargic. Of course, since this happened every single time I've even been to a graduation –whether I was a participant or not- I kind of doubt it.

It was the sound of the screams and shouts –and the falling pointed hats- that woke me up. I got a few chuckles –and one sigh from Rosalie- for being startled like that. Why anyone would throw your hat up in the air was beyond me. I mean, don't you want to keep the one you wore on your head and not someone else's greasy scalp? I use to have the tassels from my graduation caps hanging down from a mirror until I was out of college. Then I think I lost them or put them away. I hated school.

We, of course, stayed in the seats. No need for any of the normal humans to brush up against my vampires and find them a bit too cool to the touch. I squeezed Gabriel's hand and went to go congratulate Bella, Edward, and Alice amongst the sea to of yellow. "I'll be right back," I said, kissing my husband quickly. He nodded and I ran off among the other parents, siblings, and relatives to find my graduates. Luckily, I got about three feet in and found myself behind Billy and Charlie. Charlie had lost some of his exuberance from earlier. Maybe now he just learned that Jacob had run off? That would be a bummer.

"Hey, Charlie; Billy," I told them. Billy smiled at me while Charlie only turned around to look at me, nod, and then go back to looking for Bella.

"Hey, kid. Back so soon?" Billy asked me as I strolled up behind his wheelchair, taking over the duty of helping Billy to navigate the crowd.

I blushed a bit. "Couldn't miss graduation this year. I promise Edward and Alice," I lied smoothly. Well, mostly. I didn't want to miss graduation because that moment was so pivotal in the books. Of course, now that Victoria was dead and most of the newborns were gone too, there was nothing to worry about anymore. Just the Volturi sending the guards to make sure Bella and I were changed. Luckily, Demetri and Felix said they'd both admit to having "trouble" finding us until next year if that happened. They were going to get Santiago to sign on to that deal too.

Billy chuckled at me. "Where are those little suckers anyway?" he asked good naturedly. I rolled my eyes.

"Right here, Billy," Alice said as she immediately came up to my side and hugged me again. I wrapped my arm around her. For a second, I could see in Billy's eyes that it still bothered him to see a human so comfortable with the vampires but he quickly got over it.

"Um, congratulations, there, uh, Alice," Billy stated. Alice grinned widely.

"Thank, Billy," Alice told him.

"Alice!" Charlie said when he saw my little spiky haired niece. He wrapped an arm around her easily and grinned. "Congratulations," he told her easily.

"Thanks, Charlie. Bella and Edward are just a few feet over that way," Alice told him before he could ask. Quickly, our little assembled group headed through the crowd of people –Alice safely between myself and Charlie- over to Bella and Edward. I gave Edward a hug right as Charlie maneuvered to hug his daughter and push Edward to the side slightly.

"Congratulations, baby!" I heard Charlie yell. It even hurt my ears at this close range.

"Congratulations, Edward," Again, I thought. My nephew smirked at me before turning to Billy.

"Thank you for coming," Edward said smoothly.

"Wouldn't miss it," Billy answered, smiling a bit. Charlie watched with curious eyes. When he saw Billy again, his face fell a bit.

"So where do you want to go out for dinner?" Charlie asked. "The sky's the limit," he tacked on. I giggled. I guess that meant the lodge instead of Subway.

Bella's eyes narrowed a bit at the idea of eating out. "I can cook," she responded quickly.

"Don't be silly. Do you want to go to the Lodge?" Charlie asked, grinning. His eyes danced at the idea. I guess he really did love that place.

"Billy? Would you like me to take you home or did you want to stay with Charlie and Bella?" I asked him. Billy looked up at me, grateful for the escape.

"Wouldn't mind resting at my place for a few, if you don't mind?" Billy answered easily.

"Alice? Edward?" Charlie asked them both to get their attentions. "You coming, too?" he asked.

"No, thank you. I believe we are having something at home," Edward answered formally.

I gave Charlie a half smile, Alice tucked up under my arm again. "We have cake," I stated in explanation. Charlie nodded knowingly. Billy looked at me, slightly confused. The truth was, we did have cake…for me. Given that Carlisle and Esme both seem to like to indulge my sweet tooth every chance they get, Esme made a cake for me…and Gabriel. I also think that it was just Esme's excuse to make a cake and be domestic.

"Will you be helping to chaperone at the party tonight?" I asked Charlie, managing not to laugh to while saying it. Billy laughed for me.

Charlie grimaced a bit. "No, sorry," he stated.

A couple of minutes later, Billy, Gabriel, and I were headed to the car. Well, it was more than a couple of minutes. It took a good five minutes just for Billy and me to weave through the crowd. Luckily, once anyone saw Billy in his chair, they did, at least, attempt to make room. It was kind of like going behind a snow plow but we were pushing people out of the way and not snow…or cars.

"Do you require assistance?" Gabriel asked Billy. I shook my head, giggling at the two of them. Billy was slightly taken back by the newest vegetarian and Gabriel didn't like the human wolf much better. I guess they smelled off to each other. Personally, I loved the way my husband smelled.

"No, I can get it if you just hand me the belt in the middle?" Billy said. I did as he asked from the other side of the brand new car. The new car smell had been one of my Mom's favorites.

"Do you want to come to the party?" I teased as I got in myself. Billy half glared at me to which I giggled some more.

Gabriel put the wheelchair in the trunk. I'm not quite sure how he fit it in back there but he did. Getting into the front, Billy spoke up again. "This isn't a Chrysler 300C, is it?" he asked Gabriel.

"SRT8," Gabriel answered nodding. I watched in the rear view mirror as Billy's eyes got wide.

"Nice," the old man whisper as he almost affectionately petted the back seat. I shook my head. It was a lovely sedan, to be sure, but it was a _sedan_. It wasn't a convertible so it didn't quite have the looks and I just couldn't understand getting a toy like this without getting something with towing capacity. Maybe I was just a truck girl at heart because I totally thought the hemi v-8 was wasted on the car….

After dropping Billy off at his house –Gabriel was allowed on the reservation since he had both me and Billy to watch out for him-, we headed back to our own home. Gabriel was supposed to finish helping with the lights and I was to finish my job as taste tester of all the food. Esme had out done herself.

Gabriel, of course, was taking the road at speeds that Bella would scream about. I could care less and probably would drive nearly as fast if I could. I didn't have a problem with 100 mph. Now, I felt a bit nervous when I went over that but that was because I lost the ability to stop at a moments notice. Gabriel didn't and I trusted him completely.

I sighed and was just about to lean against the passenger door, when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I wasn't quite sure what happened next but my mind managed to piece most of it together. We stopped, suddenly. I felt Gabriel's arm across my chest, keeping me from hitting the dashboard. Yeah, I had a seatbelt on but I wasn't going to be bruised thanks to Gabriel.

Looking out the windshield, I saw what had caused Gabriel to stop so suddenly. It was a very familiar, but naked, boy with wild dark hair. He turned to us, his eyes in complete pain, trembling. It was Jacob.

I didn't even think, really. I just yanked my seatbelt off and went to throw my long, black velvet over shirt around him. It wouldn't cover much, but it would be enough. Gabriel, of course, was quicker and had taken his shirt off to wrap around the boy. It was then I saw the hint of silver in the woods. No, it wasn't silver…

My eyes went wide with recognition. Gabriel half held Jacob, nearly dragging the kid towards the car. I don't think he knew what was wrong yet, but I did. Irina was here and she had bit Jacob, I bet. I jumped out of the car, the lighter from my purse in hand. Jacob screamed as Gabriel shifted him, trying to get him into the car.

"Hurry!" I shouted at my husband. But it was too late. I guess Irina came out me and Gabriel must have stepped in the way. What I do know is that I saw that bitch's teeth sink into my husband's good arm and all reason left my head. You do not touch Gabriel if you want to live.

I was close enough to pull down on her hair. She didn't seem to care, or rather, found it funny. Gabriel pushed her away and before I could burnt the silver locks off her ugly head. Irina, who was probably half crazed, laughed when she hit the trees behind her.

"Protecting a werewolf, Gabriel? And is that your little fangbanger? Is that what you've been f…," she started before Gabriel's had went around her throat, shutting off any more talking out of her. Without turning to me, Gabriel threw the keys. I caught them deftly.

"Amata mia, take Jacob to Carlisle," my husband told me over Jacob's screams.

"Gabriel, I," I started, tears forming in my eyes. I wanted to destroy that bitch.

"Now!" he shouted at me.

It went against every single particle of my being but I left. Jacob went form moaning to screaming in the back seat. He was sweating and trembling. Irina had bit him too based on the blood across his leg and his reaction. "I'm going as fast as I can, Jacob," I told him as gently as I could through my tears.

The only thing that gave me any hope was the site about eight minutes later. I saw a white blur in the woods, running parallel to the road. I just prayed that was my boys going to help my husband. It was only a second later, I got my answer.

The passenger door opened and Rosalie climbed in. She crinkled her nose at the smell, glared at Jacob, and then looked at me a bit more softly. I didn't take my eyes off the road –it would be too dangerous at the speeds I was going- but Rose answered my unspoken question anyway.

"Alice saw Gabriel in trouble," Rosalie stated quickly. I nodded and then sniffled, the tears flowing down my face. My husband was back there. I left him to deal with Irina. I shouldn't have left. Werewolf with poison in his veins or no werewolf.

Turning in the seat, Rose managed to squeeze herself over the center consul. I couldn't see what she was doing but I could hear her still.

"Oh stop being such a baby," Rose grumbled. "It's not like it's not anything I haven't seen before," she continued. I guess Jacob was reluctant to let her see his wounds. That was actually a good thing. If he was concerned about modesty at all, it meant he wasn't in nearly as much pain as I thought he might be. I heard the tearing of fabric followed by Rosalie's voice again.

"There? Are you happy now, mutt?" she asked him.

"…no," Jacob answered tightly. He screamed again as I got to the driveway to the house. How I managed to get through town like that…well, I guess everyone was at the Lodge by now so no one was on the street.

"I've tied the leg off," Rosalie said, sitting back down in the passenger seat. She looked at the blood on her hands with disgust. "Yuck! I have to take a shower now. I smell like _dog_," she complained. I managed to laugh, sort of hysterically, as we got to the garage. Carlisle was already there and pulled Jacob out of the backseat immediately.

I watched, helplessly, as Carlisle and Rose took Jacob into the house. Collapsing against the back of the seat, I looked in the back and saw all the blood. Gabriel wasn't going to like that.

Half thinking of cleaning out the car to avoid the blood drying into the leather seats, and half thinking of going back after my husband, I found myself driving again. I needed my husband. I didn't care about anything else other than seeing my Gabriel with my own two eyes again. And I just prayed that Irina hadn't hurt him more than she already had.

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**Author's Note:** Cliffy! :-) And over 800 reviews!!!!!! Awesomesauce!!!! Review, please? Pretty please?


	65. BIII Cv

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own silk taffeta! Thank you fabric dot com for the wonderful fall sale!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I guess a lot of people liked the last chapter. ::giggles:: And if anyone wants to play a really fun game, go search for "Poe Funeral" on flickr (or, probably, any photo hosting website) and see if you can figure out which mourner I am. Hint: I have black lace on my head. …of course, so do about twenty or thirty other people!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 5

A traffic jam, in Forks. Of all the times for there to be a _traffic jam_ in the middle of this tiny town, it had to be now? I needed to get to my Gabriel! I needed to rip that bitch's head off her shoulders myself! But, no, apparently a few people were leaving the Lodge to go have "at home" celebration and there was a log truck up ahead blocking all the lanes of traffic across the 101.

I turned down one of the many side streets, only slightly aware of the fact I might want to pay attention to such things as stop signs and speed limits because having Mark, Charlie, or Steven pull me over wouldn't be a good thing right now. Particularly Charlie. Luckily, I think he's still at the Lodge with Bella so no worries of having to explain to him as to why there was blood covering the back seat of my husband's brand new car.

Once I got around the stupid timber truck and got on the road towards La Push, I had to distract myself. My every thought was on Gabriel and seeing Irina's teeth sink into his upper arm. She had tried to lunge for me, I knew, but my hatred towards her was based on the simple fact that she scarred my husband instead. I couldn't allow my temper to blind me right now. I'd be able to do that when I saw her. Right now, I just had to get to Gabriel.

I focused on the car and the road. The car was brand new. It had been waiting at the house when we came home late last night or early this morning. My husband explained that he wanted a good family car to me when I looked at him like he was crazy for buying something like this. I guess, with the back seat, it would fit a car seat pretty easily. I thought a new truck would be just as good, some pretty little SUV that would be inconspicuous, unlike this thing. Gabriel had very different ideas and wanted something with horsepower, style, and luxury. I think he focused too much on the styling and not enough on things like towing packages….

I suddenly stopped the car. I wasn't even sure what I was doing. I knew I couldn't allow myself to think about the situation or else I'd end up just going home. After all, I didn't know where they were and I didn't want to think of the consequences of blindly going through the woods with my can of spray paint and a lighter. The sword was at home.

I couldn't explain what I was feeling. I didn't want to have to rationalize it. All I did know is that I had to stop the car and get out here. I wasn't even sure where here was, but I pulled over and locked the car up. Hopefully, no one would stop and look in the back seat.

I looked around at the surrounding forest. I could hear the rustle of the leaves, some small drainage or other water source not too far off, and a few birds. I could smell the dirt and odd wet musk that made up the Pacific Northwest. But what I felt was every part of me wanting to run straight into the woods at a northwest direction.

I didn't question it, I just ran. My mind filled in the gaps, thinking this must be the way Gabriel took. I could see Jasper, sometimes Emmett crisscrossing back and forth along this route as well. Maybe it was just my mind being overly imaginative again given the recently uprooted trees and broken branches that made a nice path for me. This was the way I needed to go. Thank God I wore my hiking boots and red cords to the Graduation ceremony. The black lace skirt was for the party tonight.

About two minutes after I ran head long into the woods, I stopped. Something changed in the atmosphere around me. I looked around but each of the green on green trees looked the same to my eyes. What wasn't the same was the complete and absolute quiet around me. I reached for my spray can, knowing I was close, and didn't even think about running. I just ran in a different direction now.

As to the direction I was heading, I wasn't the slightest bit aware. All I could say was that there was something pulling me, or telling me, to go this way or that. I wasn't keeping to any type of line anymore and then…I could smell it.

Honey, lilac, the smell of laundry that's been laid out in the sun, rising bread, vanilla, florals I couldn't name, and my favorite scent of all; Christmas at the beach. Gabriel had been here, recently along with Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. I think the smell of heather and something else that I couldn't quite identify was Irina.

Closing my eyes, I listened for any sound. I heard only the slightest hint of voices to the left of me and back, but I knew by the tenor whom they belong to. Again, I ran, deeper into the woods, and stopped when the voices did. Maybe they smelled the human coming closer? Hopefully, that's all it was. If it was, then my family would probably be shouting and screaming again in a second.

Slowly, I walked towards where the noise had been only to be stopped by a big patch of grey fur right in front of me. I looked at the wolf who was about the size of a great dane, maybe a little smaller, and recognized it as Leah. I glared at the wolf who was growling at me a bit. "Move," I said, starting to walk around her so I could get beyond this small hill and over to where my family was.

Leah actually snapped at me when I tried to move around her and I jumped back, startled. It's not every day I have a werewolf growling at me. Only once a month. At least this werewolf wouldn't hurt me, I don't think. Still, I grabbed my jerry-rigged spray can and held it up to her nose. "So help me, Leah," I began to argue with her when I could hear more growling from not to far away. I could also hear voices but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Leah's attention was diverted for a moment and that's all I needed. She was looking at the direction of the noises we both heard and I ran around behind her to go towards the place I think the voices and growling was coming from. I could hear a distinctly feminine voice that made me clench the spray can tighter. By the time Leah realized I had run off, I was within eye sight of the small gathering of mythological creatures.

Leah stopped me anyways and snapped again. I, almost instinctively considering I do it all the time to Ginsie, slapped her across the nose a bit lightly. It's supposed to annoy dogs and let them know who is boss. I'm guessing it might work the same way on werewolves. At least Leah looked at me, shocked, this time. I heard a wolfy chuckle to the right of me from another grey wolf. Maybe that one was Embry? I didn't see any spots so it might be Jared.

I looked above Leah's back and tried to see what was going on. Sam was talking to Edward and Emmett, it looked like. Jasper had a hand on Gabriel's shoulder but looked to be in pain. My Gabriel looked thoroughly pissed off at Sam and then at Irina. Irina was in a tackle hold via Emmett. It was hard to tell what she was feeling from here but I really didn't care.

The wolf, who I pushed down on to see over her, growled softly again. I glared at her and she glared right back. "Then move!" I whispered at her harshly. If she didn't like my hands trying to push her down, then she could just get out of the way. Rather than moving, Leah laid down. She was low enough I could see but she was also low enough that I could step over her. The second I lifted my foot to try, she growled at me again. I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I muttered, crossing my arms. At least my Gabriel didn't look to be in danger.

The second I thought that, Irina's eyes found mine. She glared at me and I noticed that her hair was shorter on one side than the other. I wasn't sure about any injuries at this distance –she still had both arms and legs, but I'm guessing my husband at least started to rip her apart. Good. I'm just hoping that she didn't try the same on him.

Leah, laying down again, looked at Irina and growled at her as did the other wolves. It was hard to hear what Edward, Emmett, Irina, and Sam were all saying. I looked down at the grey wolf with pleading eyes. "Can we at least move closer to my husband? I can't hear well from here," I whispered to her quietly. Leah looked at where Gabriel and Jasper were, then to me, and back. With a heavy sigh, she got up and slowly walked on the outer perimeter towards the two vampires.

The fierceness and anger in Gabriel's face along with his fists dissipated as I drew near. All the anger I felt towards Irina, the feeling of wanting to kill her, took a back burner when I saw Gabriel's eyes. I went up to him and hugged him tightly. I could care less that we had about a dozen or so witnesses around us. I had been so completely worried for him that to be able to touch him was relief itself.

It was a minute before I noticed Jasper let us be. I was safe in my lover's arms and that's all I wanted in that moment. I could scarcely hear my husband murmuring something in my ear or the voices getting more and more angry in the background.

"Sam, we cannot allow that," I heard Edward say tersely.

"She tried to kill Jacob and Elizabeth by your own words! You should have let Gabriel finish the job," Sam replied angrily.

Slowly, I turned around in Gabriel's arms. I placed my hands on top of his to make sure he wouldn't leave me. I needed to physically feel him next to me, around me. If I didn't, I was liable to burn Irina to ashes as she stands. Considering Emmett was holding her, I don't think Rose would be too pleased about that. He'd only get minor burns. Nothing that couldn't be healed, I don't think.

"We'll deal with her, Sam. Her family needs to be notified of where she is and what she's done," Edward replied. Jasper had his hand on Edward's back now. My cousin's fists were clenched tight and I was slowly coming to realize how close a fight this might be.

Irina bit Jacob. She tired to bite me but Gabriel stopped her. I squeezed my husband's hand with that thought. By the treaty, she was to be put to death and I can't say that that was a bad thing right now. If I didn't get to flame throw her, I hoped, at least, the wolves would. But at the mention of her _family_ I realized this wasn't just a fight over keeping Irina alive, it was a fight in order to stop a possible war.

Tanya and Kate –and probably Eleazar and Carmen too- would be freaked if they found out the wolves killed Irina and we just stood by. They'd probably be even more freaked if any one of us did it. I hated to admit it but I liked Tanya and Kate from the brief time I met them. Tanya was wild but she had a sense about her, like she always knew what she was doing. Kate was just fun. If Tanya was the one to answer all my questions about Gabriel before I met him, Kate was the one to tell me all the fun pranks to pull on him. I didn't want to make them mad. They would need to be told.

"We cannot allow that, Edward," Sam said, using Edward's own words against him. I could see both Sam and Edward almost toe to toe, looking like they wanted to kill each other. I couldn't allow that. If Sam touched Edward, I'd just want to kill Sam along with Irina. It would start a war. All because Irina couldn't keep her mouth shut and not go after the wolves. Idiot.

"We need to call Tanya and Kate first," I said to the assembled group. Suddenly, all eyes were on me. Despite wanting to look down –an old habit from when I was somewhat shy-, I looked right at Sam from the safety of Gabriel's arms. "We'll hold a trial," I started. A trial seemed fair. Maybe with two judges? One wolf and one vampire? "But we need to hold off until the rest of her clan can come down," I told him. If Sam agreed, then it would, at least, buy us some time.

"A trial? She tried to kill Jacob and you! She's guilty!" Sam shouted at me. I felt Gabriel start to break away from me but I collapsed my hands over his tightly. I know perfectly well that my hold on him was nothing physically, but I was hoping that my slight indication that I needed him would force him to stay. Gabriel simply squeezed me again, his arms like a gentle cage around my lower ribs.

Instead, it was Edward that started to lunge at Sam. The only thing that stopped him was Jasper. Jasper gave Edward his "Major Whitlock" look and Edward backed down. Both went back to where they had been standing before; Edward facing Sam and Jasper with a hand on Edward's back. Sam, on the other hand, looked startled.

"Fine," Sam said through his teeth. "You have one day. We'll meet here, again, tomorrow. I want one of my pack, at least, to go with you though and keep an eye on her," he almost growled.

"Fine," Edward spat back. I could only imagine what Sam must be thinking that would get Edward that riled. Not that Edward wasn't known for his temper or anything.

Seth came up next to Sam and nudged Sam's hand with his nose. The sandy colored wolf looked at my family, then to his pack leader, and let out a slight whimper. That whimper was the same whether human or wolf –or vampire-, it was the "please?" whimper sound. Sam sighed and nodded to Seth. Immediately, Leah was over near Sam, growling. "And do what, Leah? Tell someone else to go? At least Seth wants to," Sam told her both exasperated and angry. Leah sniffed in indignation and walked over to me and Gabriel, blocking us, again.

"Then you can both go," Sam growled at her, frustrated. Leah gave the wolf equivalent, of a shrug and turned her…tail on Sam. Facing us, she growled and gestured with her nose for us to head off behind us. I had no idea which way was East or West, but I'm guessing that way was for the house.

"I brought the car," I whispered quietly as I remembered the blood in the back seat.

"We'll go and get that first, cara mia," Gabriel responded quietly. I only caught the last part of what Edward was telling Sam.

"...then, I assume the borders are back up?" Edward asked with a clenched fist.

"We will not have traitors on our land," Sam answered coldly.

Edward took a couple of breaths before he spoke again. "I will inform my _parents_," he responded before quickly turning. Jasper followed behind Edward and Emmett joined the mini parade with Irina still in his arms. She looked…lethargic? Maybe? Perhaps the right word was resigned. Seth took up the back and the rest of the wolves started to disappear into the woods.

It was only a half a minute before Gabriel turned me around in his arms and kissed me hard upon the lips, his hands clutching my upper arms as tightly as he dared. Despite our audience of one lone wolf, I pulled at his bottom lip, demanding more. Rather than give in, Gabriel pulled away gently much to my disgruntlement. His eyes met mine and I could see all the worry and fear that I had felt for him echoed in his own dark gold eyes. He needed to hunt…

The only thing that broke my thoughts was the sound of an odd growl behind me. It was almost whiny in comparison to the growls I was use to. I realized I had been hearing it the entire time Gabriel was kissing me but I hadn't paid attention to it. Gabriel looked behind me and smirked slightly, nodding once before turning back to me. "Where did you leave the car, tesorina?" he asked me, still holding me –although loosely- in his arms.

I rested my head against his chest, earning a growl and a sigh of frustration from behind me. "On the side of the road. I didn't know where you were. I just ran," I answered truthfully.

"You enter the woods alone?" Gabriel asked, shock clear in his voice. I nodded against his chest. I could hear pacing behind me and another whine. This one was a clear "let's go" type of whine.

I felt his two cool hands on either side of my face. Despite a very different look right now, it brought to mind our wedding night and I blushed. "Never do that again, amata mia. Capisce?" he begged me. I'm sure I looked a bit bewildered at that.

"But I found you," I pointed out, a bit confused.

"Ti prego, cara mia, non fanno che ancora una volta," Gabriel pleaded. The fact he didn't even bother with English was enough to tell me he was serious. I wasn't sure why though. I understood enough of the Italian to know that he was asking me not to run off haphazardly like I did. I got why but, at the same time, I found him so I didn't see the issue.

"Alright," I whispered. I planned on quizzing him on it later.

Gabriel carried me back to the car –it was quicker- and the smell of blood from the back seat was a bit overpowering now that I wasn't infuriated or as worried about everything. We had a day. I could only pray that would be long enough.

The look of the lights along the driveway brought home exactly what was going on. It seemed ridiculous to have the graduation party now in light the fragility of the treaty with the wolves, Irina having gone ballistic, and Jacob being poisoned. I get why Bella thought having the party when the newborns and Victoria were still an issue was so insane now. Given the past hour, I thought it was insane. I guess we can't exactly revoke the invitations now though.

Gabriel gave me his hand to get me out of the car. I looked at the backseat again. "Sorry, Gabriel. It was either clean the backseat before the blood dried or find you," I whispered.

"Do not worry on the car, tesorina. Getting it clean is not an issue. I care little of things," he said gently, kissing me chastely, before heading into the house.

Leah appeared, still in wolf form, from out of the woods. She had followed parallel for most of the way. She hadn't been able to through town but I spotted her, again, once we hit the outskirts of Forks. Coming up beside us, she stopped near the front porch and barked once at the door. She immediately got an answering bark from Miss Ginsie. Well, far more than one answering bark. It made me smile.

As Gabriel and I walked up to the door to head in, Seth came out in his human form. "Hey Gabriel. Hey, Elizabeth," he said a bit sadly. Ginsie growled behind Seth until she saw us. Her entire demeanor changed to one of angry puppy to happy to see us puppy, although she still barked.

"Hush, pup," I admonished Ginsie and then turned to Seth who was looking at me confused. "Not you, Seth," I told the boy and pointed to my dog. "Ginsie." Seth smiled a bit but it wasn't a full goofy grin like I had seen before. Leah whined a bit and nudged her brother.

"What's going on with Jake?" I asked as Gabriel re-wrapped me in his arms.

Seth sighed and looked at his small audience. "Carlisle managed to get most of the venom out, he thinks, but there is still a bit in there. He's hoping that Jacob's body will just sweat it out but he's not sure," Seth told us. I bit my bottom lip. If Jacob died, the consequences were too great to imagine. As much as I thought he was a jackass, I didn't want the bastard to die.

"Carlisle will help him, Seth," I whispered, reaching for the boy. Seth smiled a bit.

"Yeah, I know," he answered. Leah nudged her brother again as Gabriel and I headed inside. We went up the stairs where the rest of the family was gathered outside of Carlisle's office. Esme saw me and snatched me from Gabriel into a hug.

"I was so worried," she told me. Hugging her back, I felt bad for making my big sister for feeling even an ounce of pain on my behalf.

"Sorry," I told her. "How is Jacob?" I asked as we broke apart.

"Sedated, for now," Carlisle answered as he came out of his office, wiping his hands on a towel. Looking at him, his face was creased with worry and probably a bit of fright. He honestly really did look older than me for once. "I hope to keep him that way until morning but I'm not sure how much to give him regarding his physique," he continued, his voice strained.

"You are doing everything you can," Esme assured him as she went to her husband's side. I noticed that the only members of my family that weren't in attendance were Emmett and Rosalie. I guess they were put on guard duty. So where was Irina being held then?

"The storage room next to your sewing room," Edward answered. His tone indicated he was prepared for me to go ballistic. I just rolled my eyes. Great, so I guess I'm sleeping in the living room tonight. Won't that be lovely? There is no way I'm going down those stairs if Irina is there. I don't want to be anywhere near her.

Everyone seemed distracted by something outside. Alice shot a look to Edward and hurried down the stairs. Ginsie, who just came up the stairs, growled at the little vampire before coming over next to me. Reaching down to pet her, I saw Edward hurry down the stair too; but at a much slower pace. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something and I guess what when I heard Alice and Edward next.

"Hello, Bella!"

"Bella, love, something has happened."

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**Author's Note:** Space heaters, silk taffeta, and brand new candles are awesome, but not as awesome as reviews!


	66. BIII Cvi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own silk taffeta! Thank you fabric dot com for the wonderful fall sale!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **And y'all thought Bella, Edward, and Alice would have a nice non dramatic Graduation. Bwahahahaha…. Okay, serious note: I was going to write a very long author's note about how the "update soon"'s confuse me since I update every other day but, rather than go into that, I figured I'd do something a bit more constructive. I created a banner for this story. What I would like to do is maybe have a forum up (on Twilighted?) so I can see the banner being used rather than just have it up on the profile page. (My profile page is getting way too crowded). If anyone has any other ideas of how to distribute the banner, if anyone would actually even like it, I'm open to ideas.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 6

"Bella, love, something has happened," I could hear Edward say downstairs. I didn't want to hear the rest. I didn't want to think over the past hour. It wasn't that I was worried about Jacob –although I was, honestly- it was more I was fearful of my feelings of absolute murderous hate taking over again, marching down to the basement, and turning Irina into charcoal.

As everyone else waited to hear Bella's reaction, I gently squeezed my husband's hand and went down the hall towards the back stairs. The back stairs were, technically, outside and part of a way from Edward's room down to the deck out back, but I was the only one that used them. What's the point in using stairs when you get down quicker by jumping?

Mumbling something about taking Ginsie outside, I patted my thigh, indicating for the pup to follow me. She did so obediently upon hearing the word "outside" and trotted along beside me to the back stairs. As I opened the back door, I felt the burst of cool air and noticed that it was clear outside. Of course, it was also growing dark now that it was about seven thirty or so. The party would start at eight. By that time, the sun would be too far behind the trees to make much of a difference between light and darkness.

As I stepped out on to the wooden deck like staircase, I felt a cool hand gently take my arm. I knew without looking who it was. I also felt my husband nearby, behind me. Turning to Jasper, I smiled a bit. "Thanks," I said as I felt the worries, the anger, slip away. He nodded once in return.

Ginsie was already prancing about in the back yard. She had a route that she liked to take now. She'd hide behind one of the trees, sniff out an old rabbit den, and then run back around to the front yard. She'd stay within shouting range of me and the vampires could always find her easily so I didn't worry –much- about her running off anymore. She use to do that so much at home.

At home. That place didn't feel like home anymore to me. Calling it home even sounded weird in my own head. I remember all the disgusting people I had to be around, all the revolting things I had to read about, all because it was my job. I didn't realize how much I truly loathed that job until right now.

Being around people who thought couldn't comprehend the absurdity I saw in everything around us. How I saw the overly sexualization of children by Hollywood, so blatantly apparent to my eyes, as a direct tie to the very crimes I was trying to stop. Where I saw the line and so much of the world saw it were always too different things.

A friend of mine, back at my first high school, once told me I belonged either very far in the past or way in the future, but not here. Not now. I couldn't agree more. Maybe that's why I fit in so well with my new family? Maybe that's why I finally felt like I belonged? Everyone here was from the past and we'd all survive far into the future. The present that surrounded us was pretty much meaningless unless it directly impacted our future. Like now. Like with Irina and Jacob. This entire thing was a mess.

Both Jasper and Gabriel were quiet as I sat down on one of the iron lawn chairs Esme kept outside. I'm guessing the emotional environment was too much for Jasper. There was too much pain, too much hate, too much sadness in there. Out here, well, I was a bit annoyed that Ginsie ran out of my sight but I could still hear the clicking of her tags around her collar around the corner of the house. That wasn't much.

Gabriel stood behind me, his hands gently resting on my shoulders. I placed one hand on top of his, squeezing it. I heard him sigh. "You're cold, tesorina. You shouldn't be out here," he chastised me lightly.

Turning in my seat to look at him, I raised an eyebrow. "And you'd rather I was in there?" I asked seriously. I had heard Bella scream a "what?!?" as we descended the stairs but I didn't hear much after that. I could guess that she'd be crying and otherwise upset. Her best friend was hurt. Although Alice couldn't see him, I had faith in Carlisle that Jacob would be alright. Venom was poison to the children of the moon I had found out after my little run in with two of them alongside the highway. My family told me later about it.

They weren't sure what venom would do to the shapeshifters. Based on the legends, well, there wasn't exactly a lot of information. Once a vampire got a hold of a shapeshifter, they tended to kill them quickly. And, considering the whole information exchange wasn't exactly available up until a few weeks ago with the new treaty –that may very well be void thanks to Irina-, Carlisle never got to question Quil Sr. or any of the other elders about it. I'm guessing this was a in practice lesson. Why we actually needed to test this at all was all Irina's fault.

Gabriel moved closer into my visual range, taking a hold of my hand as he moved from behind me. "I do not want you to be uncomfortable," he told me, watching my eyes for any hesitation. I looked right back at him. I was not going back inside until the party started no matter how cold it was out here. How I was going to get dressed for the party now was beyond me.

I couldn't go downstairs into my own apartment. I already figured out what would happen if I did. Even Emmett, my big burly nephew, wouldn't be able to stop me from at least hurting Irina. Just a little burn mark. Like her entire shoulder or something.

"Has anyone called Tanya and Kate?" I asked, looking at Jasper. He nodded.

"Esme did the moment we got back. Carlisle was working on Jacob at the time. They are flying out tonight. They should be here by the morning," Jasper told me rather matter of factly. I looked at him curiously. Was I bothering him? I'm pretty sure that my emotions were more in check out here than in there. Having Gabriel at my side helped a lot to calm me but just being in the fresh –although cool- air also helped.

Jasper smiled a bit. "Bella is going up to see Jacob. Carlisle and Edward don't want to let her in," he started to explain. "The mutt keeps trembling and he already took a swipe at Carlisle." Before the surprised expression could even fully form on my face, Jasper tacked on, "He didn't mean to, of course. And all it did was rip Carlisle's shirt." Jasper shrugged, not finding much of a problem with this, I guess.

I suppose if Jacob were flailing about, his arm turning into a paw with claws –which it would have had to to rip Carlisle's shirt- then it was just a matter of him not being in control. He didn't realize what he was doing and who could really blame him for anything when it was only a shirt? Thinking on Jacob, I stood up.

"Has anyone called Billy?" I asked both the men out here with me. The both looked rather caught off guard and I sighed.

"I am sure the wolves have informed him, cara mia," Gabriel answered. I shook my head.

"Doesn't matter. We should call him too and let him know that Carlisle is doing everything he can to help heal his son," I explained. I squeezed his hand and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Get Miss Ginsie, please? I'll be in the kitchen calling Billy," I stated.

"Claro, amore," Gabriel answered. He looked to Jasper and I could just barely hear something being said. I wasn't sure what and sighed disgruntled before heading off back to the house. Being cold had taken the forefront to anything else I had been feeling. I wanted to get back into the living room turned dance hall.

Jasper, of course, caught up with me quickly. "Are you playing guard?" I asked him grumpily.

He chuckled. "You are just easier to be around than everything going on upstairs," he answered. My face fell a bit. I guess the emotional climate upstairs would be a bit overpowering for him. I stopped and actually hugged my nephew.

"Sorry," I whispered. Jasper stood there for a second, shocked. After all, his involvement with most humans was trying not to eat them. He was relaxing around me and Bella since I was here twenty four seven and Bella was here a lot as well. But still, he tended to be on the outskirts from us; more watching than participating. Slowly, he hugged me back, very carefully.

"Thanks, Aunt Sissy," he whispered back before we headed into the house.

By the time I got within three feet of the kitchen, Gabriel was in with Miss Ginsie in his arms. The white and ginger furball had leaves in her fur and was happily panting like she had had some great chase. I looked at the my husband with my eyebrow raised as he place the pup on the floor.

"Seth and Leah are not too far into the woods. I believe they are running a perimeter. Ginsie, I think, believed them to be intruders upon the land," Gabriel said with a half smile. I threw up my hands and glared down at the dog who was wagging her tail at my feet.

"Bad!" I admonished the pup quickly. She flinched. "You do not go after the werewolves, Ginsie. It's bad," I informed her. Most people don't believe dogs understand much more than a few simple commands. I doubted that very much given how expressive Ginsie was. She knew more than she'd let on.

After another couple of seconds of glaring at the white furball of a puppy, I went into the kitchen and dialed up Billy's number. Unfortunately, no one answered and it's not like he had voicemail. Even if he did, I doubted he'd actually check it. Sighing, I hung up. "No one home," I mumbled to Gabriel and Jasper. My husband came over and wrapped his arms around me again. I buried my face into his shoulder. Today was already a long day and it was about to get longer.

I wasn't going to test going over to the reservation. Yes, I was human but I was also married to a vampire. I don't think Sam would look too generously on me crossing the treaty line. So, instead, we could wait here, call later, and go on with the graduation party. I glanced over at the food that Esme, Rosalie, and Jasper prepared that I got to taste test earlier. I wasn't hungry for it anymore.

This morning, I had been on a plane coming home from my honeymoon. I had been happy. Yes, I missed the castle but I got to see my family again. I got to be home, a real home. Now? Now, everything was in utter chaos and we still had to play the part of clueless humans. Humans that didn't believe in the supernatural paranormal stuff. This was not going to be fun.

It was only few minutes later the doorbell rang. Alice was downstairs by that point, wearing her sequined tank top and red leather pants. She looked at me before about a minute before the bell rang. "You aren't dressed," she tisked. I shrugged.

"I'm not going downstairs with…_her_ down there," I stated. Gabriel wrapped his arms around my waist in comfort. Sighing Alice went, vampire speed, to my apartment, and came up with both mine and Gabriel's clothing for the evening. She thrust the lot in my arms.

"You can change in my room or the bathroom but you are changing into those," she said right as I heard a car pull up. Rather than getting into a rather pointless argument, I handed my husband his half of the clothing pile and went over to the half bath downstairs.

By the time I came out, I saw Alice giggling with a group of teenagers. Edward and Bella had come down as well but Jasper had disappeared. Of course, so had my husband so I wasn't sure what was going on. Miss Ginsie, however, was right by the bathroom door. I bent down to pet her before walking over to the group.

It didn't matter than I hadn't ever been introduced to them before. I knew each of the instantly. The small curly haired bouncy girl was Jessica. She was next to a round faced rather adorable blond haired boy who had to be Mike. Tyler looked like a jock and the blond girl had to be Lauren. I wasn't entirely sure who the rest of the crew was but I'm pretty sure I got those right.

Edward turned to me and smiled before widening the gathering a bit to let me join in a bit. I guess it was my chance to play adult for a few minutes. I bet Carlisle and Esme wouldn't leave Jacob for the next few hours. "Everyone? I would like to introduce my Aunt," Edward said calmly. I could see Alice grinning from her spot on the other side of Bella.

Bella. The poor girl was managing to at least look calm. I don't think anyone could ask more of her than that for now. The door bell rang again before Edward could finish his introduction. Angela and Ben joined the assembled group.

All the kids hugged and congratulated each other. I tried to remember my High School graduation and came up blank. I remember the ceremony. Well, what I was awake for. I remember my college graduation and trying to find the perfect dress. Did I wear pants at my High School Graduation? I think so… Heck, I even remember graduating from the eight grade better than my High School Graduation. I'm not even sure we had a party…

Edward looked at me apologetically and I just shrugged. I'll play chaperone for now. More and more kids began to pile in. The music was blaring over the surround sound speakers in the living room and, I guess, someone hooked up the TV to a computer to get the "watercolors" going in time to the beat on the screen.

Bella began to relax, I think. As more of her classmates came in, she started to look as excited and as thrilled at everyone else. I could see her trying –hard- to play the part of good little hostess and it was amusing.

Gabriel came up from our apartment about fifteen minutes into the party. I bit my lip, wondering what he was doing down there. Slowly, he managed to get through the assembled party going teenagers and over to me. In the pulsing red and purple lights, I could just make out that Gabriel wasn't breathing. Of course. He shouldn't be around humans like this. I should have known that.

"Amore," he said softly. Gently, I took his hand in mine and looked up at his face worriedly. It had been a week since he hunted. He could go for two but with this many people in this cramped of a space? This was pushing it.

He would never hurt me and he was use to being around Bella but a lot of people? Even in Austria we went to places that weren't that crowded or they were outside where the air would flow enough that it couldn't bother him. Either way, it was nothing like this.

"Go, Gabriel," I whispered back. "You don't need to be here. I'll watch the kids," I stated. He shook his head and I sighed. There were too many teenagers too close by to really have this argument right now. I looked around the room and tried to figure out which place would be easiest for my husband to stand and not want to suddenly massacre half the graduating class of Forks. After all, this wasn't some small town in Maine and I don't think I've heard of anyone named Carrie yet. Although, cow's blood probably would make a decent appetizer for the vampires. I bet I could pick it up at the butcher shop and say I'm making black pudding. Good to know when I get pregnant.

The spot I found just happened to be behind the appetizers. From that vantage point, we could still play the part of the adults overseeing the party –although Esme was down here too now and Rosalie came up a while ago- but have a little space between us and the kids.

It was sort of funny when Mike Newton came over to the table and smiled happily at us. He was about to make conversation when my husband smiled back. Mike took a step back and quickly gathered his food. My poor husband was terrifying the local populace without really trying.

The party was like the ones I remembered my college throwing. Lots of lights, lots of good food –what I wouldn't give for a chocolate rum ball again-, lots of very loud music, and a ton of people. It was just fun. There was never any of the "sneaking back to the dorms" or any of the other nonsense –probably because it was an all girl's college and we tended to like only having girls at the parties- but also because, for the most part, everyone knew how to behave like people and not like animals. There were lines that weren't to be crossed. Dancing and singing along to your favorite song wasn't a bad thing. Giving into your instincts without any attempt to control them was something completely different. Everyone had fun but everyone was in control. Well, we did love that the police got called a couple of times because of the noise.

Alice was funny to watch. She danced and twirled as she spoke with her classmates. She made she to talk to everyone for at least a minute before finding someone else to grab her attention. It was clear the little pixie was having a blast.

Of course, just like Cinderella's spell, reality came to slap us all back in the face around midnight. The crowd of teenagers began to thin and everyone slowly slipped home. Bella, again, tried unsuccessfully to ask to see Jacob but Carlisle stayed firm. He told her it was too dangerous even though, for now, Jacob was sleeping comfortably. Edward took her home around twelve thirty.

Once the last of the kids had gone, Seth came inside in his sweatpants. Esme immediately went into mother mode with him. She pleaded with him to eat something –which he did, we had a lot of leftovers- and to get some rest.

"We aren't allowed to leave until Jacob can come home," Seth told the maternal vampire.

"Then sleep here, sweetheart. We have plenty of rooms," Esme said, worriedly. Even I heard the growl from somewhere near the front porch as the living room was being righted.

Seth turned and looked almost nervously at the front door. Turning back to Esme, he hung his head. "Leah wouldn't like that. We'll be fine outside," he said a bit more cheerfully towards the end.

"We have plenty of sleeping bags or anything else you would like. Would you like to take some blankets or maybe even set up a tent outside?" Esme asked, hopefully. Her motherly worry coming thick in her voice.

"Aww, Esme, you don't have to," Seth started. Esme pat the boy on the shoulder before going towards one of the many linen closets. She pulled out a few dozen blankets.

"I want to. I don't like the idea of you or your sister out there without some comfort," Esme told him, handing the blankets over. I heard an exasperated sigh from outside.

I went over to the door and stepped outside into the cool night air. It was June and it was in the 40's out. I think God is playing a cruel joke on me again. I somehow really ended up in South America based on these temperatures. Now, the whole cloud cover thing wasn't bad.

Looking down at Leah, the gray wolf got up immediately, hackles raised, until she saw it was me. She relaxed, sighed again, and laid back down, looking at me. I could hear Esme and Seth still talking but I wasn't paying attention anymore.

"Do you have to comment on everything?" I asked her.

Leah made a gruff like noise and jutted her nose towards the door. However, as she did so, she quickly recoiled like she smelled something bad. I rolled my eyes. Really, how bad could it really be if it's something you got use to over time? Stingy icy smells weren't as bad, to me, as say left over biological matter from a swamp that's been left in zip lock bags for two weeks in a non-air conditioned room in early September in South Carolina. That…that I still have nightmares about. Floral smelling salty ice packs? Not so much.

I looked at the door and then back to Leah. "Seth will be back out in a minute. Play nice," I told her before looking in the direction of where Jacob still was. I had yet to check up with Carlisle and see if there was any news. As far as we all knew, Carlisle was keeping Jake sedated for now. "And I think Jake is still asleep, Leah. We'll let you know if anything changes," I told her.

Leah huffed at me but otherwise seemed to ignore me. Rolling my eyes again, I went back inside. It was too cold to be outside for long in nothing more than the skirt, blouse, and corset top.

When I came back in, the living room was just as it always was. The sofa, chairs, and loveseat were all back in place. The lights were on and the boys were arguing over what to watch on the tube. Strange to think that just a few minutes earlier this place was blaring music and done up like a nightclub.

Gabriel smiled at me from where he was and came over, gently kissing my hand. I gave him a week smile. I couldn't even comprehend how much everything had changed in the course of the day. Really, in the course of a few hours. Would we even get a chance to be newlyweds again soon?

The plan was to come back from the Austria, go to the graduation, stay for the party, and then go rent some cabin somewhere for a while. Somewhere pretty and maybe even go back to where Gabriel proposed. Of course, that couldn't happen now that Irina had to go ballistic. I wasn't going to leave my family during this crisis. I'd just be worried about them the entire time we were gone and I doubted that Gabriel really wanted to leave either.

It was sometime between one or two in the morning that the doorbell rang. I had been curled up next to my husband –a blanket around me courtesy of Esme- half asleep when I could almost hear everyone freeze. The atmosphere changed so dramatically around me that I woke up to see all the vampires looking out towards the driveway. Well, all except for Alice who was texting away on her phone. Maybe to Edward? He wasn't back from Bella's; not that anyone expected him to be.

Esme answered the door and there stood Tanya, Kate, and two dark haired vampires that must be Carmen and Eleazar. Biting her lip, "I'm sorry we had to call you about this. Would you please come in?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm liking this cliffies. They are fun. :-)


	67. BIII Cvii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own silk taffeta! Thank you fabric dot com for the wonderful fall sale!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Sinus infections aren't fun. Luckily, they have this new thing called a minute clinic at CVS which is awesome. The nurse practitioner was very sweet and I didn't have to leave to get my prescription filled. The reason I'm tellin' y'all this? Just so that you know I'm drugged while writing this. :-) Antibiotics and Advil but still, I'm using that as an excuse for any loopiness this chapter may employ. Liberally taken from both Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 7

As Esme greeted the Denali clan into our home, Carlisle came down the stairs. He looked every one of his three hundred plus years upon this Earth when he looked over at us all. Slowly, he managed to pull up the mask I had seen before a few times. His expression went from hard, worried –the expression I had seen him wear when they found me in the meadow after fighting with the werewolves- to a bit cheerful. The sudden change was disconcerting at best.

"Tanya, Kate, Eleazar, and Carmen, hello," Carlisle stated warmly. I watched as he joined Esme near the front door. The Denali clan was looking at us all skeptically –Tanya's eyes lingering on me a bit- making me curious as to what exactly they were told.

"What's going on, Carlisle?" Tanya asked a bit cautiously.

Taking a deep breath Carlisle lead the clan further into the house, towards the living room. "If you would listen to all I have to say, I would be grateful," Carlisle started. Kate sat next to me and Gabriel, smiling at bit. I tried to smile back but I was worried about what their reactions would be after the news.

"What has occurred in the recent hours is not easy to explain nor do I think any of you will take it lightly," Carlisle continued.

"Is Edward all right?" Eleazar asked as he stood with his wife in between one of the chairs and the sofa.

"Physically, Edward is fine, Eleazar," Carlisle said fondly. Like any parent, he loved talking about his children.

"Physically?" Tanya asked quickly, her curiosity raised. "What do you mean?"

Carlisle sighed and I saw a hint of the aged face I had seen only second before reappear. He managed to compose himself before he spoke again. "We have found Irina," he informed the clan. Both Tanya and Kate shot up so quickly that it was like a skip in a movie. They were sitting one millisecond and up the next. There wasn't a transition between the two.

"What?!?" the both shouted so loudly it hurt my ears. I grimaced and Gabriel pulled be back against him, glaring at the two women.

"It's those werewolves, isn't it? What have they done this time? Will you not allow us to go after them now?" Tanya spat. Kate was more fearful than angry.

"Where is she? She isn't…?" Kate asked him.

Carlisle quickly raised his hands and gestured for them to calm down and sit again. "As I asked earlier, please listen to all I have to say," he told them. Tanya eyes him skeptically but sat down. Kate still looked more unsure.

Carlisle came over to her and smiled a bit. "She's downstairs and physically fine, for now. I would like for you all to speak with her in a while," he told Kate, gently patting her shoulder. That was enough to calm her and she retook her place next to me.

Eleazar and Carmen were near Esme still. Both were quiet but clearly listening. "Earlier today, Elizabeth and Gabriel came across one of the werewolves," Carlisle started. I heard an intact of breath and felt Kate's cool hand pat me on the knee. I smiled a bit, but I could feel the worry still on my face. Would she be so nice after she finds out everything that has happened? How badly I want to destroy her sister? Gabriel held me closer.

"He was injured and Elizabeth brought him here," Carlisle stated, waiting for the reactions of the Denali clan. They looked confused. Jasper, I could see from the corner of my eye, straightened and was preparing for the onslaught of emotions with what Carlisle, undoubtedly, would say next.

"Upon my examination of him, I found a bite mark upon his outer thigh," he continued.

"If Irina bit him, then it was out of self preservation," Tanya stated quickly. All my family looked nervous but it was Gabriel that spoke.

"No, for if it were nothing more than the werewolf having attacked her, she would not have attempted to attack Elizabetta or myself," Gabriel stated rather smoothly. Maybe Jasper is keeping everyone calm although I didn't have that weird false calm feeling, yet.

Kate turned to me. "Irina? She attacked you?" she asked in disbelief. I nodded once. Kate hissed but not at me. She turned and looked to her other sister.

"She lunged towards me while Gabriel got Jacob in the car," I said quietly.

"Then she probably thought you were aiding the werewolf. If he attacked her and then you helped him," Tanya started.

"She went to attack Elizabetta! She was not looking for answers, Tanya," Gabriel interrupted angrily. I squeezed his hand that was wrapped around my shoulders. I was fine. I was still worried about my husband, but I was fine.

Tanya shook her strawberry blond head. "No," she said softly. "I can't believe…"

"It's true and I'm so sorry," I heard a female voice from somewhere over near the door to the basement. I felt my shoulders stiffen and heard Gabriel growl very softly as he held me to him protectively. Turning, I saw the silvery blond Irina looking at her feet, Emmett –grim faced- behind her. Jasper placed an artificial calm across the room and I shot annoyance right back at him. Rather than his normal chuckles from that, he kept a straight face.

The Denali clan hissed when they saw her. The hair on one side of her face was now a good five inches shorter than on the other. I'm guessing it was my husband that did that. I couldn't see it in this light and my sleepy eyes but I'm also pretty sure there are scars and marks across her neck just like when Gabriel had his arm re-attached.

"I came across the trail of one of the wolves and sought to destroy him. It was my mistake and I take full responsibility for it," Irina continued. She looked up towards her clan, sadness in her eyes. Part of me wanted to believe that was Jasper's doing but he was concentrating too hard, it seemed, on keeping the room calm. "I bit the wolf and tried to attack Elizabeth as well. If Gabriel hadn't stepped in front of her…" the blond bimbo kept up the tearful act. Not that vampires can cry or anything. She was going for the Oscar.

"Emmett and Rosalie have already explained the mess I've created for our cousins," she stated before turning back to look at me. Gabriel's growls got louder.

"I am so sorry, to both of you. I had no idea what I was doing," she apologized again.

"Certainly some remedy can be made?" Eleazar asked. "The werewolf did not die, si?" he asked Carlisle.

"I have him under heavy sedation right now. I managed to clean out most of his wound but his condition is still critical," Carlisle answered.

"The werewolves…" Kate whispered, knowingly. I looked down and rested my head on Gabriel's shoulder. Carlisle nodded.

"Our treaty still holds with them. They feel this is a violation," Carlisle continued. Damn right, it's a violation. I felt another wave of calm fall over me. Stupid Jasper and his mood control…

"We have been given a day of truce," Carlisle started but it was Irina that actually interrupted him.

"No, Carlisle. As I stated, I take full responsibility for my actions. What ever punishment they see as fit," Irina began to whisper. This time it was Tanya that interjected.

"Haven't you suffered enough? Look at you! Which one did that to you?" she asked her sister sharply.

Irina, head bowed, shook what was left of her silver locks. "It doesn't matter Tanya. I have no quarrel with those that tried to stop me from doing what was wrong," she said softly. I could feel the eyes of the Denali clan scan the room but no one spoke up as to who ripped Irina's head off. I stayed quiet and held on to my husband tightly. If anyone dared to try and hurt him again, they would totally become soap bubbles.

Eleazar was the first to speak this time. "What is it that the werewolves want of us?" he asked, curious but also slightly apprehensive.

Carlisle's eyes flickered to me and to the rest that were there when the front door opened. I turned, only slightly, and could see beyond Kate's head to where Edward and Bella were standing. Bella looked tired but with a hint of smug satisfaction on her face until she saw all of us gathered around. Edward's face was grave and his eyes shot to Eleazar.

"They seemed…open to the idea of a trial," Edward stated as Esme moved towards him. My big sister gave her son a quick kiss before wrapping Bella in her arms and leading her towards the living room, pulling the girl next to her in one of the chairs.

"A trial?" Tanya reiterated. Edward nodded once.

The next hour or so was filled with questions flying. The Denali clan wasn't sure whether to be agitated with us, the werewolves, or their sister for starting this mess. We all tried to answer their questions as calmly as possible but sparks did fly at times. I ended up glaring at Irina only three times and she looked down immediately each time.

The trial, if there was even going to be one, was supposed to be at five or six in the afternoon. It was about three in the morning when all the questions slowly turned to everyone quiet in their own thoughts. Well, quiet to me. Based on Edward's expressions, not everyone was being quiet to him.

"So we just wait? Is there nothing that can be done?" Kate asked quietly.

"We were lucky enough to get her away from the wolves to begin with. They wanted to destroy her right then," Edward answered. I didn't really recognize Eleazar's reaction as he looked between me and Bella. I figured he was just wondering how two humans could be so comfortable –tired but comfortable- with this many vampires around.

"How did you get away then?" Tanya asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Elizabeth asked them for a trial," Edward said off handedly. I turned to see him staring at Eleazar and Eleazar looking right back at him. Great, so something interesting must be going on. Turning back around, I found the rest of the Denali clan's eyes on me and I shrunk a bit back against my husband.

"You asked?" Kate more stated than questioned. I nodded, looking at my hands.

"I didn't want y'all to be mad at us," I mumbled. It definitely wasn't out of any love for Irina. The only reason I was grabbing for the gasoline and lighter where she stands was because of Jasper. Well, that, and it probably would piss off at least Kate and Tanya.

Giggling, Kate looked to my husband. "No wonder you keep this one around," she told him. Although, I sort of think that was for everyone.

"No, I don't think that's the reason," Edward suddenly said with a smirk. Quickly, I turned around again to look behind me at Edward and Eleazar's slightly one sided conversation.

"I must not be concentrating hard enough, then," Eleazar replied. Edward shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"Did you try with Elizabeth?" he questioned.

"No, I didn't try earlier just...," Eleazar started when his eyes began to bore into mine. I looked at him curiously. I guess he's doing the whole "what ability will you have?" thing that he can do.

"Exactly," Edward whispered in my direction with a smirk. I rolled my eyes at my cousin which only got him to smile more. I swear I heard someone gasp slightly behind me but I wasn't sure who.

"Hmmm, interesting. It's almost if…," Eleazar muttered to himself. Edward nodded at the remaining part of Eleazar's unspoken thought.

"Bella is a shield and Elizabeth is somewhat of a touch see," Edward informed him. Of course, everyone in our family already knew this and didn't care much one way or the other. However, no one on the cousins side knew this.

"A shield! And Elizabeth is far more than a touch see. I would classify Aro in that category but I would love to see what she is able to do when she is turned," Eleazar stated. "A shield! And already that strong?" he muttered as he began to pace.

"I cannot read her and neither could Aro," Edward told him. Eleazar's eyes went wide and turned to Bella.

"Have you blocked anyone besides myself, your Edward, and Aro?" he asked her quickly.

Bella started to blush but Esme wrapped an arm around her, encouraging her. "Jane tried to hurt me when she was still alive, but she couldn't," Bella muttered out. I felt my eyes narrow at the mention of Jane. Tanya looked from me and then to Edward but I wasn't sure why. "It's umm, only seems to work with certain things," Bella continued.

"Purely a mental defense," Eleazar stated, clearly thinking out loud to himself. "Limited, but strong."

"What do you mean still alive? Has someone truly destroyed her?" Kate questioned. I looked down.

"We have heard rumors of a sabbatianoi but we thought those were just stories to keep some of the nomads from being over zealous along the east coast," Carmen actually spoke. I bit my lip but I knew eyes were on me.

"Elizabetta destroyed her as well as Alec," Gabriel stated. I glared at my husband, but, of course, that only lasted for a second. From where the various Denali members were, the room became eerily still.

"Elizabeth only did what she needed to in those times," Carlisle said gently. I felt him come behind the couch and squeeze my shoulder gently.

"It's not that, Carlisle. But…the stories we have heard, they're true?" Kate asked more of me than Carlisle. I shrugged, I didn't know what stories she had heard and what she hadn't.

"What have you heard?" I asked her, looking up at Kate, next to me. All the Denali members launched into stories told by the nomads that passed by –well, all except for Irina who was still standing as still as a statue. Good. Let her be afraid.

According to Kate, not only had I taken down _all_ the Volturi Guard, I had ripped off their pinkies and taken those as souvenirs so they might never find peace. Tanya said I went after big foot and the abominable snow monster before heading east. Emmett liked those stories. Carmen mentioned the children of the moon and I think it shocked them when I admitted to at least two –almost three- kills there. I mean, granted, the moon wasn't out which is why I managed to kill the one on my own and gravely injure the other one. Well, if Demetri and Felix are to be believed. Eleazar stayed quite as we separated the truth from the fiction.

Edward chuckled from behind me again. "I doubt that, Eleazar. She found all of us by herself in the woods, though," he said. I turned again and glared slightly at my cousin. He just shrugged at me. Turning back around with a flop –causing my own husband to laugh slightly at me- I crossed my arms and tried not to glare at anyone in particular.

"How far were you in the woods?" Eleazar questioned.

"About three or four miles. We were in too far for any human to hear us from where she stopped the car to find us on the side of the road," Edward said. I rolled my eyes at that one. Again, I heard a gasp but I could tell it was from Tanya this time. I looked at her to see her staring at me and then back at Edward. She finally settled on him after I probably looked completely bewildered.

"Interesting," Eleazar muttered. But it was Tanya that had my attention.

"Yes, my cousin," Edward quickly answered, getting chuckles from around the room. I grumbled under my breath and my husband pulled me back to him, kissing me on the head which earned him a scowl.

"But, how?" Tanya asked softly.

I pointed to myself. "Great grandfather," I stated and then pointed to Edward. "Uncle," I continued as way of a very simple explanation.

"You've seen the expressions as well?" Carlisle stated almost happily. I rolled my eyes as the conversations took the turn to more jovial matters. Carlisle, of course, launched into the whole DNA comparison. He had been playing with that for a few weeks now and already found the common indicators that would show up in any two people as closely related as Edward and I. Apparently, this was big news since it meant that vampires didn't diverge as much as previously thought.

Around four, Bella was already asleep next to Esme and I was about to crash too. I think I got maybe three or four hours of sleep in the past forty eight hours? And it's not like I got a lot of sleep during my honeymoon. God, that seems like months ago and not just hours. So much has changed. Mumbling my goodbyes, Gabriel led me down the stairs to our apartment. Irina was to stay upstairs with her family and not anywhere near me.

When Gabriel opened the door, Ginsie ran out –we had put her down there earlier because everyone was worried she'd go ballistic with new vampires around; that, and Emmett liked the company of the little white furball. I growled at the dog but didn't say anything more since I was too tired to do anything about her. "I'll deal with the zibellina, amore," Gabriel whispered softly in my ear.

I held on to my husband as we went down the stairs. It was the first time I had been down here since we got home. In many ways, I felt horrible. This was not supposed to be our homecoming. Maybe, if somehow this all comes out peacefully, then, maybe, Gabriel and I can go back out on our honeymoon. As much as I wanted to go right now –forget this mess- I couldn't leave my family.

I pretty much collapsed on the bed and just didn't care about things like shoes or still in my black lace skirt. Well, it was Esme's black lace skirt but I'd wash it tomorrow. Gabriel chuckled at me and closed the door, gently taking my shoes off my feet as he came over to me. "Come now, cara mia, you do not wish to sleep in your day clothes like this?" he whispered to me. I tried to mumble something about leave me alone but Gabriel ignored me.

I heard him ruffling through the dresser and felt something –lightly- land next to me on the bed. He didn't say anything more and pulled me into an upright position. I pouted. "Shh," Gabriel whispered, kissing me on the cheek before very quickly helping me into a night gown. Once he let me lie back down, I curled up on the fluff of pillows tightly. I could feel the blankets being wrapped around me like a soft cocoon.

When I felt him get up off the bed, I whimpered again. "Stay," I muttered. Suddenly, I felt his two familiar arms wrap around me, pulling me tightly to his chest.

"Sempre per sempre," Gabriel whispered in my ear. And with that, I fell into a deep sleep.

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**Author's Note:** A bit shorter but this chapter is also a day early. :-) Review, please? Like the Denali's reactions? Hate it? Please, tell me! Also, I got the New Moon soundtrack today! Squee! I'm so excited!


	68. BIII Cviii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own yet another Renaissance gown. The black silk taffeta is now a lovely 1570's Italian gown.

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm kinda sorta dreading this chapter because it's not an easy one to write. So, I'm just going to cover my eyes when it's over, hug Miss Ginsie, and go hide in the bunker again. …oh and double credit to who ever find the Monty Python reference in this one first.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 8

I had pleaded, begged, and pretty much groveled but Gabriel was a perfect marble statue, hand carved by some Italian Renaissance master, when it came to the issue. I even tried glaring. But no. I was not allowed to just drive over and walk into the woods and back to the meeting place with the wolves.

I didn't get what his problem was; I remembered the way perfectly. It's not like trees get up and move on their own…right? I mean, this isn't the Wizard of Oz or the Grimm Brothers. I could recall the trail I took perfectly since it was only yesterday. Heck, I can still remember the trail I took to a bunch of old civil war outposts in Maryland from the last century. Just because I had trouble remembering names didn't mean I had trouble remembering places.

"I will carry you there, Elizabetta," Gabriel stated, slightly annoyed. Good. I was far beyond annoyed now.

Crossing my arms, I narrowed my eyes at my husband. "I have two legs, Gabriel. I'll walk on my own," I informed him.

"It's at least a league from the road!" he shouted, frustrated at me.

"So?" I questioned back. It's not like I couldn't walk the three or four miles into the woods. I did so yesterday. I've done so many times before. Heck, this would be a cakewalk compared to attempting to find the road after the werewolf incident.

Gabriel shouted something back in Italian that was a bit too quick for me to really understand but I heard "vampiro" and "licantropo" thrown in there. Vampires and Licans –werewolves- could mean about a billion things in this house. I wasn't exactly sure what he was upset about right now.

"You can walk with me but you are not carrying me through the woods," I stated after he ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. It wasn't that I didn't like when Gabriel carried me, it was more that I liked it only when we were very much alone. Thank God the basement is pretty much soundproof or else I'm sure all the family would be laughing right now.

It was just embarrassing to be treated like an invalid all the time. I didn't need someone to carry me everywhere. That's why God invented 4x4's!

"Tesorina, per favore, there is no need for you to walk the whole way. Prego, if you will allow, I will carry you until we are just out of the visual range, if that is your wish," Gabriel told me, his eyes pleading with mine before he got angry again. "But I will not have my wife walking in the woods where you may get injured or where the wolves might attack us," he told me sternly. I rolled my eyes.

"The shapeshifters are mostly harmless. They won't attack us," I told him before sighing. I rubbed my eyes, flustered by the entire argument. When I looked up at Gabriel again, his dark honey eyes were still pleading with my green ones. "Out of the visual range?" I repeated his offer. I guess that wouldn't be too embarrassing…

"Si," Gabriel stated, clearly delighted that I at least was considering his offer.

"Fine," I muttered grumpily. At least it could look like I walked there on my own even if half the people there would know differently. It wouldn't be quite as embarrassing.

Before we left, I went upstairs to check on Jacob and Carlisle. Esme would be coming with us but Carlisle was staying with Jacob. Because of that, Seth was staying behind too which meant Leah was also staying. Sam still didn't trust us.

I knocked gently on the door to his office. Carlisle open it rather than asking me to come in. He still looked every one of his three hundred plus years. Looking past him, I could see Jacob trembling on the table. I wasn't sure if he was conscious or not. "How is he?" I asked. I was genuinely concerned but I also wanted to make sure I could give an accurate report to Sam if need be.

Carlisle opened the door a bit more and smiled at me weakly. He blocked the way still so I couldn't get in, but I could see past him easily. "I'm hoping the worst is over now. He hasn't phased but I am unsure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. At the very least, the venom is almost completely out of his system now," my big brother answered me.

Looking up at Carlisle's face, I realized exactly how much of a toll this was taking on him. I hugged him tight and he kissed me on the top of the head. I didn't care when Esme or Carlisle did that. "Be careful, Elizabeth," he told me before I headed downstairs. I nodded once to him and met back up with my husband. I had seen Jacob for myself although I still didn't know what to make of his situation. I trusted Carlisle completely but well, it would have been better if Irina hadn't gone hog wild.

I hugged Gabriel tight before we headed outside. Everyone else had already left and were up at the meeting site. Even the Denali's along with that bitch Irina. Once out on the forest floor, I sighed. I really wanted to walk there under my own power. Oh well, only a few more months.

"Ready?" Gabriel asked, arms open.

"No," I huffed in response. This was so ridiculous. I was human. I had two legs. They worked.

Gabriel looked at me for a second and then smiled. He brushed back a strand of hair that had escaped the bun I had up in back. "I think you won't even notice, amore," he breathed. I could smell that patchouli and ocean that made up his scent. I was just about to form a thought about why this wasn't a good thing when his lips attacked mine. My arms snaked around his neck and I felt Gabriel's arms pull me up and closer to him. One arm around my waist, another under my knees? I didn't care.

I pulled at his bottom lip which made him growl softly. I didn't even really notice that the wind had picked up. Wait. There was a wind? By the time I was able to form any more complicated thoughts, I felt Gabriel lower me back to the ground and gently pull away. He kept his arms around my waist as he looked at me. "We're here, amata mia," Gabriel stated, his voice a bit husky.

"Cheater," I whispered back, a half smile on my lips. Gabriel took one look at my lips and kissed me again. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by a sound I had heard way too much for my liking; the sound of a dog throwing up. Miss Ginsie had acid reflux when she was two and that had not been fun. It's definitely different to train a pup to throw up on a tile floor rather than on the carpet.

Horrified by the sound, I turned to see the small grey wolf near us, gesturing to move towards where the others probably were. I could already hear Gabriel growling. I looked at Leah curiously, realizing she was trying to make a gagging noise. It wasn't like we were out in the middle of a shopping mall making out and Gabriel was my husband.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you playing babysitter for Seth?" I asked her. She growled lightly and then pointed, again, towards where I guess everyone else was. Gabriel's own growls got fiercer and I sighed.

Turning, I took my husband's hand and pulled him towards where Leah was pointing. "Come on, Gabriel. Leah will only annoy us more if we stay here," I told him, glaring at the small grey wolf.

After about a second of hesitation, Gabriel wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked with me around a small hill to where the rest of our two clans and a couple of the wolves were gathered. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, paying little attention to us as we joined in next to Jasper and Alice. Instead, most of our families seemed very focused on the various grey wolves and the brown wolf who sat sort of in the middle of the little hallow. I just glared at Irina and kept close to Gabriel.

Irina looked down when she saw me. I was still furious with her. The only reason I wasn't sending her up in flames –or at least trying to- right now was because of Tanya and Kate. I liked them. I didn't want to hurt them, and I knew that killing Irina would hurt them greatly. So, I stayed next to my husband and glared.

It was a couple of minutes later that Sam stepped in, in wolf form. Leah, I noticed, had moved closer to our side, near myself and Gabriel. I guess she was playing bodyguard in a way –making sure none of us did anything too rash or run off with Irina. Leah was the fastest after all. She could tackle anyone down –well, except maybe Edward- pretty easily. Huh. I wonder if Edward and Leah would play a mile long sprint. That would be fascinating to watch. Not that I'd really see anything other than a white or a grey blur. Still, it would be nice if everything worked out and the wolves and my family don't go ballistic on each other.

Edward, Esme, and Tanya were the ones that stepped up towards Sam, I think Paul, and Quil. The three wolves looked at the three vampires and neither side seemed to know what to do. I didn't really pay attention to the Denali's reactions to the wolves. I had been focused on glaring at Irina. However, I could see the shock in Eleazar's expression. He held Carmen back like Gabriel held me when the Volturi Guard met with us the first time. Kate's look was fierce, borderline feral. I heard Emmett say something to her and Kate straightened slightly. Irina, in between Emmett and Kate, didn't bother to look up. Maybe she was already set for her doom.

"Sam," Esme started gently. Sam looked up at the call of his name. His eyes softened a bit, I think, when he saw Esme. At least he didn't look like he hated her.

"We only want Irina. The rest of the treaty will remain intact," Edward said in a very monotone voice. It was disconcerting to hear that out of my cousin's mouth. He normally had such a vivid, smooth voice that it just sounded…wrong. Of course, he was only playing translator.

"What do you want with my sister?" Tanya asked, her hands clenched into fists. She knew the answer, of course. I think it got mentioned last night before I crashed. I only found out when I woke up that Edward had taken Bella home right after I fell asleep.

"She has bitten a human and she has attempted to take another life. By this, her existence is forfeit," Edward stated through clenched teeth. Of course, technically, Jacob wasn't human. He was a werewolf. Sure, Irina bit him and she bit my husband –so by all means, burn the bitch- but get your freaking terminology right, Sam.

"Jacob is alive!" Tanya yelled. I watched as Jasper took a step towards the three and looked to be concentrating very hard. I guess he was calming her because all the tension left her shoulders the second Jasper moved towards her.

Esme spoke up again. "Sam, please, there isn't any need for more violence. We all know that Irina was wrong to act as she did," my big sister began. She turned slightly to get a look at Irina –who was still examining the ground- before talking again. "There must be another way," Esme pleaded with him. It's not like anyone can resist Esme's mom look. You felt guilty if you said no. Horribly, undeniably guilty. Like you stepped on a kitten.

"There is no other way. The treaty is set," Edward stated. I noticed, though, that Sam looked from Irina, to me, and then to Esme. Whatever he thought next made Edward clench his fits and growl a bit. Esme held her son back and Jasper took a step forward. Rather than the flat, monotone voice Edward had been using, his own voice came to the surface; and he was angry. "It isn't like that at all, mongrel!" he shouted at Sam. His outburst caused everyone, except for Jasper, to sort of take a step back or gasp.

"Edward, sweetheart, I'm sure whatever Sam was thinking wasn't," Esme started, getting between her son and the black beast. However, Edward interrupted her and glared at Sam.

"I would let you have her if it were up to me but its Tanya and Kate's decision," Edward almost growled at Sam. Sam looked taken back, looked at me again, and then back to Edward. Edward only said a simple yes in response. Tanya's face paled a bit, looking horror struck at Edward's admittance that he wanted to hand Irina over. Esme just looked sad.

Edward, maybe hearing Kate and Tanya's thoughts, or maybe just Esme's, looked down. Alice went up next to Jasper and hugged his arm tightly. It was obvious to anyone that Jasper was having a time with this whole situation. Kate looked furious and Eleazar looked, well, maybe stoic was the right word. Carmen just looked bewildered and a bit saddened by it all. I didn't bother to look at my Gabriel but Rosalie, who was on the other side of Emmett, looked a bit smug. Emmett was trying to look fierce. He was still playing bodyguard for Irina after all.

Sam turned to Tanya. "What we want," Edward started in his monotone voice again. It was quieter this time, almost ashamed.

"You will not have my sister! She did not bite a human. She bit one of you!" Tanya shouted at him. I think, if she could, she'd be crying. Her glances kept falling to Edward and then back to the black furred mutt.

Sam cocked his head a bit. "So we should let her go because she did not hurt your definition of human?" Edward asked flatly, his eyes fixated on Sam's form.

Tanya shook her head. "No, what she's done," she began as she peeked around to look at her sisters. "Is inexcusable," Tanya continued. Her face became fierce again and she glared down the big black wolf. "But that does not mean that you have any right to kill her!"

"What else is there? She is either to be destroyed or set free. There is no jail time for your kind," Edward responded for Sam. I couldn't help but notice that Edward almost sneered at Sam towards the end.

Tanya was about to respond when Irina actually looked up. "I will go with them," the silvery blond stated. Kate shouted "No" so loudly that I think any human in a five mile radius heard her. Tanya on the other hand was so quiet than I only say her mouth form the word. It was Carmen that stepped towards Irina.

"You do not have to do this," Carmen told her, her hand on Irina's shoulder. Irina looked right back at Carmen, then to Kate, and around at everyone else.

"Yes, I do. I started this and all that continuing this debate will do is cause more destruction," Irina stated.

It was Kate that spoke next. "We will make them see reason! Your life isn't forfeit," she more pleaded with her sister than stated.

"It's because I didn't see reason that my life is forfeit, Katrina," Irina said sadly. She started to move forward, out of both Kate and Carmen's grasps. About halfway between them and our little ambassadorial group, Irina turned to me. I felt Gabriel's posture change to one of protectiveness instantly. He growled lightly which seemed to shock the Denali's again.

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth; Gabriel. I had no idea…" she said before looking at the ground again and walking towards the wolves. Tanya and Eleazar barred her way this time. Behind them, the wolves growled. Well, all except for Leah, I noticed. I looked at the smallest wolf curiously. I could tell she felt my gaze on her but she was ignoring me –for now, at least.

"This is suicide," Tanya said so softly I almost didn't hear her. Eleazar said something but I couldn't hear him at all from where I was standing.

"It was suicide the moment I attacked the dog," Irina stated to her sister.

Although I didn't want to, my brain started to think of alternatives. After all, I had been suicidal before. I had known a lot of people in my old universe and in this one that had been suicidal at some point. So, automatically, my brain wanted to figure out alternatives. Something that would let everyone well, maybe not be happy, but content. I think we could all deal with content. Maybe we could thrown Irina in some iron clad, vampire proof, casket and throw her out to sea for a couple hundred years. Or maybe just follow through on Jasper's original threat to Gabriel and stick her head on the mantel. After all, she's already lost her head –both literally and figuratively- a couple of times in the past couple of days.

Edward looked at me and then at Jasper. His eyes turned from anger to one of calculation. "Perhaps," Edward said, in his normal voice. Jasper nodded once. "Yes, I see. They might all go for that," he stated, a smile on his lips.

"Go for what, dear?" Esme asked. Her eyes flitted from the standoff Tanya and Eleazar were having with Irina to her son and then to the wolves behind her. Sam at least looked curious.

"A prison term," Edward stated, looking from Esme to Sam.

Sam looked frustrated at Edward. Everyone else just looked confused –well, except myself and Jasper. Throwing her in the brig wouldn't be bad. She could have one vampire jailer and one wolf jailer at all times. Of course, that would get boring for whomever had to play jailer. Eh, if I ever have to do it once I get changed, I'll just bring a deck of cards and play Egyptian ratscrew with what ever wolf is there. Of course, vampires slapping paws probably isn't the brightest idea. Maybe a nice simple game of poker….

"No, there isn't a jail that would hold her, but _we _can," Edward pointed out, emphasizing that the we included the wolves. I looked to Kate who seemed a bit calmer, more curious. Tanya also was a bit more relaxed. Of course, that could be just Jasper.

"At least one wolf or one vampire can easily hold her to a cell. The Volturi –the rulers of our kind- have many in their castle," Edward mentioned offhandedly. I can only imagine what the Volturi "cells" looked like. I bet they were nothing more than oubliettes. Deep, dark holes to which even vampires couldn't get out of. Actually, that wouldn't be a bad idea. Can we go Roman style and seal her in a simple room beneath the middle of town? That would cause a sensation.

I only slightly noticed that all three of the sisters turned perfectly still. Eleazar's jaw clenched at the mention of the Volturi's Castle. Maybe he had bad memories of the cells there.

"Which ever you prefer. But she would stay in her own home, never to leave, until her time is served," Edward told the mutt.

"But how will I…" Irina started until she got glares shot back at her. Even Tanya's look told her to hush. I suppose Tanya would be up for anything that preserved her sister's life. And if they got to take her home, well, it's not like she couldn't survive on pig's blood from the butcher shop. Well, given that it was Alaska, it might be moose blood. Moose. Hehe. Surgamoose. Chocolate moose. A moose bit my sister once… Oh right, trial.

"Yes, in Alaska. My understanding is that your range allows for that?" Edward asked. Sam nodded as he also replied mentally.

"Twenty years?" Edward asked again. Tanya and Eleazar both nodded as Esme wrapped an arm around her son just like any mom might do.

Turning back to Sam, Edward answered. "Yes, that is reasonable. We'll accept that," he stated for all of us. I suppose twenty years was okay. After all, forcing Irina to live with her guilt was a pretty fitting punishment and much longer than just killing her out right. Honestly, now, killing her out right just seemed too damned merciful! And I was so not into mercy right now.

The rest of the hammering out of the details was things like which wolves –would it be who ever wanted to go up? How many at a time? For how long?- and of course, feeding Irina. Seems like my pig's blood idea won out on that. Kate just shrugged at Irina and told her, "You screwed up. This is a lot more lenient than you were originally going to get." Irina was quiet again after that.

The Denali's seemed okay with all of this. They got their sister –although she was under house arrest for the next twenty years- and no one else died. All and all, it's a pretty good trade I guess. They even mentioned places for the wolves to sleep –in a guest bedroom above the garage- for when they trade off. Sam had to figure out how to tell the various unknowing parents why their child was gone for two years at a time. I sort of just figured the college excuse would work. After all, weren't we still going to use that one for Bella…eventually?

I saw Edward smirk at me and nod before turning back to Sam. "Elizabeth has pointed out to me that you could say they received college scholarships in Alaska. It would not be hard to replicate the paperwork necessary," he pointed out.

Sam cocked his head again and then looked to me before looking back at Edward, Tanya, and Esme. Tanya had rejoined the group when Kate and Eleazar dragged Irina back to the back of the vampire side. The big black wolf nodded his head once. I wonder if I could get Emily to wear a red cape and she could go as little red riding hood for Halloween. I had already discussed going as Disney Princesses with my family. Bella as Belle –duh! Alice as Tinkerbell- gold spray paint washes out of hair pretty easily. Rosalie as Rose- aka Sleeping Beauty. Esme was going as Snow White and I get to be Jasmine. Of course, Bella and I will, hopefully be vampires by then…

Once both the Denali clan and the wolves agreed to the prison term –we were to keep Irina at our house, unfortunately, until Sam could explain it to the elders- we started to head home. Gabriel gently pulled me back towards were we entered the hallow from but I shook my head. "Wait," I whispered, squeezing my lover's hand. Gabriel nodded, his face betraying that he wasn't altogether pleased with this deal.

Once everyone was gone, except for Leah, who looked at me and motioned for us to leave, I turned to Gabriel. He had been silent through this whole thing. I had been too but I didn't really get to see him as much as everyone else and I wasn't entirely sure what he thought on this deal.

"Gabriel?" I asked him, my hand cupping his face. He looked worried or maybe uncertain. I wasn't entirely sure.

Gently, he took my hand and kissed it. "Are you ready to go home, tesorina?" he asked. I shook my head.

"You aren't happy?" I asked. He sighed and closed his eyes, still holding my hand with both of his. I could hear Leah sigh and lie back down on the ground. She knew this might take a while.

"No," Gabriel answered after a bit. "She tried to attack you." Turning from me and slowly letting go of my hand, Gabriel began to pull at his non existent beard again. He muttered something in Italian. "And out of jealousy of all things!" he grumbled.

"It wasn't just jealousy, Gabe," I whispered to him. He stopped at looked at me, his eyes trying to bore into mine but I looked down. "She was hurt. She probably came across Jacob's trail, went after him because of Laurent –who I certainly hope is burning in Hell for all the trouble he's caused- and then, probably still runnin' on instinct, smelled me and launched. The fact that she bit ya though makes me madder than," I started to rant, my accent getting thicker as I continued. Gabriel cut me off with a quick, chaste kiss. When I looked up at him, he had a smile on his face. It wasn't a full one but it was enough for now.

"It's over, amore. Let's not worry about that that we cannot change," he told me. I nodded and then looked into his eyes again. They were almost black.

I shook my head. "Go, hunt. Leah can lead me back," I pretty much asked the wolf. She sighed but nodded. She was clearly disgusted at the idea of Gabriel hunting.

Gabriel looked at the smaller grey wolf and then to me. "No, I will take you home and then hunt," he stated. Before I could protest, I found myself in his arms again and we were on our way home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So..umm…everyone made it out alive! So far, Irina's made it. Of course, we're still only in Eclipse. If everyone doesn't give up totally on this story (hey, I've noticed the decrease in reviews), I hope to finally get to a few chapters I've been planning since uh…chapter one? Right about then, I think.


	69. BIII Cix

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric.

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Yea! You do love the story. :-) Thank you for all the reviews. They were all awesomesauce. Now, back in Cullen-Land… …I should point out, again, this story is about the same rating as the books. This chapter is about as bad as Breaking Dawn. Reminder to everyone under 18, make sure your parents know what you are reading. Everyone over 18, have fun! Oh, and this might be written with copious amounts of antibiotics and ibuprofen still in my system. Honestly, that explains some stuff in the last chapter too…

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 9

It was the pain in my hips, or was it on my hips, that woke me up the next morning. I had always had a problem with my hip joint so I didn't think much of it until I remembered last night. Gabriel's hands on my hips, squeezing me closer. Thinking on that, or, rather, trying not to think on that since Edward might be upstairs by now, I curled up more against my husband. Despite being rather hard and a bit cool, he made an excellent pillow.

I felt his hand ghost down my back and I realized by his feather light touch that he thought he was in trouble or that he hurt me, or, probably, both. I yawned and slowly opened my eyes, tilting my head to look up at him. "Good morning," I whispered, smiling.

"Do they hurt much?" Gabriel asked, his hand now ghosting over what I'm guessing are bruises on my hips. His face looked a bit ashen despite having fed yesterday. At least his eyes were still a pretty butterscotch gold that I've come to expect.

"No," I stated, kissing him gently on the cheek before slowly sitting up. Ouch, that smarted. Luckily, I was turned away from him when I winced so I don't think he caught that.

"Elizabetta," Gabriel sighed in frustration and warning. Okay, so maybe not. I guess he did catch that. I turned to him, the sheet to the bed covering me for warmth. It was all of a balmy 72 down here.

"I'm all right, Gabriel," I told him. He groaned. I rolled my eyes in response. "Okay, so it smarts a bit but so what?" I asked him. He furrowed his brow. I guess he was about to respond when I gave him another quick peck. "You aren't in trouble," I teased before getting up to slip on my robe. I needed to take a shower, get dressed, and figure out what the heck I'm going to do today.

"Sarei," Gabriel grumbled. I just raised an eyebrow at him. If he wanted to be in trouble, I'd give him trouble. Did he really want to fight with me over a couple of bruises that would go away in a week or two? He sighed and got up. Ignoring my husband for a couple of seconds, I went back to the dresser drawers to see what I could find. Maybe jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt with a baby doll top over that? Maybe that was too 2009. Maybe I should…

"What is the plan for today?" Gabriel asked as nonchalantly as he could. I was still going through my dresser drawers trying to find that cute grey top I liked so much.

"I don't know but I don't want to stay in the house," I told him. There were a lot of reasons I didn't want to stay in the house. The first was that I did not want to be in the same house as Irina right now. Like ever. The second was that I just needed a shopping day. Maybe a nice bookstore? I wonder if we could go to Seattle. After all, the murders have pretty much stopped. Demetri, Felix, and Santiago think they have gotten all the newborns by now. And I'd love to see the Space Needle… I still have yet to see that.

"Then, we'll go out for the day," Gabriel answered back. As I stood up, I felt him softly pull back my hair and kiss me on my jaw. It wasn't the normal sensual kisses up and down my jaw that made me weak at the knees, but just one little kiss. Fine, if he was going to be that way, I could play dirty.

Turning around, I had all my clothing in one arm and wrapped the other arm up and around Gabriel's neck so my fingers easily brushed through Gabriel's hair. He was already dressed in his jeans, I noticed. Looking up into his golden eyes, I ignored the self inflicted pain and doubt I saw there. "Join me?" I asked, gesturing to the bathroom with my head. Before he could really argue, I reached up on my toes and kissed him.

Now, of course, since he _is_ a vampire, he could easily push me away right away or run off. Luckily, Gabriel didn't. Maybe he thought he'd be in more trouble if he did. However, his kiss wasn't fevered like normal. Almost with a feathered touch, he broke the kiss off and gently placed his hands on my shoulders. "Elizabetta, I.." he started.

My face fell completely. A few bruises and he was acting all worried again? During the honeymoon, I had some bruises but we managed to work past that. I guess I was going to have to reiterate the whole "bruises aren't the end of the world" speech I've already given him. Twice. He's a vampire for goodness sake! I shouldn't have to repeat myself!

Sighing, Gabriel kissed my forehead. I scowled. "I will not win this argument, will I?" he said with a half smile. I fervently shook my head no to which he smirked.

About around lunch time, we managed to get out on the road. Eleazar and Carmen had been curious about Ginsie and asked me a ton of questions about the pup. I had seen how most house pets react to the vampires; they go crazy and won't stop barking or hissing. Ginsie, however, only got upset with the werewolves. She never was one for the big dogs.

They wanted to know how she first reacted –which was to cower behind me and growl at anyone that got close- and why she seemed so at ease around Emmett. When Kate came down from the attic –which was where we had Irina for now- she just observed the pup for a long time around me. Ginsie, of course, would answer to me…eh…most of the time, and she'd listen to Esme pretty quickly too. Emmett, Ginsie would only listen to if he said things like "play" or "treat", I've noticed in the past. I think Ginsie believes Esme is at the top of the pecking order and Emmett is somewhere near the bottom, with her. Which isn't so far from the truth that I'd bother to correct it.

I noticed, also, that Kate looked to be watching my every move. It bugged me a bit. I felt slightly self conscious which I wasn't use to in my own home. Well, this wasn't _my_ home in the sense that I owned it but it was my home in the sense this is where I lived with my family. Which was an odd thought in itself because just four months ago, this was all fiction. Now, I'm the fiction and live with vampires. And I'm married to one. I'm sure God is having a good ole belly laugh at my expense right now.

Finally, right before we were ready to leave and I was about to take Ginsie out for the last time, I looked at Kate as her eyes followed me. I gave her my best "what" look and she smiled back sheepishly. "Sorry," she said as she stood up to come over to the front door. I was putting Ginsie's leash on her. I was not about to have her run off after Leah again. I think it was Seth that was upstairs with Tanya. I certainly hope someone has an eye on that duo.

"Do you mind if I come with you?" Kate asked. I eyed her suspiciously.

"I'm just going outside for the dog," I told her. It wasn't like it was anything interesting at all and I can only imagine the smell to vampires. It was bad enough for me if the wind went the wrong way.

"Oh, I know," she said. It was odd to see Kate look sort of nervous. In the short time I've known her, she just didn't strike me as the nervous type. She was far more the active, adventurous hair-in-a-ponytail-let's-go-bungee-diving type of person.

"Umm, sure," I said, curious as to what her curiosity with me was.

We walked outside and I took Ginsie to the edge of the woods, out of Esme's lawn and far away from her garden. I tried to keep Miss Ginsie from going just anywhere but Emmett tended to think it was a great game to just let Ginsie out of the house and then play hide and go seek with her. I didn't think it was so great. Personally, I could care less that the vampires could find Ginsie easily and quickly if need be. I was more worried about Ginsie getting too deep into the forest and deciding that hunting a snake or barking at bear cubs was a good idea.

As soon as we got to the edge of the woods, Kate looked at me again. "I thought you would be changed by now," she more asked than stated in a hushed tone. I looked at her, confused. But then again, she didn't know. She didn't know about the books and therefore didn't know about the baby. Edward and Bella's wedding was about a month and a half away still. I wasn't quite sure what to tell her.

Smiling slightly, I shrugged. "It's easier if Bella and I are changed at the same time. I want to be at Edward and Bella's wedding and I doubt I'll be able to if I was a newborn," I told her. It was a simple enough answer and one that was logical enough that I doubt she'd be too curious about it. She wasn't. Instead, Kate nodded sagely.

"I guess poor Carlisle and Esme will have their hands full," Kate laughed after a minute or two. I smiled a bit more.

"Bella and I probably should start planning strategy," I teased back. Kate smiled at me before her face turned a bit more serious.

"You seem so different from other humans. Even from Edward's Bella. I can't describe it but even Eleazar mentioned there is something…off about you," Kate stated. My face must have fallen. I thought she was too perceptive but she must have thought I took offense. "Oh, no! I don't mean it like that. It's more like, well, some of the things you say, how frustrated you get when we watch the news," she started. I grimaced. I shouldn't have said anything when that article came on about the avian flu. The avian flu was nothing. I doubt the swine flu would amount to much of anything either. It was only in Mexico when I left 2009, I think.

"I'm always frustrated with the news," I muttered. Thank God, Gabriel saved me. He came out and smiled at us, automatically wrapping me in his arms.

"Telling tales to my wife, Kate?" Gabriel asked good naturedly.

Kate grinned back. "Of course! I still have yet to tell of the time you actually came up to the house once," she said wickedly. I couldn't see Gabriel's face but I felt him become very still.

"Tesorina, if you wish to get to the city before the stores close, we need to leave now," he said sternly. I tried not to giggle and bit my lip.

"Do you mind terribly taking Miss Ginsie in for me, Kate?" I asked as we both were trying not to laugh much. She shook her head and took the leash from me before gently pulling my pup inside. Once she was heading to the house, I turned in Gabriel's arms and really tried to look upset. "What did you do, Gabriel?" I asked him in reference to Kate's comment.

Gabriel's face paled a bit and he just shook his head. "It is nothing, amore. Come," he almost ordered. I sighed, knowing I wouldn't get an answer out of _him_ but that's what the cousins were for!

The drive to Seattle, which should have taken four hours, took two, thanks to my husband's driving. I'm sure, even with my driving, it would have taken three. Gabriel had cleaned out the back of car, with Esme's help, only a few hours after the whole Jacob incident. The back seat smelled like cleaning solution and I couldn't stand it. Rather than keeping the window rolled down for Gabriel –as we had when he first kidnapped me- we now kept the window rolled down so I didn't get the smell of acetate and lemons. It was just….gross. And made me dizzy. Which wasn't a good combo. At all.

Since it was all of maybe fifty five out, I kept wrapped up in a blanket that Gabriel had thrown in the car, just in case. He kept looking at me, worried, and turned the heat on as high as he could but the cool air moving by so fast, even though it was only the back windows open, invaded the entire car and made me cold.

We were going to stop at the Space Needle first until I learned it has a restaurant at the top. Gabriel wanted to take me out to eat so I told him we could go up there last, I'll have dinner, and then we can head home. He seemed okay with that. First, I wanted hot chocolate from the original Starbucks.

Okay, so yes, it's a bit odd to go into the most famous coffee shop in the world, to go into the very first one ever open, and get hot chocolate but coffee and I do not agree. Hot chocolate and I are very good, very old friends. Besides, asking for extra whipped cream on your coffee is just weird.

Once I had something warm in me, Gabriel and I walked around downtown Seattle. We went to the art museum, the rest of the shops and stores at Pike's Place around the original Starbucks, and just made a total day trip of it. My husband seemed to find a great deal of amusement in my reactions to everything, like normal.

"Oh! A bookstore! I think there's a Barnes & Noble just down Pine. I wanted to go there and I'm supposed to pick up a book for Bella," I told Gabriel as we gazed at some of the handcrafted jewelry at the Pike's Place Market.

"Do you wish to drive?" he asked, looking down the street and then back to me. I shrugged.

"How far is it?" I asked.

"Four blocks."

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my husband's hand and headed down Pine towards the bookstore. Turns out, there is a Nordstrom's on the way and I just had to check that out…and buy clothing. Gabriel seemed to enjoy actually sitting in the waiting area and "helping" me decide whether those jeans or that shirt worked for me. I think he was just being obnoxious.

Of course, in trying on the Jeans, I got a better look of my bruises. I didn't really pay much attention to them earlier. I had one black dot on either side of my hips, right on my hip bone. Turning to look in the mirror, I could make out almost three more on either side of my back. I'm sure the fourth ones were hidden beneath the underwear line. Oh well. It's not like anyone other than me or Gabriel can see them. And they don't hurt as much any more.

Once the shopping spree was over –well, to me it was; to Alice, it would have been a quick trip- we headed to the bookstore. I noticed a bit of a crowd and I looked at my husband. He still wasn't that great around a lot of humans.

"Is it okay if we go in?" I asked, worried. Gabriel brought my hand to his lips and took me inside the store.

It was set up like every single other Barnes & Noble I had ever been in. The escalators of death in the middle with a three story freefall and books upon books lining several shelves. I glanced towards the bargain books –where they always had good deals if you were just looking for random art or history books- and got a glimpse of a banner. I didn't pay much attention to it, or the crowd of people, until I noticed Gabriel started to become still.

I looked up at him, my hand still in his, and noticed his gaze. Following it, I found the banner again and read it "Destiny Author Megan Rodgers; June 16th Signing". Megan Rodgers, my Megan Rodgers, the same one who wrote about me, from my point of views, was here. In this building. Right now.

Quickly, I looked around and realized the crowd was mostly young girls and women. There were a few devoted husbands or dad's in the mix, but the line seemed to be almost exclusively women. And they almost all had one or two of the books in their hands. Some had what looked to memorabilia.

"We'll leave, amore. We'll come back another time," Gabriel told me quickly. Looking back at him, I shook my head.

"No, I have to see her," I told him. I knew I did. I had to see this woman who had invaded my thoughts, stolen my life, and put it down on paper for everyone to read. The woman that saw Estelle crash again and again, watch Anna make the same mistakes, and watch me constantly rebel against the monotony of my own life.

Gabriel looked into my eyes, searching for something. I looked back at him, sure this was what I wanted to do. He nodded once and carefully lead me to wherever the line went. We followed the queue to a small table up on the third floor, near where the coffee shop was. Gabriel and I leaned against the wall nearby. Well, he leaned, I leaned against him as he held me close.

I saw her. Megan Rodgers was pretty non-descript as she bent over a book, a black pen in her hand. Her short brown hair fell a bit as she leaned to the side to sign her name. As she sat back up straight, and held the book out to the teenager, I noticed she was a bit round. She wasn't fat, more like she was just built round. Her face was circular, her arms were rounded, she just looked like…a circle.

I watched her carefully as each person came up and gushed over her books. I wanted to gag or maybe die of embarrassment each time someone mentioned why this book was their favorite or that one was. I rolled my eyes at some of the questions. I think the most horrible was "Why doesn't Elizabeth date anyone after John?" I did not want to get into that conversation with my husband right now. I did date after that disaster. Just not for a very very long time.

I had been thinking about Mrs. Rodgers and how her books, my books, the books written on my life, sometimes taken straight out of my head, were so popular here. How she must not even realize that all of it was real and how mad I was at her –irrationally, of course- for daring to write such things when she glanced over at me.

First, she smiled and looked back down quickly, about to add her John Hancock to yet another book cover, when her pen stopped mid stride. I had been watching her for about five minutes and knew she had only signed her first name.

She looked back up at Gabriel and me –Gabriel's arms firmly around my waist, and our two shopping bags at my feet- when her jaw dropped a bit. I just smirked slightly and raised my eyebrow. What was she going to do? I existed here now and there wasn't much anyone could do about that. Not that I wanted to leave. I liked it here. I just wish my life story from my junior year of High School until about 2004 wasn't on sale, right in front of me.

Quickly, she looked back down and scribbled out the rest of her name. Gabriel whispered in my ear. "Perhaps we should leave, gioia mia," he told me. I shook my head slightly.

"No, I want her to come over here. I want her to explain herself," I stated quietly my forcefully. Gabriel sighed but kept the rest of his comments in a very low Italian that I couldn't comprehend.

Mrs. Rodgers turned to one of the ladies behind her and mentioned something to her. The lady nodded and scooted back as Megan Rodgers got up out of her chair. I heard the gasps and the groans but she smiled slightly, almost worriedly, to her fans. "Just a quick break," she said with false happiness. Her voice didn't match what I thought it would be in my mind.

Her face turned more confused when she saw me and walked over. I stood up and pulled away from Gabriel slightly. I could feel my husband still very much behind me as the woman, slack jawed, gazed at me. I only raised my eyebrow back her.

"Even your facial range…" she whispered, staring at me. Slowly, Megan Rodgers shook her head and smiled, reaching out her hand for me to shake, I guess. "I'm sorry. It's just that you look so much like," she started. I quickly interrupted.

"Elizabeth Catherine _Merry_ French?" I mentioned. She never mentioned both my middle names in the books. Catherine was my confirmation name but I put it first because, although it was common, it wasn't as common as Merry. And to spell it that way! My parents really must have been on something when they named me…or, more likely, had just finished reading Lord of the Rings.

She looked taken back and puzzled. "Yes, exactly," she stated when she learned to breathe again. Curiosity retook her and Mrs. Rodgers took a step closer. She looked at me and then glanced at Gabriel. Getting an eyeful of him, she took a step back again. I smirked again. I really didn't have the natural fear of them you were supposed to have.

"Elizabetta, we should go," Gabriel said, again, more forcefully. He took my hand and picked up the bags in front of me.

"Elizabetta?" Megan echoed, curiously.

I shrugged. "Elizabeth, Mrs. Rodgers. My name is Elizabeth," I informed her. Her eyes got wide and then a bit scared. I could guess what she was thinking.

"This next book you are writing? It's about Elizabeth French," I started. God, it sounded so odd to say my name in the third person like that! Of course, I was now happily Elizabeth Caldola. "getting into the FBI, isn't it? Anna and her troubles at medical school? Estelle struggling, still, with college. She'll never graduate, will she," I more stated than asked each question.

"How did you…?" Megan started to ask. I could see her face change from fear to anger. Good. Let her know exactly how I feel. "Did you hack into my computer? Steal my notes?" she asked, her voice raising in pitch. I heard Gabriel plead with me to leave again but I just smiled. No, we wouldn't be leaving yet.

"Those dreams? I can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about that world and more," I began to tell her, my own voice raising. I could see some people starting to become concerned. "I can tell you how Elizabeth will disappear from your head all together in about 2009. I can tell you how she'll end up on the night shift and take up knitting! I can tell you how Estelle's shrink will fail her and how she'll end up right back in the hospital. They shouldn't have let her out in the first place," I told her. I could feel the tears starting to form and Gabriel's hand on my shoulder. I ignored Megan's shocked face. I remembered all of this far too well.

"I can tell you all about Elizabeth's tiny home and her little yard. I can tell you how she'll have a falling out with Estelle but Estelle will never catch on because she's too insane to notice the world falling apart around her," I said, almost yelling. Realizing people were starting to pay attention, I kept my voice low.

"I can tell you all you ever want to know about that world. Parties, people, places, I know it all. You live there in your head. I had to live through it for over thirty years," I said before turning around to my husband. "Let's go," I said mechanically without looking at him. Gabriel placed an arm around me and lead me to the escalator.

"Wait!" I heard as I was about to step on. Part of me wanted to turn, to look at her, but another part of me just wanted to be a figment of her imagination still. Something that would go away and never come back.

"Let me…let me see the ring, please?" Megan pleaded. I knew which one she meant. Holding out my right hand, I showed her the ring. The one that was never completely described in the books. She held my hand and gazed at it. Her eyes popped open when she saw the flowers on either side of the diamond. My grandmother's ring; my diamond ring from the books.

"Don't write anymore. Leave it unfinished, if you can. I have my happy ending now," I whispered, gazing back slightly at Gabriel. He looked like he wanted to grab me, jump down the three stories, and run out of the store lightening quick. Screw the whole "keep the secret" nonsense.

"You are…," Megan breathed. I nodded at her unspoken question. I was really Elizabeth. And with that, Gabriel and I took to the escalator leaving Megan Rodgers, famous teen writer, pale and shocked, up on the third floor of the bookstore.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So good? Bad? Not what you expected? :-) Hope you liked it!


	70. BIII Cx

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** So, still not mine. I seriously doubt it ever will be. I kinda think I have better chances at winning the lotto.

**Summary:** What if one of us got to meet the Cullens? What would she do? Think? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** So FF was acting up again. I got to respond to two reviews and that was it. FF decided that the review reply page didn't exist after that. So I apologize greatly to everyone for that. Hopefully, FF is back up now and not acting loony.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 10

I felt the salt water prick at my eyes and could feel the cool streams run down my face as I buried my head into Gabriel's shirt so he wouldn't see. Crying. I hated crying in front of Gabriel but I couldn't help it. After the run in with Megan Rodgers, everything just sort of bubbled to the surface. The world I had lived in didn't exist anymore for me but it didn't mean that the pains and problems weren't still there in my head. Part of me was still upset that it took well over twenty five years for my Dad to accept that I did know what was best for me.

I was also upset about Estelle. When I left, I hadn't heard from her in a while. I heard rumors she was back in the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised. Her last few emails and posts on her blog had little, if any, coherent thought. She wasn't Estelle anymore. She was that bit of consciousness that simply answered to that name.

I missed my Mom horribly. I could only imagine what she must be, or will be, going through. I was her baby girl and I was gone. Here, I had Esme, Rosalie, Alice, and Bella to go shopping, to talk to, and to simply be around. Were my brothers calling her every day? Did they help her with her computer problems?

Here, I was the fictional character. My drama was placed on page after page. A very small part of me hated being ripped from my universe and placed here simply because I had to leave so much behind. I knew I was sort of grieving for my previous life. However, I gained everything I ever could have hoped for and more in this world, so why grieve for the mediocre?

Gabriel, my very beloved husband right now, gently but quickly guided me to an alley. I supposed an alley was an odd place to go; after all, alleys were where criminals hid, but I knew I was perfectly safe with Gabriel. An alley was where I met him, where my life in this universe changed so dramatically.

He placed me up against a wall. There was a dumpster nearby but, thank God, it was too cold to smell bad, yet. Taking both my hands into one of his, he lifted my chin with the other and looked worriedly in my eyes. "I'm sorry," I whispered to him as I tried –hard- to suppress my emotions again.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. All I could see was my Mom's face or Nickie's smile. I could feel that frustration I use to feel every single day from the constant doldrums of the day want to explode into anger at the past. I could feel those old worries –would I have enough money for the new jeans I need or was the water bill going to be outrageous this month?- cause panic in my brain. It was totally irrational but they were all still there. I also felt incredibly guilty.

I felt guilty for wanting so much. I wanted everyone I loved from my old universe and everyone from this one around me. Pulling this on Gabriel, crying over seeing someone who really shouldn't believe I exist, also made me feel guilty. Thinking on the past and becoming more and more upset –most at myself for my behavior-, I hardly noticed the phone ringing until Gabriel flipped the tiny silver thing open.

Not paying attention to the conversation, I kept trying to calm myself down. It didn't work. Rather than being calming, I just thought up more things to get upset about. Some of them were silly things like never being able to study my antique dress collection. I'm sure Gabriel would care less if I went on an Ebay buying spree and bought up every single pre-1840's gown or dress I could find. Carlisle would probably get a good laugh out of it. Some things were more serious like what will the investigation into my disappearance do to my family back in my universe? I can just see some cousin getting on the TV and saying what a wonderful person I was when I hadn't even seen them more than twice in my entire life. It's rarely the true close friends and family that give the interviews; they are too distraught! But would anyone really be distraught? Would my Dad go back to the way he was? Glad that I was finally out of his hair, out of his life? Would my brothers really even care that their strict big sister was gone? And what about my Mom, would she just see this as another burden put upon her or would she really miss me?

I felt Gabriel's cool hand cup my face. His thumb brushed away some of the tears. I started to hold everything back when I thought about how awful I must look. My nose was probably bright red. My eyes were swollen and puffy. I'm sure my skin was all blotchy. Quickly, I turned away from Gabriel and looked down. He didn't need to see this. He didn't need to see his wife turn into nothing more than a pathetic lump of flesh before his eyes.

"Sorry," I whispered again and I found a tissue in my pocket. I wiped my eyes and nose, managing to regain my self control. I shouldn't give in to emotions like that. Anger was fine but giving into the sadness, the worries I still have only cause problems. There was nothing I could do about the past. I had my husband and I had a family here. I needed to focus on that.

"We'll go home," Gabriel said as he raised my face to see his. He was sort of anxious looking, really. "From there, you can pack and I will take you wherever you want to go, tesorina," he continued softly.

Shaking my head, I managed a weak smile. I didn't want to leave right now, at least, not the house. I wanted to wait until Jacob got better and Irina was taken back up to Alaska. I needed to know my family was safe before I went too far. "It's not that," I stated. "I just…I guess, I feel guilty about getting upset at all. I have everything I ever wanted right here," I continued, my voice getting softer. To emphasis what I meant, I clutched his left hand with my own and intertwined our fingers as I held our hands up; my wedding ring hitting his.

I looked down as I whispered, "But I still miss home. My old home." My eyes slowly looked towards where the bookstore was, across the street but hidden by the dumpster. "And she can see it, she can see all of it," I said, realizing how angry my voice sounded. I guess I was angry. She, in the way, had what I wanted. To be able to see my old life, check up on them, and yet be here in my new one. Taking a deep breath, I pushed back the tears again.

A cool hand touched my face again, on my right. Our left hands were still intertwined. "There is nothing wrong with grieving over what you have lost, amore," Gabriel told me when my eyes met his again. "No matter how much you think this life is better," he said with a slight smirk, "your old home, your human existence, lies in that other world. There is nothing wrong with missing that."

I shook my head. "I won't miss being human," I whispered. I knew I wouldn't. I'd get my family forever. No death, just life and love. That's what I wanted, what I so needed, and I had it here.

Both of us were quiet for a long minute. Gabriel's right hand cupping my face, his thumb stroking my cheek, while our left hands remained entangled. The moment was broken only when Gabriel suddenly broke contact and turned around in one swift movement. His back was to me and he had me pushed up against the wall a bit more tightly now. I couldn't see what it was he had started growling at. What ever it was, it…chuckled?

"Gabriel, we aren't going to harm Elizabeth," a familiar voice said with a sigh. I placed it quickly; Demetri. Immediately, I felt relief. If it was just the Volturi Guard then…but wasn't a third vampire with them now? Santiago? I hadn't met him and I really don't want to even think about the stories Felix and Demetri must have told him. I wonder if they are behind the rumors the nomads have been spreading…

My husband relaxed a bit. He oriented himself so that I could see both Felix and Demetri but only see the shoulder of the third vampire who my husband was still eying suspiciously. Slowly, I grasped my husband's upper arm and pulled myself out from behind him to stand next to him. Thank goodness I did remember to bring my purse –gag, I hated purses- today and put the flamethrower in it.

"Hi, guys," I said as I smiled slightly at the Guard. Gabriel shot me a glare when I came around him but I ignored my husband completely. Let's see, I saved him and then blew up a hotel room and then came up with the blackmail plan and then…well, you'd think after a few vampires and werewolves under my belt, he'd realize I wasn't a completely helpless human.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Felix said with that near omnipresent grin on his face.

"Greetings, sabbatianoi," Demetri stated. By the quick glance towards the third vampire, I'm guessing he was saying that for Santiago's benefit. After all, it would be like me saying "Hey, vampires!" and that just…ummm…no. Just, no.

I looked around Gabriel a bit to see Santiago. I was slightly surprised by the look of him. Oh he had the red eyes and was tall like I pretty much anticipated with the vampires but his skin looked like a black pearl. He had probably been a moor in his human life but now his once dark skin had an eerie luminescence over it. It wasn't completely beyond the ordinary for a human but it looked like he had some sort of surgery to get his skin that even a sheen. He just looked…off.

"We realized another vampire was in the neighborhood and came to investigate. I am pleased that it was only your Gabriel," Demetri told me with a slight smile. Gabriel huffed behind me and I resisted the urge to elbow him. I could handle myself with Demetri and Felix. I just hoped that my face wasn't horrible still. I think I got the tears and all with the tissue.

"Are all the newborns that Victoria created dealt with then?" I asked. I tried not to spit out her name with all the anger I still felt towards her but it was hard.

"Piece of cake," Felix said, grinning. Both Demetri and Santiago looked at him. I think Demetri wanted to slap him and Santiago thought he had gone insane. I shook my head and turned back to Demetri.

"Is he the one starting all those lovely rumors I've been hearing?" I asked, gesturing towards Felix before I crossed my arms, eyebrow raised.

"How did you..?" Felix started. He took a step forward but so did Gabriel. Gabriel also growled which caused Demetri to step up and pull Felix back. If Felix kept up his rather stupid actions, he'd only end up getting us all in trouble.

"Felix, please don't antagonize me or Gabriel. All it will do is end up with everyone fighting again. Do you really want to go back through that?" I asked him. I could imagine everything that would happen. Felix would die, of course. Demetri and Santiago would try to defend him but Gabriel would quickly whisk me away from the burning body and run as fast as he could across the roof tops…at the way back to Forks. In Forks, the Cullens would get involved, undoubtedly, and I'd get mad at Gabriel for involving them. We'd have a fight and my family would win, obviously.

Of course, that would just bring the wrath of Volterra down upon them prematurely. We'd have to fight. Bella and I would probably be forced to change before we could have children… So many would die and two would never get the chance to live. All because Felix can't control his temper!

Felix backed down when he thought about it. He took a step back but his cocky grin was wiped from his face. Santiago seemed to have just watched this small exchange in rapt attention.

"Yes, I'm sure he is responsible for some," Demetri answered. I sighed and looked at Felix.

"Fire from muh hands, really?" I asked him incredulously. A hint of his grin came back. It wasn't the full fledged "I know no one can take me" smile but it was close. Still, I doubt he'd do well with a lighter and a can of spray paint.

"I didn't start that one. I said you could stop a full grown vampire with just your eyes," he grinned. I swear I heard Gabriel start to curse –in Italian- and Demetri face palm. I just rolled my eyes.

"Great, so you told everyone I'm Medusa," I muttered un-amused. Again, the grin fell away from his face and I think I heard Santiago snicker in somewhere across from Gabriel. I sighed but stayed near my husband. It wasn't like I hadn't been called Medusa before. Of course, the last time I had been called that was by Lee's friend, Peter. I think I had just gotten my hair permed again. He was eight and I was all of twelve.

I managed to choke back the memories of living in Navy housing like that all those years ago. I couldn't think about the past right now. The guard was here. If I started to tear up, it might cause more problems than I cared to deal with right now. I had to focus and I was focusing on the Guard before me.

"We will try and contain Felix, Elizabeth," Demetri stated. "We are to return to Volterra soon. I doubt anyone will pay much attention to his tales there," he continued.

"Then the newborns are dealt with?" my husband asked, carefully placing a protective arm around me again.

All three men nodded in the affirmative. We only spoke to them for a little while longer. It turns out that Santiago's help wasn't even needed –much- after Victoria had been dealt with. Demetri could find the newborns easily after that. It was if she had the ability to help them evade capture somehow. Or, maybe, they were just focusing on Riley like I had warned them and, given that he had always been close to Victoria, she hid him. Either way, the newborns were all gone and the Guard would be leaving in a week. They wanted to make sure they had gotten every single one.

I wasn't sure and I wasn't sure –exactly- how we got back to the car. All I did know is that I was sitting in the passenger seat and watching the world fly by as Gabriel drove. My left hand was in his right. I couldn't recall when he took my hand again.

I had been thinking on everything. The second we left that alley, my mind started to think about the old world I had lived in. It was a world that hadn't held a lot of beauty for me but it did have some good points. Very little in either world is completely evil. There is always something good to be found, no matter how small. I had to try and remember that always.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel whispered to me tentatively as we drove.

"Sorry," I said back, turning to look at him. My perfect, handsome husband looked apprehensive. His eyes were full of worry and his shoulders were stiff.

"You have had a long day, amore. There is nothing to apologize for," my vampire told me.

"Still, I shouldn't be actin' like this in front of you. Ah hate makin' ya worry," I told him. He sighed.

"I would much rather worry than to see you hold back your emotions more and more each day, gioia mia," Gabriel told me. I looked at him curiously. He'd noticed?

"I see it when you think I am not looking and you go to your computer. I have seen the look in your eyes when you scroll the pictures you have saved there of your family or when you play the sounds of them singing," he said. My face fell completely. I could feel the tears threatening again as I tried to recover myself.

The sounds of them singing. It was a very old wave file my parents had sent me for my birthday when I was away at college. My brothers, all three of them, sang Happy Birthday to me. I listened to it twice since I've been here. Each time I thought Gabriel wasn't around. Each time, I broke down. Nickie was only nine when he sang that for me…

"That," Gabriel said. "You are trying to do it again! Elizabetta, per favore, amore; do not hold back like that," he asked of me. I shook my head and looked out the window, trying to calm myself back down.

"I shouldn't break down over this. I shouldn't break down in front of you," I whispered. I felt the car stop but I didn't look over. When my door opened, I was slightly surprised but I was more curious as to what Gabriel was planning.

He picked me up out of my seat like I was a child. Before I could protest, we were pretty much flying through the air. When he did bother to stop, despite my questions half yelled at him about where we were going and regarding his sanity, he quickly put me down and didn't say a word. Both of his marble like hands, gently clutched my shoulders as he looked into my eyes.

"I am not your father," Gabriel started. I sighed and looked away from him. Of course he wasn't! He was nothing like my Dad, thank God. Well, other than the height. But there wasn't exactly a male vampire in my family that wasn't taller than me, which was fine.

"Elizabetta, look at me," he said gently, pulling my chin up with his finger. His right hand was still on my shoulder. His golden eyes bore into my green ones. "I will not punish you if you cry. I will never think less of you for it. You hold back too much as if you still expect some punishment to come if you show your true feelings, amata mia," he told me. I couldn't help it, the tears that had been threatening in the car –over a stupid old song- fell out and tumbled down my face.

"No one will dare to punish you here. I will never hold it against you for you to mourn your previous life. Not one amongst my kind has_ not_ mourned, in some way, for their human existence and stayed sane. All creatures must mourn those they love no matter what form that love may take," Gabriel told me as he wrapped his arms around me. I felt myself hug him tight as the silent tears started to flow.

"Mourn, amore. If there was any way I could bring them to you, I would. Prego, do not hide from me anymore. I shall never let another hurt you ever again." With that, I thought on my father, my mother, my brothers, all my friends and family and realized I would never see them again. The tears turned to streams and I buried my face in Gabriel's chest, letting him see my cry and not hold back this time. I had to mourn.

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**Author's Note:** Sorry! I know this is a bit late and it's a slight bit shorter too. I wanted to get Elizabeth's thoughts down and get her to really –finally- accept where she is. The next chapter will probably have Jake and then I get to skip ahead to the wedding! Squee! At least, that's the plan for now. I have no idea what the characters' actual plans are…


	71. BIII C xi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric and need to make three outfits before Halloween. I'm not entirely sure how I'll do that…

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Sorry this is late! I've been sewing and reading and…not writing. Actually, I crashed at 8:30 last night thinking I was only going to take a quick nap and then write and that totally didn't happen. Oh well, I think I might get the next chapter up by tomorrow. I've already started it and it should be amusing.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 11

It had been years since I had any formal study. In college, I had taken choir and the ability to read music had come back to me enough during that time that I could play some simple pieces. Nothing too difficult and hardly ever the melody but I could play enough that the songs were recognizable. I first learned how to play when I was seven.

My parents had bought an upright piano then. It was cream colored with real ivory keys. I was told it was from the 1880's and Dad bought it for $100 just for me. I loved that piano even though I hated practicing it. My piano teacher walked out on me when I was sixteen –or maybe it was fifteen- because I didn't practice at all. Well, that wasn't true. I had practiced once that week. Unfortunately, I just didn't have the time for piano in between homework, scouts, helping out with my brothers, and just trying to be a normal teenager. By the time I felt ready to practice again, my brothers were already in bed and I couldn't play.

Edward wasn't home. He was playing keep away with Bella since she wanted to be here. Jacob was upstairs and still hadn't awaken. Of course, that was mainly because of the drugs Carlisle gave him.

Today was Saturday. It was the day the newborn army was originally supposed to come and it was cold. No more so than normal, really, but I can only imagine what it was like in the mountains. If it was barely reaching 60 here –in June- I'm sure it was a lot cooler in the elevations.

Instead, it was a pretty normal Saturday. Well, for here. Carlisle had to go to work but Esme was upstairs with Jacob. Rosalie was to stay close to the house in case something medically occurred with the mutt. She threw a minor fit about that and was now outside in the garage with Emmett. I'm told Gabriel's brand new car needed tuning. Yes, because the drive from here to Seattle is really that hard on a car's engine.

My darling husband was reading a mystery novel or something like that. My embarrassment over my behavior yesterday –crying so much that I practically was dehydrated- prevented me from seeing more than the cover to it or asking any further questions. We had gotten home around two in the morning. Gabriel carried me in, totally exhausted, and all I remember was being glad that we were home.

Alice and convinced her husband that she just needed to go to some big sale in Portland. I'm not entirely sure what that was about. I'm told that I'll have the fabric I need when she gets back. I guess that means she'll find the black baptiste I wanted? Or maybe the petal pink satin silk? I was going to make a tea dress out of those two for Edward and Bella's wedding. Black wasn't a traditional color for a wedding but black baptiste with pink silk under it? It would look very flowery and very fitting with the theme, I hope. I wasn't allowed to see Bella's dress until the day before the wedding. I'm supposed to hem it. That should be fun.

Gazing at the notes again before me, I found the proper hand position for the keys. I had chosen Beethoven's Ninth Symphony because I knew it would be easy enough. I had played it over and over when I was eight and I still remembered the tune and how it should sound.

Just grazing the keys, really, I started to play. Since only Esme and Gabriel were within hearing distance, I wasn't too worried about making sure it was absolutely perfect. My big sister wouldn't chastise me for a couple of mistakes and my husband would probably just chuckle at it.

I remembered the words to the hymn that went with it. Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, I thought as I played. The lyrics ran through my head as my fingers barely graced the keys. I had found the song sheet online and only printed it off this morning.

I couldn't read the notes like everyone else so I had it color coded. Eight colors for each note in the octave. I'm sure Gabriel thought I had lost it when I grabbed a box of crayons and colored in the notes. It just made more sense to me to see them this way than in black and white. I always had to either color them or number them growing up.

As the short song came to an end, I felt Gabriel behind me. I turned to him when the song was finished. Only a couple of small hiccups in the tune as I played. Not bad for not having touched the instrument in nearly eight years. Or was it only five? Well, it was eight to me. I hadn't played at all since I graduated college. And before that, it was when my Dad sold the piano without telling me.

"I thought you said you could not play any instruments," Gabriel said to me.

Turning around on the piano bench a bit, I shrugged. "I took lessons years ago but I've forgotten most of it," I admitted. It wasn't like I was playing well or anything. I'm sure the vampires could pick up mistakes even I couldn't tell I had made.

Gabriel knelt down to my level, bringing my eyes to meet his. "It did not sound like you had forgotten most of it," he said softly before his eyes flickered to the music sheet curiously. I turned away from him and smiled slightly, embarrassed.

"I can't really read the music. Not like how it's written. I have to number it or color code it," I mumbled quietly. I doubt even Esme upstairs would be able to hear me well. I still remember how mad my parents got when I took Mom's green felt marker and started to number the keys on the piano. The number 11 never did come off the ivory.

After a few seconds of silence, Gabriel kissed me on the cheek and grabbed my hands. "Come," he insisted, smiling. "We need to decide where to go next," he told me.

"Go?" I asked, my eyes probably showing my confusion as I stood up.

Leaning over to whisper in my ear, Gabriel asked, "Shall we go to the parks in the north?" He kissed me right beneath my ear. "Or to a city were you can look at paintings all day?"

"Paintings?" I asked breathlessly. Even in this dazed or dazzled state, I seriously doubt I'll be looking at paintings _all_ day.

"Um hum," Gabriel muttered against my skin, his arms wrapped around me. "Or maybe even back to that Yellowstone," he said before he began to kiss my lips. Just as I was starting to pull him closer to me, hold him to me, he broke the kiss and chuckled. "Unless you'd rather stay here, claro?" he teased. I actually half growled at him before pulling myself up as quickly as possible to finish the kiss.

We were in the living room, my arms around Gabriel's neck as he held me close. I wasn't paying attention to much else other than my husband's lips on mine until I heard something upstairs. It sounded like a crash upstairs and –as Gabriel ripped away from me- I slowly realized vampires don't drop things.

My eyes grew wide as I realized the only people upstairs were Esme and Jacob. Had he woken up? I saw a white blur run up the stairs and I followed as quickly as I could. Before I even got to the door of Carlisle's office –I was right next to the cross- I heard a moan. Yes, Jacob was awake. I hope.

"Now, Jacob, you can't thrash around like that," Esme admonished him. At least she didn't sound hurt or even that upset. "Gabriel? Can you mind him while I go to get some water and soup for him?" she asked.

"Si," I heard my husband's voice. I could also hear something else in his tone but I couldn't understand it from where I was. I took a couple of steps closer to the office door when another, smaller, white blur sped out.

Esme stopped right next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't go in there yet, sweetheart. He's still not fully in control of himself," she told me.

"I won't go in," I repeated. No, I wouldn't go inside the room but there is nothing saying I couldn't be right outside the doorway and look in. Esme kissed my forehead and then hurried her way down the stairs.

As I approached the office, I could see my husband standing over the werewolf, glowering down at him. Jacob's eyes looked hazy, even from here. Like he couldn't focus on anything. "Where's…Doctor Fang?" he barely managed to say. Trembling, Jacob tried to sit up. Gabriel put a hand out to push him back down.

"You still need your rest," my husband said a bit harshly. I sighed. Jacob was in no condition right now to fight in any way, shape, or form.

"Gabriel, be nice," I told my husband from the doorway. Both pairs of eyes turned to look at me as I leaned against the doorframe. It would be a while before Esme came back up. She'd have to heat up the soup first in the microwave or on the stove.

In many ways, I'm glad that Denali clan left early this morning. Embry was the lucky pup that got to go with them. He was not looking forward to it but all the others that could go had imprinted except Leah. When asked if she would go, well, I was told by Seth, later, that is wasn't a pretty scene.

Leah and Seth were still playing watchdogs for Jacob. I should probably go and try to find them and also call Carlisle to tell him that Jake was awake. And grumpy. Not that I really blame him. I know what it feels like to be put under for a day and you are not a happy camper when you wake up.

"Carlisle is at work. I'll go call him in a bit," I told Jacob. The werewolf settled back down a bit, glaring at my husband. I rolled my eyes but kept from entering the room. "Do you want ginger ale?" I asked him. Water only made me vomit if I drank that after surgery or otherwise had been medically asleep. Ginger ale –particularly cold ginger ale- was always easier on the stomach.

"Umm…" Jacob started. His voice was rough from not having spoken for the past few days. "Yeah," he coughed out. He looked at me slightly sheepishly as if all this attention or just being here, probably, was making him nervous or embarrassed. I really couldn't tell which and the medications in his system weren't helping. I turned to go get a ginger ale for him when Gabriel stopped me.

"Esme will get it," he said. I looked up at my husband curiously. I have little doubt that Esme could hear me but Jacob was rather quiet.

"You sure?" I asked. Gabriel nodded. Biting my lip, I looked at the stairs. I hated asking anyone for help and I hated it even more when it was something I could do easily myself but if Esme was already in the kitchen... But then again, I hadn't heard her say she'd get the ginger ale. And I doubt that Esme would know how much ice to put in. "Still, I should probably go down," I told him, turning back around to head to the kitchen.

Esme was in there, of course. The microwave beeped just as I entered, startling me slightly. "Oh, sorry, dear," Esme told me as she quickly went to open the offending object. I simply shrugged and went to the fridge. I think I had a couple of ginger ales in there. Assuming the boys didn't decide to conduct further experiments involving coke and mentos. Emmett's latest idea was to test each type of soda to see if there was any visible difference in the various chemical reactions. Both Jasper and Edward thought this to be a wonderful idea…I had a very different opinion on it.

As much as I loved watching coke cans explode, I had something against using all the coke cans to make a point. Couldn't they just play with the diet stuff? I can't drink that. Stupid aspartame. And to use the _real_ coke, the stuff I had to go up to Canada for! Ugh, stupid corn syrup.

Luckily, there was one ginger ale left in the fridge. I think I had another case hidden in my apartment. Not that anything was ever really hidden in a house full of vampires but it would force the boys to cross either me or Gabriel in order to get to it. I'll put a few more in later today.

Esme handed me a glass before I even fully turned around. "Thanks," I muttered. She kissed me on the cheek and I smiled a bit. Kisses from my big sister always made everything better.

As I went to get the ice, I could tell Esme was waiting for me. "Um, do you want to take this up to Jacob and I'll call Carlisle? Or do you want me to take the soup and all up and then you can call Carlisle?" I asked. I should probably give a call to Billy too. Right now, he'd probably be allowed off the reservation since the "bad vamp" was gone. Sam wasn't letting any humans from the Rez come anywhere near the Cullen place.

"I'll take it up, dear. Do you mind calling Carlisle for me?" she asked. I shook my head and handed the glass of ice and the can of ginger ale over.

"The ginger ale should help his stomach. The colder, the better," I tried to explain. Esme smiled at me again and reached up on her tip toes to kiss my forehead. I managed a slightly bigger smile. I was still drained from yesterday.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that, Elizabeth," she told me before gathering up the full course meal onto a tray and taking it upstairs. I only hoped my husband was behaving with the werewolf lying there in pain still.

Slowly, I went to the phone. The question was who to call first; Billy or Carlisle? I didn't get a chance to figure it out when the phone rang, startling me again. I picked up the antiquated contraption –it still had a cord and was black- and put it up to me ear. "Hello?" I answered. I probably should say "Cullen Residence" but anyone calling will either know me, know of me, or will figure I'm one of the kids. Not really much point in such manners when everyone has caller id anymore…I think. Wait, 2006? Yeah, I think everyone has caller id at this point. Stupid time travel. Screws up my entire idea of what exists!

"Ah, Elizabeth," Carlisle said over the phone. I grinned. Decision made for me. Talk to Carlisle first. "Alice said that you and Gabriel as well as Esme disappeared from her vision for a moment. I assume that means there has been some change with Jacob?" he asked good naturedly.

"Yes, he's awake. And grumpy. But awake," I told my big brother as I tried to untangle the phone cord. Do these things always get tangled up so bad? I mean, I guess it's good since this type of phone won't give you brain cancer but it's not like vampires had to worry about that. Carlisle chuckled a bit.

"I already spoke with Dr. Gerandy and I will be home in a few minutes. Please, stay out of the study for now but ask Rosalie if she would start to run a diagnostic on him, if you would," Carlisle asked.

"Okay," I answered, getting increasingly frustrated with the very twisted and tangled phone cord. "I'll see ya in a few," I told him.

"Goodbye, Elizabeth," I heard Carlisle say before I hung up on him, glaring at the cord. Didn't everyone know you shouldn't play with the cord and twist it up –or, rather, untwist it- like that? It just stretches it and causes the jack to become loose. And then you have to buy a new cord because the old one was just too mangled from playing with it so much that it will do you no good.

I took the phone apart and quickly twisted the phone cord back in the proper order. Once I hooked it back in, I was much happier with the result and went to go speak with Rose. I'd talk to Billy while everyone else was upstairs with Jacob.

I was already planning out the various scenarios of what might happen in my head. Rosalie, undoubtedly, would get upset, throw something, glare at me, and then stalk off towards the house from the garage. Emmett might or might not issue an apologetic glance to me before running off after his wife. Maybe I should have woken Miss Ginsie up and gotten her to come out here with me. Rose liked the pup if only because she kept Emmett entertained.

Walking out to the garage, I could see the door open and Emmett sitting beneath Gabriel's Chrysler. The front wheel was resting on the big teddy bear of a vampire's shoulder. He grinned at me. "Hey, Aunt Sissy," Emmett called to me as I approached.

"Hey, Emmett. Having fun playing jack?" I teased him lightly.

"Have to hand her the right tools too," Emmett told me proudly. I smiled.

"Wrench!" Rose shouted to her husband. Obediently, Emmett handed over what must have been the same wrench she had been using given that she didn't call out a size or anything else.

"Rose?" I asked her, somewhat timidly. Granted, physically, I was a lot older but that really didn't mean much around here. Emmett gave me a strange look.

"Yes?" she called back in the same tone. I sighed.

"Jacob's awake," I said. Rosalie said nothing in reply so I continued. "Carlisle was hoping you'd run some diagnostics on the mutt before he got home," I told her. I continued to hear the sounds of my husband's car being "fixed". "He'll be home in about ten minutes or so," I added after a few seconds.

Rose let out an exasperated sigh and slid out from under the car. She had a bit of oil on her overalls but other than that, she looked more like some pin up in a calendar than like she had actually been working on a car. "I don't see why _Edward_ had to run off with Bella. It's not like the stupid mongrel can leave the room yet. And why do I have to stay at home and play nursemaid to that filthy smelly throw rug?" Rosalie continued. I let her rant because, despite her words, her actions meant she wasn't about to go against anything Carlisle said. She wiped herself off with a rag and then looked at Emmett who was still sitting there with the front wheel on his shoulder.

"Drop it," she told him, pointing to the front wheel.

"Huh?" Emmett said before looking over at his shoulder. "Oh, yeah," he said, letting go of the car and gently placing it back on a level surface. Grinning he stood up and went to help his wife. Frustrated, she threw the rag at him and ran into the house. Emmett sighed and shrugged at me before running after her with a couple of "Hey, Rosie"'s. I smiled at him slightly before heading back inside myself.

I could hear the numerous voices upstairs now but ignored that and went back to the kitchen. I had to call Billy before I headed back up. Picking up the black receiver, I dialed the now familiar number, hoping he'd be there. If not, I think I have Sue Clearwater's number somewhere. She should be able to get in contact with Billy. Or I could just aimlessly go into the woods and get Leah or Seth to call their mom and talk to Sue that way rather than attempt to remember where I wrote it down.

"Hello?" a tired sounding Billy answered.

"Billy?" I more answered than asked. "It's Elizabeth," I told him. He didn't need any more introduction than that.

"Jacob?" he asked immediately, clearly worried about his son. I smiled a bit again.

"Is awake," I informed him. I could hear the rush of relief when Billy let out a breath he had been holding.

"Thank God," Billy muttered before launching into questions. "Is he going to be alright? How is he doing?" the concerned father asked me. I was sorry I couldn't give him more of an answer.

"Carlisle is on his way back home from the hospital and will be able to tell you more after he gets a look at Jacob, but, Jake was awake when I saw him. He's responsive and Esme just took some of her homemade soup up to him. I'm sure if he keeps that down, he'll be back over at your place soon," I told Billy. It was the same basic instructions I'm sure my parents received a million times over whenever I had been in. If I was able to keep food down and breathe, then I was typically allowed to go home. Well, unless it was something like the panic disorders.

"Can I speak with him?" Billy asked. I felt horrible at having to say no just because of the sound of Billy's voice. He almost lost his son to a vampire and had a group of vampires treating him. I can't imagine how hard that much be.

"Maybe after Carlisle gets a look at him," I answered. "I'll ask," I augmented.

"Thanks, Elizabeth," Billy told me sadly. I wished I had more to tell him.

"I'll have Carlisle or Jacob himself call you in another hour, okay?" I tried to placate Billy.

"Sure, sure," he said before we both issued out goodbyes. It was just a few more minutes before Carlisle came in.

The vampire doctor raced up the stairs as soon as he got in. Ginsie finally woke up and growled at him for moving so fast. I just glared down the pup and patted my leg for her to follow me once she was quiet. Not that I really needed to do that anyway. Ginsie would follow me up the stairs even without my asking.

In the hallway, Gabriel and Emmett leaned against the walls like sentries on break. Esme came out of the study with the tray and a half eaten bowl of soup, smiling. She headed past me without a word and, I guess, went to put the dishes away. Gabriel, on the other hand, got up and wrapped me in his arms. Automatically, I rested my head on his shoulder.

Ginsie, of course, went up to Emmett, wagging her tail before she caught the wiff of werewolf. She growled at the study but didn't go in, thanks to Emmett holding her back. Sighing, I broke away from my husband to tend to the fluff ball.

"It's okay, Aunt Sissy. I've got her," Emmett told me. I watched as he, very gently, picked up the mass of white and ginger colored fur and cradled her in his arms. Ginsie looked up at him and then me, resigned. Emmett grinned.

Peeking into the room, I could see Rose helping Carlisle. Jacob was sitting up straight now on the bed we had in there for him. Carlisle was taking his heartbeat rate by the looks of it right now and blood pressure. I kind of doubt normal for a human is anywhere near normal for a werewolf but I wasn't sure. I also hated to interrupt but I did promise Billy.

"If you can," I started, looking at Jacob. He turned to me, his face still a bit pale –well, for him- but otherwise looking okay. "call your Dad. Billy is expecting either you or Carlisle to call in an hour," I explained.

Carlisle took the blood pressure cuff off of Jacob and smiled at him, clapping him on the upper arm. "You can call right now, if you like," my big brother said amiably. "I would prefer you stay here for the next few hours but it seems to have worked it's way out of your system."

Handing Jacob the phone after the good news, Jake offered Carlisle a weak "Thanks, Doc". Rose and Carlisle both exited the room and Gabriel gently took me towards the other exit to go outside. We were giving Jacob some privacy while he spoke with his father for the first time in what was probably weeks. As I went with Gabe down the back steps I could just hear a "Hey, Dad. Yeah, it's me." And I knew that even though it hadn't happened exactly like the books, things would still work out similarly. Or so I had hope for.

For now, Jacob was going to be fine –thanks to Carlisle, just like at the end of Eclipse-, Victoria was dead, the newborn army had been dealt with, and Bella & Edward were getting married in a couple of months. The only differences were that I was here. Gabriel was here. Demetri and Felix were on somewhat friendly or, at least, more familiar terms with the Cullen clan than they had been. Irina was in jail and Embry was stuck watching her for now. Jacob already had broken away from the pack and I wasn't entirely sure if Leah and Seth had officially joined the breakaway pack yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Of course, tomorrow brought with it a whole host of new issues. What will trigger the Volturi's response if Irina isn't there to tell them about the immortal child? Will the Guard that has become such a constant backdrop to my life here stick with the Volturi or will the witness for us? With Jane and Alec dead, the numbers of the Guard were already low. If we took Demetri and Felix with us –maybe even Santiago- then half the Guard would be destroyed. How exactly does the story end when you've changed it so terribly much? Maybe it doesn't end when you have forever to play with it…

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**Author's Note:** This was much harder to write than I thought it would be. The next few chapters should be fluffy and all deal with wedding madness and other such issues. :-) Hope y'all liked this, though, and please review?


	72. BIII Cxii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric and need to make three outfits before Halloween. I'm not entirely sure how I'll do that…

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So this chapter and the next chapter I've had in my head for…a few months or so now. I've been dying to get to this point. I'd love to know what y'all think of this one and the next one so please don't forget to review.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 12

I was dead tired. Actually, I was dead tired yesterday after Gabriel and I got back from the second part of our honeymoon. We had traveled across country only to take a plane from New York out to Ireland. I love the rolling green hills and the castles. I also loved meeting Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie despite them being the non-vegetarian kind of vampires. Carlisle had told them something about me being a sabbatianoi so Liam was overly cautious. It was slightly amusing but I still think I have to get my big brother back…If I could think of how!

In between the yawning and the jet lag, my brain was fried. Maybe it was just that I hadn't really had a chance to rest since I've been back. Go here, go there. We had just gotten back from the caterer's house –well, Bella, Renee, and I did, when I pretty much marched right up to the front door at home, went right across the living room, and down into my apartment to crash. I thought it was just the food that made me sleepy but I really was dead on my feet.

Before that, I had to go to the reservation to talk to Jacob's pack. Leah and Seth were officially following Jacob and it was clear that Leah couldn't be more pleased. She was a different person altogether when she wasn't under Sam or around the vampires. Just sitting in Billy's house with her was actually kind of nice. I could see where I might even learn to like the bitch if she would behave around my family.

Now, I was desperately trying to sleep even though sleep would not come. My brain was on overload and my eyes couldn't stay open. I cried in frustration, wanting only to stop thinking for once and just sleep. However, the second I opened my mouth, I felt a bit nauseous. Damn it! I told the caterer what I was allergic too!

I sat up and really felt nauseous then. "Amata mia?" Gabriel called softly from the other room. As I ran from the bed into the bathroom, I saw my perfect marble statue like husband looking rather confused by the door to our bedroom. He was by my side in an instant, although I tried to wave him off. If it was just cranberries or something like that, I just needed to purge it from my system. Anything more serious and we'd have to call Carlisle.

I felt a cool wet washcloth against my face before I threw up again. I think one more time and my stomach will be better. "It was just the caterer," I managed to mumble before dry heaving. Huh. Normally I threw up everything and felt a hundred times better afterwards. Maybe it was something I'm highly allergic to in a small dose. Like maybe she was about to add tomatoes to something but thought better of it and took them out. Even then, I'd probably have a worse reaction than this. Maybe the stomach flu?

All the traveling must have worked havoc on my immune system and God knows what I've been exposed to. Airplanes aren't exactly the most germ free places in the world no matter how clean the airlines try to keep them. A hundred or more of your closest buddies in a metal tube for a few hours means that viruses and germs spread quickly. Public restrooms are just as scary that way.

"You should rest, tesorina. I will call Carlisle," Gabriel told me. I shook my head. Doing that actually helped. Maybe it was just stupid food allergies after all.

"No, I'm starting to feel better. I think it was just something in the soup," I stated before flushing the toilet and brushing my teeth –heavily. Maybe there were chilies in the soup. I don't think I told her about those…

"You should not leave the house," Gabriel continued, concerned, his voice raising. I rinsed out my mouth and turned to him, hand on my hip. My stomach was far more relaxed now meaning it had to be either cranberries or chilies or something along those lines.

"Gabriel, if I am sick, where would be a better place to be than the hospital?" I pointed out. I had an appointment with Carlisle in an hour or so. Well, technically, it was with one of his colleagues. My older brother was curious as to whether IQ stayed the same or went up after the change and, if it did go up, by how much. At least, that's what he was telling me. I think he's just curious as to whether I really know so much or if it's just memorization. I guess it's better to take it now since I'll be able to cheat afterwards, if I really do have an "ability".

My husband grumbled but took the keys off the dresser so he could drive later. I sighed but didn't argue. It's not like he could go into the hospital. That much blood and the potential for more spilled blood was not a good thing for a new vegetarian vampire. He was okay around me but Gabriel had a reason to keep me alive that overrode his primary instincts. He didn't really have a reason to keep any other humans alive. Maybe Bella… But that didn't speak well for the other 99% of patients at the community hospital.

It was mostly quiet on the drive over an hour later. I hadn't gotten the sleep I so desperately wanted and figured that was far off now. I just stared out the window at the passing trees and farms until we hit the grand town of Forks. The drive never was very long to the hospital.

Carlisle was on his "break", so he was waiting for us out front. It was cloudy, of course, so no worries about the sun. For once, it wasn't raining or that horrible mist either. The mist bothered me more than the rain since, with a mist, even an umbrella didn't help. It just sort of surrounded you and got you soaking wet anyway.

"Hi, Carlisle," I said, walking up to my brother as soon as I got out of the car. I noticed my husband also walking over and glared at him. Gabriel only raised an eyebrow in question. He was not going inside the hospital if I had anything to say about it.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Carlisle smiled before noticing my look over at Gabriel. "Gabriel," he said just as cheerfully. Ugh! I trusted my husband with me but not necessarily with the entire town of Forks. Why push his limits like this?

"You will be meeting with Beth Palmer. She's a medical assistant from the West End Outreach and has the test set up for you in my office," Carlisle told me.

"Set up?" I asked. I thought it was just a standard multiple choice IQ test. You get a piece of scratch paper and a pencil and zip through the thing.

"She wished to test your spatial ability as well as the other points of intelligence," Carlisle answered. He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. "She brought blocks."

"Oh," I answered. I remembered that type of test from when I took psychology 101 in college. You are given a bunch of random blocks and you have to recreate the picture on a card or something. It seemed all too easy to me for the most part. But then again, I love puzzles.

Carlisle led us to his office where an older short woman with salt and pepper hair stood. She smiled when she saw all three of us. Carlisle in front of me and Gabriel at my side despite my glaring at him as we walked in. "Hello, you must be Elizabeth," she greeted me. I nodded.

"This is my sister in law and her husband, Gabriel," Carlisle introduced us.

"Gabriel," the woman said in greeting before quickly averting her eyes back to me. "I hope you are ready for the tests today, Elizabeth," she told me again, smiling. I quirked an eyebrow at the idea of tests and looked at Carlisle. One test. He said just an IQ test. What was my big brother planning and just how would I get back at him?

Carlisle ignored me until my husband just had to speak up. . "She was sick prior to our coming here," Gabriel stated. I should have glared at Gabriel but I just yawned instead. I was still beat and hadn't gotten the nap I wanted. I was seriously going to be "grumpy Lizzie" when all of this was said and done.

"Wasn't sick," I grumbled back but I knew the damage was already done. Mrs. Palmer took a step back as Carlisle went into doctor mode rather than big brother.

"What occurred?" He asked quickly pulling out a pen and paper. Props, of course, but necessary in the hospital. Carlisle also dragged me into his office. On his desk were a whole bunch of papers, pictures, and blocks. I really wanted to play….

"She became nauseous upon attempting to sleep and vomited," Gabriel, the mosquito traitor, told Carlisle. Poor Mrs. Palmer didn't seem to know what to do. She stayed near the doorway unsure whether to come in or leave.

"It was probably food allergies from the caterer. I forgot to mention chilies to her and there might have been cranberries in something," I stated, exasperated. I was tired and grouchy already. "It doesn't matter, I feel fine now," I grumbled.

Both men looked at each other and then Carlisle looked back down at me. I had my arms crossed and just wanted to get the test over with and then go home to sleep. Traveling from Shannon to Seattle took a lot more out of me than I realized. Of course, I didn't really have a chance to catch up either with all the wedding planning and everything else that was going on.

"Are you certain it was just an allergic reaction?" Carlisle questioned me.

"Yes," I said, even though I wasn't. I mean, it could be the stomach flu too but either way it's not like Carlisle could do much more than give me a shot and send me back home. Since we were already here, I should get this over with.

Carlisle nodded to Mrs. Palmer and told her that I would be fine. I had numerous food allergies and that could very well be all that was wrong. Once both men left the office –"lunch break" I'm told- and closed the door behind them, Mrs. Palmer went right into the test.

Most of it was written and she had a clock right there to time me. But I really liked playing with the blocks. It was sort of like building your own puzzle and figuring out how to recreate the picture on the box using only the same pieces for four or five different boxes. Yeah, I know, a thirty one year old that loves playing with blocks. So what?

Once the IQ test was done, Mrs. Palmer set into a series of questions that confused me, at first. This wasn't supposed to be a mental health evaluation, right? Carlisle wouldn't be that cruel to have me talk to a shrink without asking me first, right? Couldn't be, I figured, because Mrs. Palmer was an MA not a MD. Or a PhD. Or anything like that. Still, the questions bothered me.

"Do you have trouble reading aloud?" she asked me, reading off a sheet on her clipboard. She was sitting in Carlisle's chair.

I shrugged –and yawned, muttering my apology- "Sometimes. But it's not as bad as it use to be," I explained. Becoming a lector at church during college did wonders on reading aloud. I still want to curse Mrs. Egan until the day she dies –well, probably past that- for, in the eighth grade, making me read aloud. She knew I wasn't good at it and other people volunteered. Why subject anyone to my inability to pronounce words longer than two syllables on anyone?

Mrs. Palmer just nodded before going to the next question. "Do you have difficulty working with numbers?" she asked.

The smart alec side got a hold of me. Good thing I can just blame genetics now given Rose declared me just as bad as Edward. "Base ten or base twelve?" I asked. Base ten I found, after a while, was a bit easier to work with then the common base twelve. In base ten, six times seven is 42. Thank you Douglas Adams for making being a geek funny.

"Huh?" She asked, confused. I sighed. Of course, no one outside a sci fi convention would get that.

"Sometimes," I answered. Mrs. Palmer seemed sedated with that answer and continued on her long list of questions like "Do you ever confuse left and right?" and "Did you ever get nervous stomach aches before school?". It was like she was taking questions right out of facts from the Destiny series. I was really going to have a talk with my big brother when I got home. A very long talk about not subjecting me to such tests ever again.

After an entire hour of yawning and answering ridiculous questions, the test was over. Carlisle knocked on the door and Gabriel quickly retrieved me from the nonsense. Or, at least, what I thought was nonsense as I glared at my big brother.

"Well?" Carlisle asked, excited. He, of course, knew exactly what this testing was about even if I didn't. A long talk. A very long talk.

Mrs. Palmer smiled at me and then at Carlisle as she stood up, collecting her papers. "I still have to tabulate the IQ score," she told him.

"The preliminary results then?" my big brother asked. Mrs. Palmer looked up at him and pretty much grinned.

"Yes, you were right," she told him which caused Carlisle to smile himself. He looked over to myself and Gabriel. I couldn't see Gabriel's face but I know my own was confused.

"I still need to formally look at the results but my current assessment is that her IQ is most likely high enough that it helped her work around the dyslexia to the point that it wouldn't have been caught previously," she explained. Dyslexia? I tried to think back over the test and over everything really. Yes, I messed up words or forget them. Yes, I had to hold my hands out in front of me to figure out which way was left and which way was right. Gabriel had caught on and figured out "this way" means right and "that way" means left. It helped an awful lot when driving across country, again.

Thinking on that, I turned slightly to look up at my husband. He was smiling too. Damn. The mosquito was in on it! This was going to be a very very long talk. And they were both in deep trouble.

I ignored the rest of the conversation. I heard terms like "savant" being thrown around and "ability" but I was more focused on how to explain, in painful detail, why simply throwing me into a room without telling me the full reason why was a very bad idea. By the time we got back out to the car, Gabriel's face fell a bit. He had been happy while speaking with Mrs. Palmer and Carlisle.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel asked as he started the car. I didn't look at him and just crossed my arms. I was tired, grumpy, angry, and my stomach still wasn't completely settled. I was not happy.

"How long?" I asked. I had to know when he was in on the whole "I think she might be dyslexic" thing. I had to know who I should yell at more…

"How long for what, amore?" he asked as he reached for my hand. I shrugged away and didn't look up. I know the look on Gabriel's face after I did that would melt any anger I had away instantly.

"How long did you know Carlisle was planning this?" I clarified.

Gabriel sighed and put both hands on the steering wheel. "We've had our suspicions for a while given certain ways you speak, the color coding the other day upon the music sheet, and your inability to tell your left from your right," he teased. I growled and further sunk into my seat.

We only drove maybe a mile before Gabriel spoke again. "Gioia mia, let me get you home where you may rest. We shall discuss this when you are not as in need of sleep," he told me. I humphed but agreed non-verbally. I was dead tired, after all.

By the time I woke up again, it was dark. I hadn't remembered it getting that dark that quickly. It was only two or three when we got home. It should be only five at the most –dinner time for the human- but the window in our bedroom was pitch black. I rolled over a bit and looked over at the alarm clock on the dresser. The bright green numbers declared it to be nearly 10 pm.

Immediately, I shot up out of bed. Ten? How could I possibly sleep that long? I still had so much to do and I was to help Esme with the centerpieces and untangle the lights and..

"Amata mia?" Gabriel asked from somewhere in the darkness. I could feel I had been put into my PJs but I didn't remember that at all. How come I didn't wake up or remember anything from parking the car over seven hours ago until now? I should, at least, recall crashing into the bed…

"How could you let me sleep so long?" I asked him. I could place that his voice was somewhere near the bed.

A light flashed on and I quickly closed my eyes, the sudden brightness painful. I felt two hands on my upper arms and slowly reopened my eyes to look up at the perfect jaw, the chiseled cheekbones, and golden orbs that made up my husband. "You are ill, Elizabetta," he said in explanation. I shook my head.

"Just jet lag and that stupid soup," I informed him. I sighed. Given the time, there wasn't much to do other than go back to sleep.

"I called the caterer," he started as he held me to him. I rested my head on his shoulder. It felt good to have that coolness against my forehead. Maybe I did have the stomach flu? "She did not use anything in the soup or other items that you may have a reaction to," he told me. Sigh. The flu. Great. I hope it's a 24 hour bug and I'll be over it by noon tomorrow.

"The flu, ugh," I grumbled. Although right now I felt fine. Actually, having skipped dinner and thrown up most of lunch, I was hungry. As I pulled back, Gabriel took my expression in and laughed slightly.

"I am told crackers are…" my husband started until I glared at him. He grinned a bit more. "Well, I believe some toast might," he began again. I narrowed my eyes.

"I don't want crackers or toast," I said in disgust. That would not nearly fill me up enough and my stomach growled in agreement.

"What would you like, amata mia?" Gabriel teased, hugging me about the waist as he lead me to the stairs. I actually had to think about that one. A nice steak sounded good, with maybe green beans and mushrooms? I doubted we had anything like that here though. Esme tended to stack up on chicken and rice.

"Steak," I said. A nice medium steak. As soon as the thought me, I realized something. I hated medium steak. I loved my charcoaled. When it was carbonated, I'd eat it with tons of Worcestershire sauce. To even want it pink at all…

"Edward is over at Bella's, right?" I asked quietly. I had to make sure I could think freely for a moment or two. Gabriel looked at me strangely but nodded as he lead me towards the kitchen. I breathed out in relief. I wouldn't want to ruin this week for him and Bella. Renee was already in town and "helping" with the wedding; they'd have enough on their minds in regards to the wedding itself. Still…

Wanting a steak that wasn't well done? Sleeping? And throwing up this morning? There was only one conclusion I could draw to… I had stopped taking the pill about a week ago. There was some spotting the other day but I figured that was just my body readjusting itself not…

I climbed up on to the barstool absent mindedly while Gabriel went about fixing my dinner. I wasn't even paying that much attention to anything other than my own thoughts. Carefully, I touched my stomach, just thinking about the possibility and…it was cool. The lower part of my stomach was cool to the touch. Not as cool as Gabriel or any of my other vampires were but there was a discernible difference between my normal body temperature and that of the area right between my hip bones. I was pregnant.

I bit my lip. What if I'm just imaging all of this? What if it's just some odd reaction to going off the pill last week? What if it is just the stomach flu or some other little bug? But what if I really am pregnant?

I was overjoyed at the thought as well as terrified. I hope Jasper is far enough away that I'm not driving him crazy. I might just be a mother. Gabriel and I will have the chance to be parents, together. But it was still a good week before Bella and Edward's wedding. That couldn't be good. Even if Bella got pregnant the first night like in the books…

Well, that part was something I'd much rather not think about. However, if I'm pregnant first, and there is a week in lag time between us…what will everyone do? Maybe it would be better if Gabriel and I left. We could go away right after the wedding and maybe show up again in three or four months to help out with the Volturi. It's not like the Cullens need the extra problem of having another newborn and a newly vegetarian vampire….

"Per te, amata mia," Gabriel told me as he slid a plate in front of me. The very smell of the overdone steak made me want to vomit again. I pushed it back out of the way of my nose and looked up at Gabriel's confused face. "Is it not done right?" he asked.

"I don't think I can eat yet. My stomach is startin' to act up again," I told him. Immediately, he covered the plate and placed it in the fridge where –if I'm right- it will never get eaten.

I hopped off the barstool and looked at my PJ's. I'd have to change before we went out. The drug store in Port Angeles should still be open and I could get a test there without any questions. I had to know and I had to know now that I wasn't making this all up.

"Do you mind if I get dressed and we head to the Walgreens or Rite-Aid?" I asked. Gabriel's eyes looked slightly curious at me so I looked down. I didn't want to tell him until I was sure. Absolutely sure. There was no need to get his hopes up too. "They have gummy bears and all," I muttered. It was believable enough. It's not like I haven't suddenly decided that cake was absolutely necessary at one in the morning before.

My husband wrapped me in a hug. "Of course, gioia mia. And then we may also get some more medications for your stomach," he told me. I nodded and quickly disengaged myself from his arms to go get dressed.

Hiding the box on the way back had been difficult. I also knew that my near bouncy energy was giving something away although I tried, hard, to just sit there in the passenger seat and act bored. I was anything but bored though.

Excited, overjoyed, expectant since I might be expecting. I was also a bit fearful. What if Gabriel can't get the baby out and save me too? I had never broken a bone in my life and the idea of the kid breaking my ribs or my hips was a bit unnerving. I focused on the bad so I wouldn't give away how happy I really was. The bruises, the broken bones, the possibility I might not live through this. I just pray that Gabriel stays here if I don't make it. That he raises our daughter –or maybe son- with family around her. Our child would need that; to have aunts and uncles and even a cousin around. She would need her father as well. I hoped I would make it –that Gabriel would be able to change me in time- but I also knew the odds and the odds are sort of 50/50. Fifty Fifty ninety rule: if you have a fifty fifty chance at anything, ninety percent of the time you'll lose.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel whispered as we approached the house. I smiled up at him, truly happy. He would stay here. He would raise our child if anything happened to me. At least until the girl or boy was grown.

"Just thinkin'," I told him as we went the back way into the house. The back door was closer to the apartment. Ginsie was already there, waiting for us to come home. The little fluff ball greeted us in normal fashion; completely overly excited that we made it back again. I kissed her head and went towards the apartment; Gabriel and Ginsie following me.

"Do you mind heating up my dinner? I think I'm hungry for it now," I told my husband. He looked at me for a moment, like he knew I was planning something, but ignored that and kissed me on the cheek.

"It will be ready for you when you return," he told me. I smiled again before hurrying to take the pregnancy test downstairs in our apartment.

The stupid test takes an entire five minutes. Do you realize how long five minutes is when you want an answer like now? Right now? But the little indicator turned after those five minutes and I grinned. It was a plus sign. Now, how to tell Gabriel….

"Tesorina?" he called to me from the other side of the door. Quickly, I destroyed the evidence. I couldn't tell him now. Not with too many curious ears that might accidentally overhear –or oversee. I'd have be spontaneous when no one else was around…

"I'm fine. Just a minute," I said as I quickly cleaned up. I took a look in the mirror and realized I didn't look nearly as haggard as I thought I did. I actually looked…glowing. Smiling, I put my hand on my stomach even though I didn't have a lump yet. The baby was there and I knew it.

Making sure not to decide on anything yet, I opened the door, smiling, and hugged my husband tightly. My mind was completely distracted when his lips found mine. Tomorrow. I'd find some time tomorrow. I just hope Alice doesn't see first…

"Come, let's get you your dinner," Gabriel smirked. I nodded and followed him back up the stairs.

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**Author's Note:** ::giggles:: so the wedding won't be the next chapter but I think it will be the chapter after that. The next chapter will be where Elizabeth tells Gabriel about not taking the pill for the past week and that she has a craving for coyote…or maybe bear? Or maybe mountain lion…oh…yum.


	73. BIII Cxiii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way too much fabric and need to make three outfits before Halloween. I'm not entirely sure how I'll do that…

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm almost to the thousand mark in reviews! Please, please help me get there, okay? That would be super awesome. Happy Halloween!!!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 13

I woke up Sunday morning to clouds. Which was pretty typical for Forks but still, the light seemed brighter than normal for early in the morning. I looked over at the clock and realized I had done it again. I had overslept. I groaned and threw my head back against the pillow, closing my eyes in the process.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel asked as he was suddenly in the room by my side. I smiled at him slightly but only barely managed to keep my thoughts hidden. There was so much I wanted to tell my husband but I had to wait where suspicious eyes, hears, and minds weren't around.

"Just didn't realize how late it was," I told him. "Now I really have to hurry to get to church," I grumbled. I sat back up and grabbed my robe to cover myself while I searched for church appropriate attire. Gabriel leaned over and kissed me. I couldn't help but be distracted by his lips on mine. As my hands trailed their way up into his hair, I suddenly wondered if there was a five o'clock mass I could go to…

It was only ten minutes later that we managed to get to the car. It was hard to think when Gabriel was kissing me like that but we did break apart just long enough for both of us to realize it was Sunday morning and we probably should at least go upstairs for a bit. Which lead me back to getting to church.

Mass was, well, mass. It was just Gabriel and myself this time. Everyone else was busy with wedding planning. The Denali clan –including Irina who is to be held under guard at all times at the border for the entire wedding- was coming down. It was either that or one of them had to stay up there and babysit her. So, the wolves worked it out to have three of their own guard her and make sure she didn't escape. I was all for an iron maiden but that was quickly voted out.

It wasn't until after church I had a semi-brilliant idea. I could tell Gabriel about the baby while we were out. Edward was back at the house and we were a good seven miles away from the house as the crow flies. There were too many people in church though… I didn't want anyone to overhear something they shouldn't. My husband should be the first to know then my family. I was over thirty now. If the rest of the town found out after that, who cared?

Maybe in the car on the way back I could tell him? Yes, that would work. I just prayed Alice wasn't paying attention to me at all right now so Gabriel really would be the first to know. I didn't want everyone else finding out I was pregnant until after the wedding. Let Bella and Edward have their day. I didn't want the attention focused on me in any way, shape, or form. I didn't want to take away from them. I got my wedding, they should have theirs.

Last night, I discovered just how very preoccupied Alice was with the wedding. She hadn't even realized Gabriel and I had gone to the drug store and went straight back to looking towards reservations and seating charts. Edward, attempting to annoy his little sister, I guess, was following her around, grinning. Alice would shoot him a glare once in a while which meant that what ever Alice saw, Edward would make a decision to change that, and ruin Alice's plans. It was amusing to watch the two of them.

But I had to make plans of my own. We were about half way home when I decided now would be the perfect time to tell Gabriel about the baby. "Gabe?" I asked. Once I was sure I had his attention, I continued. "Mind pulling over for a second?"

Gabriel's face immediately grew concerned as he pulled on to the shoulder quickly. "Are you ill, tesorina?" he asked, unlocking the doors as he put the car in park. Relief filled his face as I shook my head. No, I wasn't sick, right now at least. Of course, I was careful this morning and didn't eat anything. We'd see how well I did when we got home. Probably would start to have to drink blood soon. I wonder if there are any good predators around….

I took off my seatbelt. I didn't want to be facing forward when I told him this. I wanted to be facing him, be able to look straight in eyes and see what emotions played across his face. Maybe the cramped space of the car wasn't the best idea but I couldn't think of anywhere else that would truly be private in a house full of vampires. Between the mind reading, the future seeing, the emotional sensing, and the super hearing, it wouldn't be that private even in the sound proof basement.

As gracefully as I could, I moved across the consul, placing my knees on either side of Gabriel while sitting on his lap. I tried to ignore the steering wheel at the base of my spine and knew not to lean back or else the horn would be an issue. He quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything about it. Trying my hardest not to blush or grin too much –and failing on both accounts- I looked down, my forehead just centimeters from his nose. Slowly, I tried to think of the words to say, what to exactly tell him when I felt his hand on my face.

"Amata mia?" he whispered, clearly confused, and his stroked the edge of my jaw with his thumb. Placing my hand over his, I looked up and smiled a bit. I knew how to tell him suddenly. Grabbing his hand, I pulled it down to place on my stomach. Surely he could feel the temperature difference too! He must know…

Gabriel's eyes turned slightly from confused to one of a different type of questions. I realized what he must be thinking and blushed some more. I was here, straddling his lap, in the tinted windowed car, placing his hand right above the zipper to my jeans… No, not that. Not here at least. Looking down, I made sure his hand was on my bare skin, right where I knew it would be cooler. I'm sure he could feel the temperature difference but I was still trying to gather the courage to say what I had to say.

I knew that being pregnant was a lot different for us than it was for human couples. It would be our only child, our only chance. I would not survive the pregnancy as a human at least. It was either be turned or death. There weren't any other options. But still, some part of me, a mix of myself and Gabriel, would live even if I didn't.

Once I was sure my voice wouldn't shake, I looked up at Gabriel's face. His eyes were wide and I could tell he already knew. I smiled a bit more. "Our child," I said simply. More than that wasn't needed, I hoped.

Gabriel's mouth opened but no words came out. He didn't look excited or happy. He looked shocked and I was suddenly very worried. He did say he wanted a child –a daughter- right? It was one of our agreements before we got married almost two months ago. We had spoken about it since then and he seemed to like the idea of having a child. Biting my lip, I looked down at his hand still on my abdomen, my hand on top of his. "I…I went off the pill this week," I mumbled, not looking up at him. "I figured my body might need a couple of weeks to get back on track, ya know," I began to ramble, my accent getting thicker as I spoke. "And then Ah realized with how tired Ah was and all the getting' sick…"

Gabriel interrupted me by putting his finger of his other hand under my chin and forcing me to look at him. His lips curved up into a soft smile while his eyes were a mix of excitement and of grief. Before I could fully understand the expression on my beloved vampire's face, I felt his lips on mine. The icy cool pressure of his lips moved against my warm, human ones.

My body moved almost automatically as my hand slipped from being on top of his to around his neck. His hands glided to my waist. I rose up on my knees and…hit the horn with my backside. That startled me and I broke the kiss. I also hit my head on his forehead which wasn't a good thing. "Ow," I grumbled. Gabriel chuckled.

I glared at him as I made very sure not to touch the horn again. Gabriel's hands moved around me to hold me to him. We were both quiet for a moment, just looking at each other, when I sort of realized we were in a semi-compromising position by the side of the road. It was a good thing the windows were dark or else when that car drove by…

I blushed and looked down again. Gabriel placed his hand on my abdomen, right where I had placed in minutes earlier. "Our daughter?" he asked him. I nodded.

"Or son," I pointed out. The fact that we both wanted a little girl would mean we'd get a little boy. Not that I minded much either way it's just that the universe seems to be against me that way. Every single time I pleaded with my parents for a little sister and every single time I got a little brother. You couldn't play Barbie with little brothers. They tended not to like that sort of thing. And tea parties were way out.

So, as much as I'd love a little girl, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a little boy. Considering there is only one known male vampire hybrid in existence, having a son would be unique in itself. And he was so dressing up as a knight when we go to the Renaissance festival once I'm past the newborn stage.

"How long?" Gabriel asked after another moment, his hand resting there.

I shrugged. "I've only been off the pill for a week and I'm guessing maybe five or six days," I stated. I really didn't know. I wasn't showing yet and I hadn't looked up any pregnancy websites yet for help. It's not like they could tell me much anyway on the development of a vampire hybrid. From what I remember from the books, it was about a day to a week. Rather than forty weeks, a vampire hybrid's gestation was only forty days. Well, probably not even that because the first two weeks don't count and a baby is viable long before the end of the forty weeks. Maybe only 30 days? I wasn't sure. Still, the next few weeks would be interesting.

I bit my lip realizing that I only had a month left. Maybe a little more than that until I was either turned or dead. I would die here and I really couldn't think of a better way to die. I'd give my life for my child, in a way. My child. That seemed like an impossible dream at the beginning of this year. I didn't even have a boyfriend! Now, I was married and pregnant.

Far more impossible things have happened as of late. I was in the Twilight universe and I loved it here. Despite all the bad things, I was truly happy here. I had a family to turn to. I had a big sister and a big brother. My cousin was Edward Cullen himself and I got to go to the wedding and see the dress Bella would wear. Heck, I got to work on the dress myself. I really couldn't think of anything more perfect than the past few months. So, even if I didn't make it, at least I wouldn't die with any regrets.

Lifting my face again, Gabriel looked at me. "It will be alright, tesorina," he told me. Still gnawing on my lip, I looked at him, worried.

"Please, promise me one thing," I pleaded with him. Gabriel's eyes narrowed a bit.

"What is it you would have me promise, amore?" he asked me.

"Just…" I started. I had to ask this of him. I had to get him to agree. I looked down, too worried about what his reaction might be. "Just, please, stay here if I don't make it. Make sure our child has her father and her family," I begged. I really hoped and prayed I would be turned; I would be one of the vampires, but I also knew the odds.

"You will not die," Gabriel stated angrily. I looked up at him and saw his jaw flexed, his muscles tensed. He didn't like this idea.

"Please, Gabe. I need you to promise me. If I don't make it," I started but he quickly interrupted.

"You will make it. I will not let you die," he declared. I sighed and shook my head. Didn't he understand how badly I needed him to promise me that he'd stay with the Cullens? I needed him to be a father to our child and to make sure our child knew his or her aunts and uncles. I couldn't have Gabriel leaving just because I didn't make it. What would become of our daughter or son?

"There is a chance I won't," I whispered before I looked back up at him. His eyes held an unfathomable sadness in them.

"Elizabetta," he whispered almost as if he were agony while his hand went to cup my face. I nestled my face against the palm of his cool hand, covering it with my own hand.

"Please, Gabriel. I know you'll try your hardest but please," I begged. "For our daughter, our child. You must stay with Carlisle and Esme. She'll need a family and she'll need her father."

"She will need her mother," Gabriel replied, definantly. I bit my lip again, began to wonder if I really wanted this argument right here right now. I realized I had to have it. He had to promise. I wouldn't have him leaving our child parentless or, at least, taking the kid away from his or her family simply because he couldn't stand the memories. Our child would be safe here and loved.

"Gabriel, please," I begged again. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. Gabriel's expression softened as he wiped the tears away before they had a chance to fall.

"You will not die so there is no need to promise. I will change you myself once our child is born," he whispered. I closed my eyes, knowing that was all I would get for now. He wouldn't promise. Not now while I was healthy and he was fully fed. Maybe once his eyes turned a bit darker and when I'm closer to when our child will be delivered….

"Also," I started, again, slowly looking up. Gabriel's expression was curious but guarded. "Please don't even think about any of this yet. I wanted you to be the first to know but…" I said before looking down. My voice went to a whisper. "I don't want to take away from Bella or Edward this week."

Gabriel brought my face back up to his, a soft smile gracing his perfect features. "This will not take away from their wedding, amore. But if you wish to keep such secret until the chaos that is the wedding dies down, that I do understand," he said before giving me a simple chaste kiss. "Our child deserves her own event," he teased lightly. I smiled back.

Before going home, we both tried to think of anything other than the baby. Gabriel and I must have started a dozen different conversations, each one ending up on what to name our poor child once she or he was born. We could be talking about things like the latest movie or a computer game and a name would pop up. Either I or Gabriel would admit it would be a "nice name for our child" and that would end the conversation only to start on a different one. For a girl, we both threw out names like Bianca, Abigail, and Patricia. For a boy, I really liked the name Luca –the name of the character on ER which is how that conversation started. Gabriel liked names like Giovanni and Triston. Finally we settled on a conversation on the latest zombie movie and that seemed to work. Discussing the amount of gore and if there really are zombies was far better than anything else either of us had thought up. Even discussing the stock market –which I know nothing about other than it would crash soon- brought about a discussion on how much money we might need to put away for the baby rather than investing it. I still don't see why Gabriel even worries about such things. He has enough actual capital that money really won't be an issue for the next oh hundred or so years. And with Alice giving stock market tips, money was the furthest issue from anyone's mind.

So, zombies. Zombies eating brains. Nom. That thought lead to thinking about drinking blood which…of course, led to me thinking about drinking blood because of the baby. Luckily, we weren't at the house yet –still four miles out- so I quickly redirected my thoughts. I stuck with the wedding. I had to go with Alice to the florist and see if they had enough orange blossoms to add to the garland we were going to string down either side of the aisle.

By the time we got home, my thoughts were filled with ribbons and flowers. I had to see if we could add some lights to the ceiling in the living room to give a firefly effect once we all retired for the reception. Twinkling LED lights would work. Wait. Do they even have those yet?

Racking my brain to remember when LED lights became popular and if they even had twinkling ones in 2006, I entered the house. Edward was there with Bella, as was Seth and Jacob. I could guess that Leah was somewhere not too far outside. Edward nodded at me.

"She is in the back yard and refuses to come in," he told me with a smirk. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I noticed Seth look to Edward and than back to me while Jacob and Bella were talking.

Jacob looked pale still –well, pale for him- but he was fine other than that. Carlisle was convinced that was the only long term side effect from the bite Irina gave him. Being a couple shades lighter than normal was a small price to pay for being alive. Billy, I had noticed, didn't even act the slightest bit …opposed to my family anymore. I found out that he would actually call up and talk to anyone that answered…mostly to tell them to send Jacob home but still. It was a start.

"Who? Leah?" Seth asked us. Both Edward and I nodded. Seth just shrugged but grinned. "She's fine," he informed us. Still, I didn't like the idea of her sitting out there by herself and growing angrier by the second. That couldn't be good for Jasper.

"I'll go talk to her," I half muttered under my breath. Jacob smiled from where he was sitting.

"Better take your sword, van Helsing," Jacob teased. I glared at him half heartedly and started towards the back door when Gabriel stopped me. His hand was around the upper part of my arm and I turned slightly to look up at my husband questioningly.

"Perhaps it would be better to leave her alone," Gabriel said, his eyes betraying his worry. He better not be thinking about anything he's not supposed to or I will so…

Alice was the one that stopped that train of thought. "Oh, good, you're back!" she exclaimed when she saw me. The black-haired pixie ran up to me, her hands full of different books and magazines. I knew what type before I even registered a single cover by Bella's groan followed by an "Alice…" whine. I smiled and hugged her.

Smiling back, Alice only grimaced when she looked over at the werewolves. Jacob gave a big toothy grin to her and Seth looked slightly sheepish. "I've been trying to see when you'd get home but with these two here, I can't see a thing," she grumbled. For once, I was very, very thankful for the werewolves.

"Time to go to the florist?" I asked. I thought that was tomorrow but…

"No, they aren't open yet. But I need your help with some decorating ideas since Bella can't seem to decide," Alice grimaced.

"They all look the same, Alice," Bella informed her, clearly unwilling to participate in whatever Alice was dragging us into. I smiled at my husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I think I'm about to be pulled into a meeting on various shades of white," I told him. Gabriel nodded sagely before Alice went to pull Bella off the couch. Bella hid in-between Edward and Jacob, cowering behind her fiancée. When Alice reached for her, both growled, which made Jasper appear out of thin air. It was very entertaining to watch.

Jasper glared down Jacob, who immediately stopped growling. Edward, however, continued and glared at his little sister. Alice huffed. "I need her to make a decision, Edward. This is about her, you know," she told her brother matter of factly. They both glared at each for a moment before Edward caved.

"Bella, love?" he asked her. Bella scrunched up more, trying to hide in his shoulder. Gently, Edward went to brush her hair back and Bella flinched a bit. Sighing, Edward looked at Alice, pleading but Alice clearly would not be moved. I tried to hold back my giggles at the stubbornness standoff and decided to throw my allegiance in with Alice. It was the safest bet.

Drawing away from my Gabriel's side, I went over to join the Alice side and stood between her and Jasper. Kneeling slightly, something I wouldn't…well, I reached towards Bella. "C'mon Bella. You know the scary pixie will just pout until she gets her way," I told her. Bella looked up at me with her big brown eyes, terrified at the prospect of looking through wedding magazines. Really, it wasn't that bad.

I gave the girl a soft smile and offered my hand. "I promise to moderate Alice as much as possible," I swore. Bella bit her lip and looked from me to Alice and then quickly to Edward. Edward nodded at her once, encouraging her to come with us, before she took my hand and looked me directly in the eye.

"_You'll _make sure she doesn't go overboard?" Bella asked me. I nodded.

"Pinkie swear," I told her, holding out my hooked pinkie. Bella took it with a resigned sigh, causing Alice to squeal with delight. It was only a few seconds later that we took to the stairs to go through the "few" books and magazines Alice had up in her room for Bella to look at. I kept to Bella's side, and smiled. I just hoped Gabriel could keep as distracted as I was going to be for the next few hours…

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**Author's Note:** Like it? Hate it? Please tell me! The wedding is next!


	74. BIII Cxiv

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own a truck, fabric, and Miss Ginsie. :-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This chapter is pretty long. I hope y'all like it. Only twenty two more reviews and I get the 1,000 mark! Woohoo!!! Thanks, y'all!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 14

Not thinking about the baby was about next to impossible. Even the smallest of things –since babies are small cute adorable…eh- was reminding me of my condition. Luckily, Edward just thought I was thinking about the possibility of a baby and not actually carrying the kid right now. Carlisle knew better. And so did Alice.

It was the next day, Monday, that Alice confronted me. The angry scowl on her pixie like features seemed misplaced. We had been at the florist and I went across the street to go check out a dress shop. Alice had little problem with this idea and examined the various varieties of roses on her own. They were all starting to smell the same to me.

On my own, across the street, I got bored and ducked into a coffee shop next to that to get some iced tea. Luckily, I was able to eat still –real food. I hoped I would be able to continue to eat real food until the wedding. I wanted some of that cake!

Coming out of the store, sipping on my iced tea, I saw an angry pixie looking at me. I smiled at her sheepishly and held up the cup as evidence of what I was doing. I was only thirsty. Well, not that type of thirsty. I only wanted some iced tea. Not mountain lion.

Giving me the look, she huffed back to her Porsche and I followed obediently. I guess she was worried when she couldn't find me and I wasn't in the dress shop. She must have… And I immediately realized my mistake. Alice probably used her ability to look for me. If she looked for me now, I'd most likely be fuzzy. I think. Maybe it didn't happen until the child was more developed? I had looked up online last night – after Edward went to Bella's- and guessed I was around six or seven weeks pregnant. The baby's brain waves would be detectable tomorrow and I just prayed that the child wouldn't have any actual thoughts or images for a few days…or that Edward wasn't paying attention. I think the latter was more likely.

"Why couldn't I see you?" Alice asked, annoyed, as we drove back home. I looked over at my little niece –the scowl still present on her face- and thought about what to say. Biting my lip, I considered just telling her and I also considered making something up. I knew Alice would fight me until she got the truth though…

"Can you keep something out of your thoughts while Edward is around?" I asked. I knew I was having trouble but Alice was an expert at this, and a vampire. She should have enough space in her head to keep it in the back of her thoughts. Still, she gave me a suspicious look.

"For how long?" Alice asked, a mix of dark curiosity and anger still on her face…but the curiosity was winning.

"Just until after the wedding," I said quickly, hoping she would agree. If she did, I'd tell. If not, then I'd just say that she'll have to learn then like everyone else.

"Yes, I can do that," she told me, her demeanor softening further. I managed to open my mouth to say what I needed to say when Alice squealed with delight, stopped on the shoulder and turned the car off in one quick motion. I jerked forward a little, glad for the seatbelt.

"Alice!" I shouted at her. My angry glare for her stopping short so quickly did nothing to stop her short lived enthusiasm.

"Sorry," she said quickly before looking thoughtful. I sighed. Should I even bother to utter the actual words? Before I could contemplate too much, Alice hmmed. "This will be a problem," she stated.

"You can't see me, can you?" I asked, turning a bit more in my seat before sipping on my iced tea.

"No, I can but it's almost like you are blinking in and out. You are hard to see and it looks like you will be harder to see as the weeks go on," Alice grumbled. I smiled at her apologetically. I didn't mean to give her a headache. Looking down, I patted my –well, my stomach was never actually flat but I wasn't showing yet either- stomach and smiled a bit.

"It's because of the baby. Once the child is born, I should be easier to see," I whispered, not looking up. Gabriel would be able to get our child out and then turn me. Or so I hoped. I at least wanted to see our child before I… well, I didn't want to think about that. I wouldn't die. I'd have my baby and my family forever.

Alice grimaced when I looked back up at her. My face filled with concern. "What?" I asked, worried. What did Alice see, or not see, that would cause that look on her face?

"Ugh! You are almost worse than the werewolves right now! It's like trying to see a TV station with rabbit ears and you can't get the signal quite right," she told me. I smiled a bit before it fell completely from my face as I looked down to where my hand still was.

"You don't see…I mean, you still see me here in a couple of months, right?" I asked quietly. If she didn't, I had to be prepared. I was going to write a will anyway, just in case. Not that I had much but it would probably help just to get down on paper that Gabriel was to remain with the Cullens and raise our child. If nothing else, Edward was my cousin by blood. My child should be around her family….

"Of course," Alice said quickly. "At least, I think everything will go to plan," she told me, scrunching up her nose as she tried closed her eyes. "Ugh!" she announced after a few moments, frustrated. "It's so hard to see," she complained.

I smiled a bit. "It does help if you have your eyes open, Alice," I teased. That earned me a cross look before she started up the car again. It was quiet the rest of the way home and I just thought about the baby until I could tell we were getting close. Then it was all about the flowers. Maybe baby's breath in the bouquet?

When Carlisle got home that evening, he took me to the side too. First he inquired as to my stomach, seeing as I had thrown up on Saturday. I had been careful since then –eating only protein and lots and lots of salty things. That seemed to help a lot. I knew that wouldn't last though. It would be another week before I was forced onto an all liquid diet. I just hoped that Gabriel could bring me a grizzly bear or something like that. Ginsie was not food.

I was sitting down in the big comfy chair in Carlisle's office, Ginsie half in my lap, half sitting next to me. I was worried about her reaction to all of this. My faithful pup was okay around the vampires she knew –she loved Emmett- but what about when I turned into one of them? What would she do then? And a baby around to boot? I was worried about my little pup and her reaction to this mess. Luckily, Edward was out with Alice and Esme right now so he didn't have to hear about all of this.

"Have you found any cause to your illness?" Carlisle asked, in full doctor mode. I sighed.

"It was probably just something I ate, Carlisle," I muttered, petting Miss Ginsie's white fur. I had to get her groomed before the wedding. Alice declared Ginsie was going to wear a white ribbon…with flowers. In a way, I felt sorry for the poor pup. Even she was getting dressed by Alice.

"Gabriel informed me that he called the caterer and she stated that she did not use any ingratiates with which you are allergic to," Carlisle told me. My eyes narrowed. "He also said you knew what the cause was."

"I'm going to kill Gabriel," I muttered under my breath. Carlisle smiled, knowing I was being facetious. I was pretty sure my husband was downstairs in our apartment and I sighed. A part of me wanted to beat him and another part of me wanted him by my side when I told Carlisle. I honestly wanted to tell everyone but this just wasn't the week to break that sort of news.

"So you do know what the true cause of you illness on Saturday was?" Carlisle asked, genuinely curious. He leaned up against his desk as he waited for my answer.

"Yes," I muttered. He furrowed his brow before speaking again.

"If you prefer not to discuss it," Carlisle started. I sighed and shook my head. Ginsie was having fun watching the conversation between us as I continued to pet her.

"It's not that, Carlisle," I started, looking down. I think the only people home were Rosalie, Emmett, Gabriel, and Jasper…which was bad enough. Gabriel knew, of course, and so did Alice now but could four of us keep the child out of our thoughts until Saturday night? I bit my lip in thought while Carlisle's expression went for curious to worried. He walked the two steps between us and knelt to my level, noticing my expression.

"What is wrong, Elizabeth?" he asked worriedly. "You know I will do everything in my power," he started but I interrupted him.

"Pregnant," I mouthed. Carlisle's eyes went wide with shock as he staggered back a bit, so I quickly added a bit more. "We want to wait until after the wedding to formally tell everyone. Alice knows and so does Gabriel, of course," I whispered, praying no one was near enough to be able to hear me. I could barely hear me so I'm pretty sure if Jasper and Emmett are still playing video games…

Carlisle's expression turned into a soft smile as he patted my hand that I had on top of Miss Ginsie's head. Ginsie turned her head to lick Carlisle's hand which got her a chuckle. "I promise to keep that secret until after the wedding," he told me, alleviating a lot of my fears.

"Thank you," I whispered back.

"But," he said as he retook his spot at the side of the chair. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to conduct some tests to verify that you are with child," he continued. I nodded, adding that as long as Gabriel was here too, I was fine with most tests. The tests Carlisle insisted upon were a sonogram and a blood test. The sonogram showed…nothing, of course, but a staticy white lump where the baby should be. Pretty much what I expected. The blood tests were going to take some time since he had to run them at the hospital. Given that my uterus was now like vampire skin, an amniocentesis would be impossible not to mention it was too early for that.

Today was the day of the wedding and the boys still weren't back. All the boys had gone leaving just us girls for the night. Well, almost all the boys; poor Eleazar came with the rest of the Denali clan late in the night and was stuck with all us women. Luckily, he didn't seem to mind at all.

What had been driving me crazy was that Alice had been keeping a special eye on me all morning before she had to go get Bella and had been keeping an eye on me all night. Of course, not having Gabriel right at my side all night also bugged me. It had been a while since I was forced to sleep alone and I didn't like it. Ginsie loved it; she got to sleep in the bedroom for once.

I was still finishing up my make-up –something I never wore normally besides a faint bit of lipstick- and my hair when the boys came back. Alice, thank God!, had sent Rosalie down to warn me a good ten minutes before they got home. I didn't want Edward to hear any of my thoughts on crib designs or if baby vampire hybrids need diapers. Rose was even nice enough to help me with my make-up. I was good with my own hair but terrible with everything else.

I went with a Gibson girl look. I pushed all my hair on top of my head with only a few loose strands that I curled to frame my face. It was a good ten years out of date for the wedding theme but it worked with my facial features so it's what I went with. Adding the black lace afternoon dress over the pink silk sheath I made, I looked like I was ready for some sort of tea party. I suppose I'd be fine.

"Well?" Rosalie asked, tapping her foot lightly against the floor as I looked in the full length mirror. I turned and smiled at her.

"Thank you," I told her, giving her an air kiss. Couldn't ruin my lipstick! Turning back again, I was always surprised by my reflection. The girl in the mirror always looked different from the last time I saw her. Sometimes I'd look haggard –swamp thing haggard- and other times I looked almost like I belong here. Not as gorgeous as Rosalie but certainly not ugly either.

"You're welcome," Rose said a bit stiffly. "I suppose your hair will do," she murmured, looking at me with a critical eye. I turned, a bit worried that my hair didn't look as good as I thought it did.

"Is there something wrong with it?" I asked. Before she could answer, Gabriel came down the stairs in a flash –getting Miss Ginsie upset- and stopped at the doorway, his mouth slightly ajar. I blushed and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"No," she told me before giving me a tentative smile. "I'll go help Alice," she told me before heading up the way Gabriel just came in. I looked down slightly, my hands automatically going to the spot about three inches below my belly button where I could just now feel the slight bump. I hope no one heard that…

"You look exquisite," Gabriel whispered as he placed one hand on top of mine and another hand around to the small of my back. I looked up into his butterscotch eyes before he smiled and starting to kiss my neck.

"I missed you," I breathed. It was the truth. Last night was horrible without him. Granted the Denali clan helped to keep me distracted, and exhausted, but other than that I didn't feel right without him around. I was missing a part of me and I hated that feeling.

"Ti amo," Gabriel whispered as he moved to kiss my jaw. He drew back, brushing one small strand out of my face as he looked at me. Before I knew it, my lipstick was totally going to have to be redone, again.

It wasn't too much later that we both emerged upstairs. I made sure that I still looked fine before coming up. Gabriel promised me that I looked more beautiful than any creature he had ever seen but he was also quite biased. He knew better than to upset a pre….umm…me. He'd be ashes and sent off to be made into a diamond ring if he crossed me right now.

The entire living room had been transformed. The normal white on white décor was now folding chairs covered in white muslin with silver bows on the back. Silver ribbons with white flowers danced up and down the aisles and over to the banister where the theme continued.

The room smelled of lilacs, orange blossoms, roses and freesia. To me, it was almost overpowering but Alice knew better than to pick me as the human to smell test right now. My nose was all wonky lately.

Esme snuck up behind me and placed something in my hair. I turned to her and smiled, feeling for whatever she placed there. Orange blossoms. She squeezed me to her, pulling me gently away from Gabriel while looking up at him. "Gabriel? Would you mind helping the boys outside with the dance floor?" she asked him.

"Claro," he murmured, kissing me lightly on the cheek before going outside. I could tell my face fell a bit as I watched him leave. Yes, he was only a few feet away but I didn't like my husband being out of my sight right now.

Esme giggled slightly at me before squeezing my shoulders again. "I do need some help with the centerpieces. We only need a couple more and you do have an eye for those," Esme told me. I nodded a bit. Putting together the purple and white flowers would be good for me. I could sit down and work on them. I yawned and shook my head, muttering apologies to Esme.

"We did keep you up too late last night, didn't we, dear?" she asked me worried. I smiled a bit and shook my head again.

"Jus' tired," I said, my southern coming out a lot thicker than I intended. Who knew "tired" was one syllable?

Esme laughed lightly at me again before slowly taking me outside. At least, out here, I'd be closer to my husband. The flowers were even more present out here in various shades of white and hints of purple. The lilacs hung from the large dayshade tent in such a way that they almost looked like wisteria. I loved it.

"It already looks lovely, Esme," I told her as I sat down at one of the round folding tables that had a mess of flowers and two bowls on it along with silver ribbons. I noticed it was one of the tables closest to the high table where Bella and Edward would sit. There were three other chairs to one side and two to the other. Charlie, Renee, and Phil next to Bella and Carlisle and Esme next Edward if I remember right from what Alice was explaining regarding seating. Where I was sitting now was were I'd be for most of the evening. I didn't mind that at all…as long as Emmett or Jasper didn't decide to start a food fight. Getting anything out of lace was hell.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she told me. "We only need to finish the lights and a few other small touches," she mused. This was just as much her element as it was Alice's or Rosalie's. Alice liked planning, Esme liked decorating, and Rose loved weddings. I was just happy to play with the bubbles and sew a hem or two.

Carefully, Esme explained what she wanted with the centerpieces. I had helped with the others so I knew what to do and put the entire thing together rather quickly. I placed the flowers into the green foam and made sure no one could see the foam from the placement of the flowers. I then tied a big silver bow around the bowl and went to the next one. Half way through the second centerpiece, Tanya and Kate joined me at my little table. We just talked about the wedding and how nice it was to see Edward finally settle down. It was all very inconsequential.

Around three in the afternoon was when I noticed people were coming in. People as in non-vampires and non-werewolf type of people. The only reason I even noticed was that Kate started fidgeting and Gabriel was shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he stood behind me. Well, that, and my beloved husband stopped breathing.

I got up from my comfy seat where I had put together centerpieces, untangled lights, and written placement tags. My calligraphy wasn't perfect but my handwriting wasn't nearly as bad as Bella's. No humans would notice, or care really, anyway.

Walking into the forming crowd, I found Charlie talking to Carlisle and Renee already speaking with Esme. Phil, Renee's current husband, was a lot younger than I expected. I doubt he was any older than I was. Maybe even younger, really. Renee was only seven years – a good ten years if you decide to just go by my birthdate until now- older than I was but she _looked_ older than me. I didn't mean that as an insult to her as much as she just seemed like she looked her age even if she didn't act it.

The way Renee spoke and her movements reminded me of my Aunt Bridget. Aunt Bridget married my Uncle Nick when I was in my teens, I think. Maybe older. She was wild! Fun, but wild! I remember being horrible embarrassed because, not only did she knew every single person in Northeastern North Carolina, she had to introduce me to every single person in Northeastern North Carolina as her "niece, Elizabeth, who works for the FBI. Isn't that something?"

"Oh, Elizabeth! There you are! I was just telling Esme about how wonderful the decoration look and she told me you helped," Renee started as I approached. I smiled a bit.

"I only did a few little things. This really is all Esme and Alice's doing," I told her gently. It was. Alice told the boys to put up the lights and no one dared to cross her. Esme did all the ribbons, place settings, arrangements of the chairs and reception area; all and all, it was them that made this wedding look lovely.

"Really, this is so amazing. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. You should go into business with wedding decorations, Esme," Renee started, happily chatting on.

Esme laughed. "You should talk to Alice about that, Renee," my sister told her. It was only a few minutes later that Renee disappeared up the stairs to go see her daughter and I got ushered into the front row to sit. Carlisle was insistent upon me not standing too much as was Gabriel. I just hoped they weren't thinking about why they didn't want me standing. Over protective vampires!

It was only another couple of minutes before Rose took her spot at the piano. I was sitting next to Esme and had Gabriel on the other side of me. Bella's family were all on the other side of the aisle. Renee was already crying by the time Rosalie started to play and Edward was looking nervous despite Jasper being a few feet away. Carlisle placed a steady hand on his son's shoulder. Bella would come down the stairs…and she did.

All eyes –and cameras- turned when Alice glided down the staircase. Bella and Charlie followed five seconds later. The book hadn't really prepared me for how pretty she looked. Bella looked like a page out of a magazine with her light make-up and perfect dress. The gown –which I had only seen as a lump of fabric and not on her- was perfect. The bodice was raised in the neo-directorate style that was most popular in the early Teens but lasted through world war I. She had a cream colored sash of satin around her waist, pleated, that connected to all the pearl buttons in the back. The skirt was almost an A line except about mid calf. There, it flared out and swam around her feet to the back with a pointed train. It looked perfect for her.

Bella clearly only had eyes for Edward and he only had eyes for her. The pastor, Mr. Weber, Angela's father, started the simple ceremony. I took Gabriel's hand into mine and squeezed it. It was only a couple of months ago that it was us up there exchanging vows.

When Mr. Weber declared Edward and Bella, husband and wife, followed by the "you may kiss the bride" line, Gabriel raised my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. I smiled at my husband. It would only be a few more hours and no more hiding thoughts.

Everyone began to chuckle at the two newlyweds standing at the alter since they clearly forgot they weren't the only ones in the room. Of course, once they were gently reminded, we all quickly clapped at Bella's blush and got up to hug them and congratulate the newly married couple. Gabriel and I stayed back a bit. I'd be able to hug my new cousin in law/ niece in a bit. No need for pushing against the crowd right now.

The sun was setting by the time Gabriel guided me to my seat. He kissed my forehead when I sat down –causing me to scowl- before whispering that he was going to get some iced tea for me. I nodded and waited for the rest of my table to join me.

Looking around, I noticed the twinkling lights intertwined with the flowers all around the tent area. The reception area was something that would make Martha Stewart look like an armature. The flowers, ribbons, and lights worked perfectly with the outside setting. Esme, bless her, even remembered space heaters given that –although it was August- it was still cool outside. It was supposed to get up to seventy three today but I think it was only sixty right now. If that. I shivered slightly and felt a jacket suddenly on my shoulders. Gabriel was right behind me, a worried look on his face.

"What?" I asked, pulling his suit jacket around me. God, he really did look gorgeous in a tux.

"You're cold," he stated. I shrugged.

"It's just a bit nippy out," I told him. Speaking of nippy, Ginsie, being the brat/traitor dog she is had taken to "greeting" everyone. We had a ribbon for a leash tied to her ribbon collar but I don't think it was helping. Emmett was supposed to be watching the pup…

Sighing –Gabriel chuckled when he followed my gaze- I waded through the crowd to go retrieve the pup and tie her to our table where the only people she'd bother were those in my immediate family. It wasn't too long after that –with the line to say congrats to Bella and Edward still thick- that Gabriel decided I need food. However, one whiff of that and I didn't want a bite of it. I guess I turned a bit green because Gabriel began to argue that I should go downstairs and rest. I shook my head. I wasn't missing this pageantry for the world.

It was funny seeing a truly "traditional" wedding take place. Of course, most of the traditions only dated back a century or two. Weddings have been around a lot longer than that!

The cake was spectacular and I knew how it was supposed to taste since I was the hapless victim for cake testing a couple of months ago. The photographer stood right smack in front of me, blocking my view as Bella and Edward sliced the culinary creation. The "Sugar!!!Sugar, sugar, sugar!" part of my brain wanted an icing rose. The more logical part of my brain told me that real food was out from now on. Great, my last meal was a hamburger I had last night. I guess it could be worse.

The look on Edward's face as he ate his half of the cake was priceless. He tried, his hardest, to not make a face but it was the lack of making a face that really did him in. He was practically stoic as he had his slice.

Angela grinned when she caught the bouquet and Jessica looked miffed. I was just happy I wasn't the one catching it this time. Squeezing Gabriel's hand, I watched all the bachelor's line up next. I remember at my brother's wedding, I caught the bouquet and Lee, my oldest little brother, had caught the garter. That kind of ruined that tradition. This time, it was just funny as Edward smacked it right on Mike Newton's nose. I nearly snorted tea through my nose.

When the music started, Gabriel got up and whisked me off to the dance floor. Luckily, no one at the table said anything about me turning pale when I smelled the food. If they had, I would have had to mention something about a bit of a stomach upset. I think my nieces and nephews were all just preoccupied with the excitement in the air –especially Jasper.

About halfway into the third song, I began to feel a bit faint. Gabriel noticed and wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me. "Amore?" he whispered. I shook my head. I knew I was just the…well, I knew that I had uh…something pressed against a vein or something. At least that's what it felt like. I'm sure when it moved, I'd be fine again.

"I'm okay, just a bit light headed," I said with a smile.

Gabriel immediately began to move me back to our now empty table. Well, empty, except for Miss Ginsie who immediately began to wag her tail when she saw us coming over. I sat back down and absent mindedly began to pet the pup on the head. My husband looked at me worried. "Is it?" he started. I glared at him. Not yet. The wedding wasn't over yet. It was still Bella and Edward's time.

I guess my thought that time must have triggered something because it wasn't a minute later that my cousin was over at my side. Carlisle had also joined and looked at me gravely. Really, I was fine, not that any of the vampires seemed to believe me.

"Elizabeth?" Edward asked as he knelt to one side of me. I smiled at him weakly.

"Congratulations, Edward," I told him. Apparently, my salutations had little affect on him. He furrowed his brow and looked up at Gabriel and then to Carlisle before looking at me.

"You look ill," he said to which I cringed. I didn't want to ruin this. Edward looked to me and then to Carlisle, his expression growing fierce. Whatever Carlisle was thinking, or more likely, not thinking, was not making my cousin happy.

"Edward, stop," I asked of him. He immediately turned his head to me and his expression only softened a bit before he looked up at Gabriel and then down at me again. I noticed his expression turned again to one of shock. I glared at my husband. I didn't want Edward to find out this way and not now. This was his day, his moment. I didn't want to take away from it.

"You wouldn't take away from it," Edward murmured looking to my stomach and then to me, making me blush a bit. "A baby?" he asked. I turned to glare at my husband a bit more and noticed Carlisle had come even closer. Turning back around, I nodded.

Quickly, I let all the information I had been storing up, out. I was probably about fourteen weeks if you follow a traditional chart. The baby was about the size that was right for that. I know the kid has a heartbeat. Gabriel's favorite thing to do at night now was to rest his head on my stomach to listen to it. Silly 15th century vampires….

Edward's reaction was still one of surprise but his face slowly grew sterner. "You couldn't ruin the wedding with an announcement like this, Elizabeth. Weddings are a celebration of new life. I couldn't imagine a better announcement than this," he said in awe as he looked towards my stomach again. I kissed my nephew on the cheek.

"Thank you," I whispered. His reaction this time to vampire hybrid was a lot different but then again, we were all prepared. We all knew what to expect and what the children could be like. He smirked slightly and I heard a gasp from behind me. Esme had joined the small crowd gathering around me and I blushed a bit more.

It wasn't long before the entire wedding crowd knew. Rosalie was upset I didn't tell her but I pointed out I didn't want to take away from Edward and Bella and that we had a ton of wedding related things to do the past couple of weeks. Turns out the only thing better than weddings in Rosalie's mind is babies. I probably should have guessed that.

I had noticed that the Denali's looked shocked. They kept looking from me to Gabriel and I realized what they must be thinking. Vampire's can't have children or so the conventional wisdom says. Blushing again, I heard Gabriel say something to Carlisle and watched my big brother go to the cousins. Hopefully, he'd explain.

Jacob had sat through the wedding and danced with Bella while Edward was over with me. I had been so focused on what not to think and what to focus on that I barely registered the werewolves that were here. And there were a good chunk of the packs. I think Collin, Brady, and Sam were the only ones not present. Even Leah came to keep her brother out of trouble. Seth was having a blast, of course. Sue was just keeping as much an eye out for the vampires as Leah was.

About fifteen minutes after the reveal that I was with child, I realized I was too tired to stay up any longer. Gabriel gently guided me back into the house and down into out apartment where I could rest easily. Still, I looked at myself in the long mirror again and placed my hands on the small but well defined bump that you could only see through the dress if I pulled the fabric back tight. Even then, it was hard to see for human eyes.

Gabriel placed his hands on top of mine and kissed my jaw. "Sleep, tesorina. You will need it," he told me. I shook my head. I was tired but I think I was…hungry? No, thirsty! I was more thirsty than anything else. However, the tea wasn't agreeing with me.

"Gabe?" I asked him quietly.

"Si?" he replied with another kiss to the side of my face. I leaned back against him automatically.

"I think…I think the baby is thirsty."

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**Author's Note: **I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on with the formatting. I've tried to fix it twice and at least there are paragraphs now! before, it was just one big block quote. I wouldn't force anyone to read that. :-) Sorry about the cliffie, too. Like it? Review, please?


	75. BIII Cxv

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own a truck, fabric, and Miss Ginsie. :-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Squee! Over a thousand reviews! Thank you! That is awesome! I do apologize for this chapter being a day late. I really hope you like it and it's one of the longer ones. :-)

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 15

It was worse than when I had been on the night shift all those years ago. I was hungry and I was tired…and I wasn't in my comfy clothes. Of course, being in my husband's arms did help a bit with my mood. But his current expression wasn't all that beneficial.

The moment I mentioned that I thought the baby was thirsty, Gabriel froze. It was like being stuck inside a statue, carved perfectly to your frame. His hands were still on top of mine, covering our child, and his lips were pressed ever so gently against my jaw. He wasn't breathing or moving at all. If I didn't know better, I would think he was a statue. "Gabriel?" I whispered to him. No response.

Wiggling, I tried to maneuver out of his arms and that seemed to wake him up. He swung me around, effortlessly; his hands now on my shoulders rather than the tiny lump below my belly button. His golden eyes were fierce and I couldn't understand why. I had a craving. Yes, it was for blood but how hard was it to take a jug and drain a bear? Well, for a vampire. For a human it would be difficult. I didn't want deer. I'd have plenty of that later and I'm pretty sure deer is the broccoli of the vampire world. Yuck!

"The baby is _thirsty_?" he questioned me. I looked at him, even more confused. I couldn't understand his expression.

"I _think_ so," I told him. "I know it might be hard to find but do you think you could at least find a predator? I'm sure animal blood will be fine," I continued, not even trying to think about it. Animal blood has been used in sauces for human food for many many years. It would be no different than some weird sauce at Thanksgiving I tried to tell myself. Although, it would probably taste a lot better given that the baby was in control of my taste buds right now.

Gabriel's expression softened and he laughed. That didn't help my confusion at all. Hugging me, he kissed my forehead and laughed some more. Seeing my still confused expression, Gabriel gave me another chaste kiss upon the lips. "Once the guests are gone, I shall bring you any animal you would like," he said lightly.

"Thanks," I said, hugging him tightly again. We were like that for a few seconds when someone knocked on the door. Kissing me lightly again, Gabriel ran up the stairs to answer it. If it was one of the humans, yelling through the door wouldn't work. Even a vampire had to be fairly close to the door to hear anything; or so I was told. I certainly hope so. I didn't like the idea of the entire family being able to hear me and Gabriel…

I could just hear the whisper of voices and recognized one as Gabriel's, the other –I think- was Kate. Biting my lip, I wondered if Gabriel would even let her come down the stairs. Given the amount of people upstairs, he couldn't cause a scene.

I could only guess at what the Denali clan must think. Yes, Carlisle probably explained that the child I was carrying really was Gabriel's but still. I'm sure they thought I cheated. I would never be so base as to commit adultery and to even think that I would sleep with anyone else, share my body with anyone other than my Gabriel…. I shuddered at the thought. Gabriel was the only one for me, ever.

I don't think I would ever want a child so badly as to resort to artificial means either. Well, unless we get into gene splicing and then the baby would still be half me, half Gabriel. Even then…. At least the clan knows now that I went about it the old fashioned way without cheating. The baby _is_ half me, half my beloved husband.

I couldn't hear the voices anymore and I slowly stepped out of the bedroom –still dead tired and feeling the pull of the bed to let me rest- and saw both Kate and Tanya at the bottom of the stairs. Gabriel was by my side in an instant, an arm around me like he was trying to shield me from them. Both women looked at me wide eyed and their mouths slightly agape. Blushing, I looked down. I know I was the first human they've ever come across to be pregnant by a vampire but really!

The soft growling I heard building in Gabriel's chest was almost comforting despite the warning implied in it. I leaned in against my husband, nearly burying myself in his side as he wrapped his arm around me tighter.

"We mean you no harm," Tanya said softly. I looked up at them and saw that, although they were shocked, they were also curious. I tried not to blush again. Given the stuff they told me before the wedding, I don't want to think of what kinds of questions they might ask me now.

"The child…it won't be like us, will it?" Kate asked in a whispered tone. It took me a minute to realize what she meant. I remembered the stories of the immortal children a bit too well. I pleaded with Carlisle to tell me more about them a while ago and he explained every story he knew to tell me. The story of Sasha –their mother's name as I explained to Carlisle- and Vasilii was even sadder in person than reading it in the book. Maybe it was Carlisle's expressions as he told the story but to have to witness your own mother burn….

I shook my head. "No, she'll continue to grow once she's born. It takes about 6 years until the baby will hit maturity. They grow faster than human children," I explained. I went back to biting my lip, nervous about what these two must be thinking about me and about Gabriel.

"Six years? The….baby will stop growing only after six years?" Tanya more stated than asked. I couldn't understand the anger in her voice. "You know better than to create such a creature, Gabriel!" she shouted at my husband. He answered with a growl, carefully placing me behind him as he prepared himself to pounce Tanya.

"It won't be like that!" I shouted quickly. I placed my hands on the upper part of Gabriel's arm, pulling myself around him. He didn't move which was both a good thing and a bad thing. He truly looked like a vampire right now as he glared at Tanya and Kate; I hadn't seen him like that since I met him in that dark alley…

"The baby will look like a full grown adult at six, not a six year old," I explained quietly. Tanya backed off some and Kate still looked nervous. "She'll look to be about in her early or mid twenties. The hybrids grown at a rate of about a week to a day while they are in-utero and about what looks like a week's worth of growth every two days once they are born," I told them. Gabriel moved to pull me next to him again and I wrapped one arm around my husband as tight as I could.

"I guess it's really more like seven years for them to grow to full maturity," I whispered, looking down, as I did the math in my head. 365 days in a year, which would mean about 3 and a half years of growth to every full calendar year…the kid will only look 21 by the time her six birthday rolls around. Maybe a bit older. Math isn't my greatest skill.

"Our child is not an immortal child in the sense that you know," Gabriel told them. I could hear the low lying anger in his voice. Looking up at him, he was still glaring over at Tanya and Kate.

"But the Volturi," Kate began. I could see the worry on her face when I turned my head towards her. "Will they know the difference? Have they even heard of such a child?" she asked.

Tanya's eyes went wide again as something clicked in her head. "Edward. This is what he's planning, isn't it? Both you and Bella…" she asked. I nodded.

"Yes, Edward and Bella are going to try for a child too," I explained to Tanya. Gabriel took up Kate's question.

"They do not. We know they may be informed –misinformed- and, if so, we will be prepare for such measures when they come," Gabriel explained.

"This is an awful risk," Tanya stated. I looked up at Gabriel as he gazed down at me. Was it a risk? Hell, yeah! But it's what we wanted. I would give Gabriel his daughter –or son- and we would have a family. No one could take that away from us.

"It is my and Elizabetta's risk to take," Gabriel told the two women before us as he squeezed my shoulders.

Tanya nodded but Kate was still eyeing me curiously. "We will help if they do come," Tanya stated but it was Kate I was watching now. She stepped forward, wary of my husband, and looked at me. Holding her hand out, she looked almost scared.

"May I?" Kate asked me, her hand still out. I smiled a bit and pulled away from Gabriel slightly, nodding. She only wanted to see if she could feel the baby herself. I knew Gabriel could hear the little thing but I'm not sure if vampires were sensitive enough to be able to feel much more than the hard lump in-between my hips right now.

Kate's hand was cool, but I was use to that. Everyone had cool hands that I was around twenty four seven anymore. She looked at my stomach, her hand over it, in wonder. A slight giggle escaped my lips as the baby moved. I could only just feel the baby nudge against Kate's hand. Kate gasped in surprise but smiled. Between the two of our reactions, both Gabriel and Tanya looked confused.

"Your daughter is kicking Kate," I explained to Gabriel. His eyes also went wide and he smiled broadly. The baby only started kicking today but I tried hard not to think about it or talk about it given I hadn't wanted to ruin Edward's wedding. Too bad about that.

As soon as Kate moved away, Gabriel placed his hand back in the same spot as the baby moved around inside me. His expression was enough to make me forget that Tanya and Kate were still in the room. His eyes were filled with so much love and joy that I ignored everything else.

It was two hours later that Gabriel woke me up. I had fallen asleep soon after Tanya and Kate's "visit" on the sofa in our living room. I didn't even bother to try and get back to the bedroom. Groaning, I swiped at him even though all that would give me is a bruised hand. I did not want to wake up yet!

"Tesorina, Edward and Bella are to leave in a few minutes. Do you wish to say goodbye to them?" he asked me softly. I sat up, still groggy, but nodded. Seeing Bella and Edward off on their honeymoon was a good reason to wake me up.

Gabriel helped me up the stairs and we joined the throng of people crushing towards the front door to see the newlyweds off. Well, we tried too. Gabriel didn't want me pushed up against that many people and we stood over to the side. Luckily, that was right near Charlie so we did get to see Bella and Edward off.

I gave my cousin a hug and a kiss. Smiling, Edward hugged me back and whispered, "Be careful with my niece." I grinned back at him as best I could. I was still dead tired.

Soon, the happy couple were off –followed by a trail of designer shoes….those better not be my Irregular Choice heels, Alice- and the rest of the guests slowly filed out. I just went back to bed; too tired to deal with anything or anyone. Luckily, no one expected me to do anything right now so bed was a perfect option.

I have no idea what time it was. All I did know was that Gabriel, God bless him, changed me into my pj's somehow and put me to bed. The last thing I remember is giving Charlie a hug before starting towards the basement. I'm not even sure I really made it down the stairs or if Gabriel just gave up and carried me. This baby was taking a lot out of me.

Looking at the alarm clock, it was four in the morning. I groaned and flopped back down against the pillows. That would be something I wouldn't be able to do in a few more weeks! Slowly, I realized Gabriel wasn't in the bedroom. Normally, he would have come in once he heard I was awake….

Putting on my slippers and robe, I left the cool darkness of the bedroom and opened the door to the blinding light of the lamps in the living room. Despite the TV being on –the volume was all the way down to one making that stupid ringing noise it has when the TV is on but the volume of the show is too low to ignore the annoying sound- no one was down here. It wasn't like Gabriel to leave the TV on like that.

As I looked up the steps, my stomach growled –hungry- and the baby kicked. I placed my hand on top of my little one –did she grow again already?- and smiled a bit. "Shh, we'll get something to eat in a little bit, sweetheart," I whispered, rubbing my hand over the slightly larger bump.

I took the steps up to the main part of the house, wondering what on Earth was going on. Did Ginsie actually get out and loose the vampires? That would be a neat trick! Were they still cleaning up all the decorations? Having seen them go up, I doubt that.

That had been a sight! Watching at vampire speed, Jasper and Emmett go from one tree to another, nailing the lights in place for the driveway. I got to create a couple of the bows to go on the trees too. They had to go at a quick human speed when the muggles came by…and then they'd speed up again when it was only me watching.

Opening the door, I found all the lights were on. That alone was odd because, even though having the lights on or off made little difference to them, my family tended to follow the human rules and turn them off whenever I went to bed. What was even more strange was the sound of a conversation. No, not a conversation…one voice sounded angry and the other was Carlisle, trying to keep the peace it sounded like.

Yawning, I started into the other room. Maybe the Denali clan decided to stay for a week and Irina was causing problems? I wouldn't be surprised about that at all. They better just keep her locked up in the attic. I don't want her anywhere near my baby if it can be helped.

Stepping into the living room in just my pj's, robe and slippers, I stopped short. I figured it was just the cousins and the rest of the family –and probably just a few of them at that- arguing in the living room. Instead, it was the entire family all looking quite wary along with the wolves and…Charlie? Sure enough, there in front of Carlisle, was the good police chief of Forks. He didn't seem to notice I had entered the room yet although everyone else did.

Gabriel was at my side before I even registered what was happening in the room. He was in front of me, protectively again, and glaring towards the four werewolves that stood precariously near the front door like they were inching to escape. I understood that look from Leah but from Seth and Jacob too? And with that thought, I pieced together what happened…Jacob. Jacob must have told Charlie. Frak. What the hell did he tell him, exactly? Just about the werewolves, like in the book, or about the vampires too?

"Amore?" Gabriel whispered. I looked up at him but could only see his ear, wavy brown hair that came just past his shoulders, and a bit of the side of his face. Realizing this, I guess, Gabriel turned his head to look at me. "Why don't you go back downstairs and sleep? I will be down in a moment," he continued in a hushed tone. Although his voice was steady, his eyes told a very different story. What the hell did Jacob do, exactly?

I shook my head. I wasn't about to miss out on this. I was the only one here that had read all four and a half of the books. The idiot wolf had only seen his part of Breaking Dawn; I knew the whole story. Not that Eclipse or Breaking Dawn were going exactly according to the plan. In some ways, it was better; just like keeping all the spirals aligned on the phone cord was better. It gave you more flexibility. Realizing my obsession with the phone cord –the need to make everything fall into a line as it should be and not as it necessarily wants to be- might have not just been an obsession with a phone cord, but with everything. Since I've been in this world, this universe, I've tried to fix the problems I've created and the problems I saw in the books. The information I gave stopped the newborn army, helped with the Guard so far, and let Bella make her choice early on… But at what cost? What are the unintended consequences of fixing something where it wasn't entirely broken to begin with, just tangled? When you get all the tangles out of life, what is left?

Charlie looked over, finally, and saw me. I hadn't been paying attention to the angry conversation between him and Carlisle. Esme was at her husband's side, trying to keep both men calm, and I'm pretty sure Jasper was influencing the mood, but Charlie was not happy. He sighed when he saw Gabriel become extremely protective of me as well as Emmett and Rosalie. Rose got up from the loveseat she had been sitting on with Emmett and gently pulled at me to come sit next to her. Gabriel growled lightly but stopped short when Rose and I both gave him a glare. Once I was seated –Emmett behind me and Gabriel right in front of me but off to the left a bit- Charlie ran his fingers through his curly brown hair and looked up at Carlisle. "So you've got no way to contact them?" he asked.

I reached for my husband's hand, which Gabriel gladly gave, and squeezed it tight. Did Charlie want to call Bella and Edward right now? And what? Have them come back? Get Bella to explain all this to him? That didn't sound quite like Charlie….

"Not at this time. Perhaps when they reach the island, there will be service," Carlisle told Bella's father calmly. Charlie scratched at the back of his neck, thinking.

Turning to Rose, since she was the closest, I whispered as quietly as I could, "What, exactly, did Jacob tell him?" I wasn't worried about Charlie hearing anything but I was worried about one stupid, idiotic wolf hearing something. Luckily, the pack was on the other side of the room. If Jacob was anywhere near me and started to speak, I doubted he'd be vocal for long. If he was, it would be a higher soprano than I was and screaming. You do not wake up a pregnant woman and make her mad.

Rose leaned over a bit so I could hear her back. "We aren't sure," she stated, annoyed. Glancing towards the pack, she continued. "We know the stupid mutt phased in front of Charlie, but more than that, no one is clear on yet," she informed me. I could tell that Rose wanted exactly what I wanted; Jacob running on three legs right about now.

Yes, according to the current treaty, he was supposed to inform Charlie and yes, in the book it was by phasing but uh, timing? Three or four in the morning just isn't a good time and not during Bella and Edward's honeymoon. How about, maybe, when they came back? Telling someone he was planning on doing this? Oh wait. Jacob. Yeah, he wouldn't tell anyone because he'd know we'd stop him. Idiot. Ugh.

"When do you think that will be?" Charlie asked Carlisle.

"Probably not until tomorrow," Carlisle told Charlie. I calculated the time in my head. Yeap, tomorrow. It was dark in the books when they got to the island. Not that I wanted to think about that anymore. Edward was my cousin and it was just weird to think about.

"Tomorrow?!" Charlie shouted, before grumbling something I couldn't hear. Whatever it was, Alice was having trouble keeping a straight face. I turned to see Jacob grinning and I glared at him.

"What?" Jacob asked me from across the room. He took a step closer and Gabriel moved to block my view of Jacob. Of course, I also saw Jasper stand up as well as Kate. Eleazar moved Carmen behind him. Charlie seemed to take notice of this as well.

Leaning a bit against Rosalie, I looked around my husband –still holding his hand tight- to see Jacob and continue glaring at him. "What did you say, exactly?" I asked him, my eyes narrowing further.

"I just told him the truth," Jacob said, shrugging. He looked at my apparel and smirked. So what if I was wearing strawberry shortcake slippers? His very indifferent attitude was not helping to make the case for his life right now.

"Which is?" I asked, standing up. I think my sword is just on the other side of the fireplace. Gabriel pushed himself in front of me again, protectively but I managed to hold him, or rather push myself, slightly to his side.

"Phased in front of him and told him that everyone else here was something different," Jacob stated proudly. I wanted to kill him. He couldn't have waited until Bella got back for this?

I think I heard a "if the Volturi find out" from somewhere in the room. I wasn't paying much attention. Maybe it was just the hormones going crazy or being awake at four o'clock in the morning to this mess and still being in my pj's in front of everyone but something sort of snapped when Jacob grinned like that. The grin was too smug, too "you can't do anything about it" for my liking. So, I marched around my husband, picked my sword and went to swing the thing at Jacob's head when it was Leah that stopped me. "Let me go!" I growled at her. She did, only to put me back in Gabriel's arms. At least the smirk was off of Jacob's face now.

"Elizabeth," Charlie warned. I cast my glare over to him and I swear he stumbled back a bit. "It's not worth hurting…Jacob over," Charlie said. His voice faltered and he looked at the boy he once saw as a son very confused and hurt.

"So call the EPA on me!" I shouted. I was mad, very mad. Jacob just had to do this after the wedding? And at three in the morning? The idiot should loose his head. It's not like he used it.

Hearing a couple of snickers and seeing Charlie even smile a bit for a moment; I relaxed into my husband's arms, dropping the sword. It wasn't like the sharp object could hurt him; just those that weren't practically made of stone. Feeling a hand on me –not one that was cold or hot- I turned a bit to see Charlie.

"You know?" he more stated than asked.

I shrugged a bit in my husband's arms. I saw Jacob take a step towards me and Gabriel automatically growled a him, forced Jacob back…if he wanted to keep his head on his neck. Charlie stepped back a bit too and Gabriel apologized to him at least. He didn't want to scare the police chief, just the idiotic werewolf. "She doesn't even belong in this universe," Jacob proclaimed which earned him a lot more shouting. It was Rosalie who came across the room as quickly as humanly possible along with Carlisle and argued with Jacob…as well as Leah? That couldn't be right. I ignored them and focused on even more confused Charlie.

"Ever see Stargate or Deep Space Nine?" I asked, thinking of all the shows that dealt with wormholes. I guess I could add in Babylon five and maybe even a little bit of Quantum Leap but I was in my own body. Land of the Lost? It certainly felt like that at times…

Charlie looked at me strangely before his eyes went wide. I wished Edward was here only to have some sort of glimpse into Charlie's head. His face turned colors a bit before he let out a breath I doubt he knew he was holding. "I don't want to know anymore. I don't care about well, any of this. I don't want to know the specifics," Charlie started, looking at me. I had turned around fully now in Gabriel's arms, facing Charlie. Gabriel was still in between me and Jacob though, being overly protective…or maybe just protecting Jacob from me.

"I just want to be told as little as possible about all of _this_," Charlie started, running his hand through his hair again before turning to Carlisle. "And Bella already knows all of this?" he asked, as if clarifying.

"Yes, and I am sorry about that, Charlie," Carlisle stated sympathetically. Bella did know everything from werewolves to vampires to about me –the universe tripping time traveling sabbatianoi.

Charlie just nodded. "I still want to get Edward's number and call them tomorrow night," he told Carlisle.

"Of course," my big brother replied. Esme was already at his side, handing Charlie a piece of paper with the phone number on it, no doubt.

It was a few minutes later that everything seemed to completely calm back down. Jacob was not allowed to move from the front door –Rosalie's orders- but the rest of the wolves were free to come and go as they pleased like normal. This meant Leah automatically left to play guard outside and Seth went to go play video games with Emmett and Jasper…despite it now being four thirty in the morning.

"You look like hell," Alice said to me critically, earning a warning growl from Gabriel.

"It's four thirty in the morning, Alice. What do you expect?" I replied, leaning against my husband still. He squeezed me closer, his hands on my stomach.

"Still, you look like you are getting a cold or something," she said eyeing me. I rolled my eyes. Of course I looked sick; not only was it four thirty in the morning, not only had I not gotten enough sleep, I was pregnant with a vampire hybrid. I didn't exactly expect to look much like a beauty queen right now.

Before I could reply though, my stomach growled. I looked up at Gabriel and he kissed me quickly, knowing what I wanted –or, rather, what the baby wanted. "Esme?" he called quietly to her. Both Esme and Rosalie turned when Gabriel called to my big sister. She smiled at him and walked over to my side, I guess to take over baby sitting the pregnant woman. As soon as Esme was next to me, Gabriel kissed me again. "Sarà giusto ritorno, amata mia," he whispered before walking as quickly as humanly possible to the kitchen. I doubted anyone was keeping fresh wild animals in there. The baby needed blood and I was starving.

"Come on, sweetheart," Esme said cheerfully. "Why don't you sit down?" I followed her lead and sat next to my big sister on the loveseat, again. Esme held me close as I started to fall asleep just sitting there. I watched everyone around the room. The Denali clan and the wolves were talking –along with Jasper, Alice, and Emmett. Rose was just stopped Jacob from coming one step closer and Carlisle was giving her a disapproving looked while speaking –still- with Charlie. All and all, for this place, it was pretty…normal.

Well, until my beloved husband came back. I guess everyone with a hyper sensitive nose could smell what it was as he passed by. Eleazar and Carmen looked at my tall Italian vampire like he had lost his mind as he carried the solid plastic cup with a blue cap and straw on it over to me. Solid, not clear. Good. I don't think even I could stomach actually seeing what I was about to drink.

Kneeling next to me, Gabriel handed the cup over. "Thank you," I whispered to him, ignoring the strange silence that came over the room. Carlisle was trying –hard- to get Charlie to ignore it. The Denali clan looked like their eyes were going to come out of their heads. Glancing at Charlie and then back to me, Gabriel whispered back, "Bobcat." I smiled. He listened and must have hunted for me before Charlie came over. I gave Gabriel a kiss before testing the substance.

I was highly self conscious. Every single pair of eyes in the room was on me. The wolves looked horrified, the vampires were just curious, Charlie looked confused, and Ginsie just wagged her tail and acted like she wanted to know what I was drinking too. Part of me wanted to let her sniff, another part of me was too scared she might actually think that the blood smelled good too.

Despite the whole self conscious part, I couldn't stop myself from sucking on the small blue straw. Trying to describe the taste… I had eaten things like bear and dear before –part of the fun of hanging out with people that hunt back in my universe- so I knew sort of what it tasted like from that perspective but this was much different. Rather than the iron/salt with a hint of gamey taste that I was sort of expecting, it was more like how I remember minute steak tasting; buttery and salty but oh so yummy. I wanted more of it and was slightly disturbed when I downed the entire thing in under a minute. I heard Carlisle mutter something about "protein shake for the baby" to Charlie and weird cravings. Well, I supposed that's sort of what the whole blood thing was about.

Gabriel chuckled and Esme hugged me close when I looked at the empty cup as if by will alone it could refill itself. "I will get you some more, tesorina," my husband said to me as he gently took the cup away and kissed me on the cheek. I sighed but let him go and leaned against my big sister, curling up in the loveseat next to her.

It was Tanya who spoke first. "You look…better," she said, sounding surprised. Alice was back to eyeing me critically and I blushed.

"Yes, hmm…I supposed the baby would need," Alice started but stopped when she saw Charlie. "That," she continued. Charlie muttered something about need to know and the wolves just looked rather disgusted. Well, except Seth who seemed to be analyzing the situation too.

It wasn't too much longer before my husband brought the mug back out. I stopped myself from licking my lips from just seeing the cup. Almost greedily, I took it from him. He kissed the top of my head, chuckling. "Con cautela, amata mia," he told me. I slowed, a bit, but more out of the fact that half the room was still staring at me in wide eyed disbelief. What? I hadn't eaten pretty much all day and I was carrying Gabriel's child. Of course the baby would need blood.

The process only repeated one more time before the wolves slowly drifted away, Charlie went home, and I started to fall asleep. I was too tired to even argue when Gabriel picked me up after my third cup of bobcat blood and started to carry me towards our apartment. I could hear Ginsie's claws tapping against the stairs behind us as Gabriel carried me down. I knew Esme had thrown a blanket over me but I wasn't quite sure when. Everything was rather blurry right now.

"Gabriel?" I called to my husband as he tucked me into bed.

"Si, tesorina?" he answered, brushing some hair back from my face.

"Thank you," I whispered back. I wanted to thank him for everything. For helping me through this and for not being disgusted or horrified at the idea that I was now also drinking blood due to our child. Instead, I yawned. Gabriel just chuckled.

"Sleep, amore. I will stay, but you need to sleep, mia moglie più perfetta," he whispered, crawling into bed behind me. I curled up in his arms and fell back asleep.

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**Author's Note:** So, Elizabeth hasn't killed Jacob…yet. Charlie knows, sort of. And I was thinking of a surprise POV for the next part a la Breaking Dawn? Any suggestions? I was considering Carlisle because I've done his POV before and he's pretty easy for me to do…but then again, most of his POV would be very medical in nature. I'm happy to stick with Elizabeth's POV or I could go to Gabriel's but I might have to make this story M rather than T if I go with his POV…he's not nearly as clean as Elizabeth is. Maybe Seth? Or even switch to Bella? I could try Edward's but I tend not to do well at his POV... Review and tell me!

**Edit: It sounds like most people are going with Kate, Gabriel, or keep to Elizabeth. So, right now, I'm deciding between those three.**


	76. BIII Cxvi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own a truck, fabric, and Miss Ginsie. :-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **First: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RICK!!!!! I found out that it was KzintiKiller's birthday today so I had to add a chapter today just for that reason. Second: I went with Kate's POV. I thought it might be nice to have something a bit different. Gabriel's really was just too…graphic? Violent? Uhhh…you really don't want to know what goes on his head yet. I'll do a Midnight Sun like thing later and write the first book from his POV but it will have to be rated M. Sorry, guys. But Gabriel really is just…bad! Sweet, but a bad boy. Third: Thank you for all the reviews! That is just awesomesauce! Keep it up, please! I need something to distract me at work…

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 16

In the past millennia I had seen many many odd things, weird things, but nothing quite captured what I was witnessing now. At first, I thought our cousins had lost their heads in "adopting" a human into their home. They had called us and informed us of their little lost human. At first, we all laughed until Tanya explained that Carlisle was serious. Leave it to our cousins to decide they want a human in the family. Irina gave Jasper a week before that idea was thrown out.

However, a week came and went. We knew about Bella and the plans to change her but were they also going to change this new one? It wasn't until a few months later we learned the entire story. This new human –this Elizabeth- wasn't just wandering into the lives of the Cullens, she had already wandered into our world rather completely. She killed Jane. She killed Alec. She would probably destroy more if some deal hadn't been struck up…and she had fallen completely for Gabriel.

I had to smirk at that idea. What woman wouldn't find Gabriel attractive? Irina had tried to see if he would work out as her mate for a while. That didn't work. What was the word or phrase Emmett used earlier today? Made of fail? That's what Irina and Gabriel's relationship was like…but not his with Elizabeth.

I had first met Gabriel during the 19th century. He came across our paths, again, in the early 1930's. I think our cousins were in New York then. That was about when Rosalie joined them. At any rate, Gabriel was…vivacious, I suppose would be the English word. I'd call him a haiduc, a rogue, maybe. The modern word might be player. He loved love, but not any sense of work or commitment. He adored us as courtesans, women in his era that were respected prostitutes, if there could be such a thing. We were to be admired in his eyes, and not have any lasting arrangements.

So Gabriel, the heartbreaker, was the human woman's interest. Nothing shocking in that. What was shocking was that Gabriel seemed to have an interest in her back. Carlisle explained that Gabriel even called him to ask –or probably demand- Elizabeth's hand in marriage. What could our cousin say but yes? Gabriel had kidnapped Elizabeth –for her own protection since we found out that there were others after her- and was slowly bringing her back to the Cullens for safety. Although Gabriel always seemed to have some sense of honor –despite what he did to my sister-, he never struck me as the type to keep a human alive before. And for him to mate with a human? I still couldn't comprehend that. He made endless jokes about not participating in the feast, as he called it. We didn't drink from our human lovers and he found that a waste at the time.

Yet, here they were. Elizabeth was very visibly pregnant with his child now. There were so many reasons why that should not be possible. The first was that Gabriel fathered a child. Gabriel who laughed at us for taking human lovers took one of his own. He kept her alive, married her, and impregnated her. The fact that vampire males could have children… How many lives could have been saved by that fact? How many mates would let their husbands impregnant a human for a child? One that would grow? Would my mother still be alive if she knew… Better not to think like that.

The most important change was not that of Elizabeth's growing belly –she looked to be maybe six months pregnant now and it was only a week since the wedding- but Gabriel's entire attitude. His ever present questioning look was still there but one word from Elizabeth and he was by her side instantly. Even before the pregnancy, I noticed the way he looked at her. The second the young human woman came into the room, Gabriel's eyes would search for hers. His hand would always find hers. It's typical cocky attitude would almost disappear when she came in as if this human was the very center of his world. And she was.

Seeing him now, seeing the worry etched upon his face, the cockiness almost completely vanished from his voice was nearly painful. Not that I thought of Gabriel as anymore than an enigma –someone who just passed through life and a rather typical nomad- but to see the change in his personality and then to see him so concerned over a human was just…odd.

The fact this human was his wife, that she managed to convince him of a vegetarian diet when no one else had been able to was other odd fact. Now this human was even drinking only animal blood. Carlisle had tried to convince her last Sunday to try donated human blood but she adamantly refused. I don't think it was the idea of drinking another humans blood that disgusted her either. Rosalie mentioned that she spoke to Elizabeth later about it and Elizabeth didn't want the baby or herself to get a taste for it and have to work even harder later to restrain themselves. According to Rosalie, Carlisle believed that human blood might be better for the baby but Elizabeth told him that animal blood would be enough…and she'd march herself down to the butcher shop if she had to. Of course, that wasn't necessary. Any of us would go and bring back whatever she liked. Gabriel was forgoing eating predators himself to catch them for his wife. So far, Elizabeth seems to like wolverine blood the best. Carlisle admonished Gabriel a bit for that one. We tried not to take from endangered species but it was also hard for Gabriel to say no to his mate.

And who could blame him right now? Yes, Elizabeth was standing, even pacing, but she wasn't well. That was very clear. Carlisle stayed behind from picking up his son to make sure that Elizabeth at least stayed in the house and didn't leave. She was having a serious bout of cabin fever since she hadn't left since Monday and it was now Saturday. We had all heard her pleas to at least go to Port Angeles for a bit just to see Walmart and ride around if the cart if she had to. Carlisle wasn't swayed but Gabriel was teetering. The tall Renaissance man would probably carry her to the wheelchair cart just to make her happy. At this point, I was almost willing to simply because she looked completely miserable as she paced up and down the living room. Carlisle didn't even want her doing that but after Elizabeth shot him a glare, Carlisle backed off. I suppose that as long as she was in a very safe and secure environment where there wasn't a chance of anyone getting in her way or her hurting herself, Carlisle thought that walking wouldn't hurt too much here.

Elizabeth's pretty long brown hair was tied back into a loose braid that hit the small of her back. Tanya helped her this morning to get her hair done. Gabriel would only let himself or Esme help her get dressed in the morning. He'd probably let Alice as well but Alice had taken up with spending time with the wolves. She said that the baby was giving her a headache…

I watched as Elizabeth paced back and forth. Her face looked like she was ill which most likely meant she was hungry again. We had all learned that as her face paled, and the circles beneath her green eyes began to darken, it meant the baby was feeding off of her. I think that is was scared Gabriel the most –his child draining his wife. As long as Elizabeth drank every couple of hours, she seemed okay though. The problem was finding enough blood for every couple of hours! Gabriel was willing to go as far as he could for his wife but time constraints were against him and he didn't like leaving her very long. Emmett and Jasper were happy to go instead. It was clear they both loved their strange little "Aunt". That and Emmett's goal seemed to be to get "Aunt Sissy to not be grumpy Lizzie anymore," as he put it earlier. It probably was a good goal given his personality.

"Amore?" Gabriel called to her softly from his post against the wall. He was watching her pace, I suppose, so that the mother of his child wouldn't trip or otherwise injure herself further. Despite what she tried to hide, we all knew about the bruises. The baby had been aggressively kicking her or stretching as Elizabeth called it. Only Esme and Carlisle had seen the bruising and it both left them devastated. Esme came back out, crying, when Elizabeth wasn't looking.

What had started off as harmless fluttering Saturday night was now full punching. It was like the kid was already trying to rip his or her way out of Elizabeth. Her stomach had grown so much, so quickly, that Carlisle had admitted he was scared the skin might tear. That wouldn't be good around a house full of vampires. We were all being extra cautious.

Elizabeth turned to look at her husband. Or, most likely, glare since he stopped her pacing. Gabriel pressed himself off the wall and walked to her slowly even for a human pace. It was like he was scared of her reaction. Being scared of a human use to seem silly but given this was the same human that killed Alec and Jane, destroyed two children of the moon, tried to take out a third, and injured Demetri? And she was pregnant? Well, she was scary for a human.

"Prego, sit down, tesorina," Gabriel pleaded with her for the third time. Every eight minutes he'd ask her again.

"No!" Elizabeth shouted at him. She winced soon afterward. The baby was getting startled by loud noises easily so we were all attempting to keep the volume on everything down. Gabriel looked at Elizabeth with tortured eyes as he crept even closer to his wife. He laid his own hands on her pregnant belly as if he were touching some sacred object. Elizabeth looked up at him, biting her bottom lip before she turned her head slightly to where Carlisle was sitting. He was pretending, at least, to read up on some medical journal. I don't think he even actually has read a page since he flips them exactly every twenty seconds.

"Can Ah please just get out of this house?" she begged of him. "Ah don' care if it's evahn for jus' a ride around d'park," I heard her say. Early on, I placed her muddled accent. Half of it sounded like Mississippian, but mostly Virginian thrown in. According to Rosalie, Emmett didn't even realize their Aunt had an accent until Edward pointed it out. She sounded normal to him…

"Elizabeth," Carlisle said warily. I doubted he wanted to get into this argument again with her. "You should not even be standing up given the rate of growth of the child," he admonished her. "Please, sit down and rest," he asked her. Gabriel looked hopeful despite the other two times they had already had this conversation.

Elizabeth, of course, glared at him and Carlisle sighed in response. He rubbed his forehead before he spoke next. Gabriel had already moved to wrap his arms around his wife so he was holding her swollen stomach. It was painful to look at only because it was clear that Elizabeth's overall frame had gotten thinner. She wasn't overweight to begin with but now… She must have gone from a nice normal medium frame to being…thin. If it wasn't for her pregnant belly, I think she might only be a size four anymore. Given how tall she was, she simply looked thin. And paler than normal too…

"The children should be home soon. You need to rest," Carlisle told her. It didn't take a mind reader to know exactly what Elizabeth would say next.

"Ah need to get out of this house, Carlisle," she fumed. Slowly, I watched as Gabriel turned his wife in his arms. It was only one look in his face that caused Elizabeth to calm down immediately. Reduced to frustrated tears and clinging to her husband, Gabriel moved her over to the couch where I was sitting. Elizabeth didn't argue anymore when Gabriel picked her up and placed her in his lap. She curled up as best as the poor woman could and whimpered into his shoulder. At least this time it was out of frustration and not out of pain. Last night had been horrible. Elizabeth tried to hide it from all of us but the tear stains were still present when she came back into the room.

Emmett had been playing with the dog. Not the werewolves but the real dog, that Miss Ginsie; Elizabeth's pet. He came around the corner and must have scared the pup because she started to bark. Elizabeth had been sleeping on the couch but the barking woke her up…and startled the baby. The baby punched her, hard, right in the ribs. It didn't break the bone, thank goodness, but it certainly made Carlisle wary. Poor Emmett felt horrible even without Rosalie yelling at him later for it or Carlisle's new rule; no more moving too quickly or loud noises. No one wanted Elizabeth to be hurt.

It took three minutes for Elizabeth's frustrated tears to fully stop. Based on what I've seen of humans when they get that angry, I'd think she'd cry a bit more. Oh well, when it comes to a pregnant woman, who knows? Hearing the doorbell, I got up to answer it. It was probably just the wolves having fun again. They had been playing with us a couple of days ago to see if any of the vampires could catch them prior to the wolves changing their forms and heading into the woods. It was totally juvenile but it was fun. Despite what the wolves did to Laurent –okay, so he did try to attack Edward's mate- they were pretty sweet kids. If you could get past the smell. And the stupidity in Jacob's case.

It wasn't one of the wolves. It was Charlie. He had been coming by to check up on "things" as he put it every day. At first, Carlisle was reluctant to let him see Elizabeth but well, Elizabeth threw a fit when she found out Charlie had asked about her and Carlisle lied, saying she was out. The poor guy, when he saw Elizabeth's obviously swollen belly, none of us were sure what would happen. He got quiet and looked at her like he wasn't sure what to do or say or like she might need help. Instead, he only asked her if she was okay and if she was happy. Elizabeth answered yes to both and, since then, Charlie had lightened up a bit.

"Hi Charlie," I greeted the chief of police. He gave a gruff sound that I think was a hello and nodded. Giggling, I turned and lead him into the living room where Elizabeth was still curled up on Gabriel's lap. Her eyes were closed so I whispered at what I'm pretty sure was a good human volume, "She's asleep right now but you can check on her."

Charlie nodded again and walked over to the sleeping woman and her over-protective vampire husband. You know, I think I heard a joke about this once. A police officer, a vampire, and a pregnant woman walk into a bar…

I decided to leave the three of them in peace. Gabriel wasn't about to leave his wife and Charlie wasn't going to hurt her anyway. Tanya was out with the rest of the crew. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme went to pick up Edward and Bella while Alice, Jasper, and my dear sister were out looking for animals that Elizabeth and Bella might like. I think the wolves, although disgusted by the idea, were helping. Pregnant women and their cravings, who's going to stop them?

Irina was upstairs being guarded by Quil currently. The boy was explaining about imprinting. His imprint was a two year old girl that loved the beach apparently. I'm sure my sister was enjoying listening to the various types of sandcastles the little girl had made with about all the enthusiasm of a deflating balloon. Serves her right though. Irina should have known a lot better than to even think of going after the creatures that were under our cousins' protection. And to jump at Elizabeth? And Gabriel? Tanya and I were still hurt by Edward's comments at the trial that day but I understood. Elizabeth was his cousin; his true cousin. If anyone tried to take out Tanya or Irina without good reason….

Well, it solved itself. We were here and I can't say it wasn't amusing. A little annoyance for the next twenty years was far better than loosing another member of our coven… It's been eight hundred and sixty five years since our mother was taken…

I climbed the stairs and smiled and I heard the rough sounding voice of the teenage werewolf discussing all the joys of Dora the Explorer. Irina's hair was already shorter but I wouldn't be surprised if she was bald by now from pulling the rest of it out.

"Oh, thank goodness," Irina breathed upon seeing me. I smiled at my sister warmly. She always was the most flighty of us. To have to endure the rambling of a teenager who adored his imprint and happened to be a werewolf was probably sheer torture for her. She had no escape and no recourse. We all had to fight for her to even get this…

"Heil, sestra," I called to her. It was the greeting from our mother tongue, now pretty much extinct. What little was still spoken in any shape was destroyed when the Soviets took over. We ran then straight into Alaska and never looked back. Even when the wall fell and the Soviets were said to have left. Well, it's only been twenty years and you never know when such blatant evil as the communists would raise it's ugly head again. The world always has it's problems but we were in a safe place now. Well, assuming Irina doesn't screw it up.

"Heil," she muttered. "Will Carlisle not let Elizabeth leave? Is she truly that ill?" Irina asked. Her voice sounded concerned but I knew better. I loved my sister, really I did, but she had been such a nitwit lately.

"You can't go downstairs yet. She's still down there and she's sleeping. Do you really want to get into another fight with Gabriel?" I asked her. Irina's eyes narrowed at my own.

"You didn't answer my question, sister," she shot back at me. I shrugged and patted the werewolf on the arm. He could leave for a bit if he wanted to.

"I think there is still some food downstairs if you are hungry. I'll make sure Irina doesn't go anywhere," I told him. He looked conflicted before nodding and glaring at Irina. My sister had the good sense to look down.

"Yes, she's sick," I explained. Irina bit her lip as I spoke and the werewolf left to go get whatever such creatures eat. "The baby is like us so it's feeding off of her if we don't get blood into her quickly enough," I explained. It was clear what was happening. Carlisle wanted her so badly to try human blood instead and that was saying something. She must really be in poor shape if he wants her to suck down her own kind….

"Is this what he wants?" Irina asked quietly. I rolled my eyes.

"You aren't going on again about _that_ are you?" I asked. I didn't expect an answer. Irina thought the reason she lost Laurent, the reason Gabriel left her was because she was a vampire. Yes, because an obsession with a human like this is anywhere close to normal. Laurent left of his own accord. So did Gabriel. Just because the former player happened to mate with a human rather than a fellow vampire is hardly reason for self doubt. Yes, we can't have children but neither can any other female vampires! I don't see anyone having any problems with keeping their mates once they find them. Just because none of us had found ours yet really didn't make me think something was wrong –it's not like I would ever get any older or anything like that- just that we hadn't met them yet.

Irina shrugged. I was about to growl at her again when I heard the car door shut out front. Edward, Bella, and the rest of the crew were home. With Bella's father still here it should get interesting quickly. Quil came back up with something that smelled like burnt meat. Oh, a hamburger. I guess that's what it was.

"You okay with her for a while yet?" I asked the boy. Irina glared at the back of my head as I smiled and went to hop down the stairs. Let her be mad. It might do her some good to think about things a bit more.

Quil nodded and I went as quickly as I could with the human who knows but doesn't know around. No reason to scare the police chief too much. I smiled at him and Charlie looked confused until Carlisle came down too to open the front door.

It was a mad house of greetings despite the quite sounds. No one wanted to wake Elizabeth up yet since she just fell asleep. The real reason was probably no one wanted to deal with a grumpy Lizzie and an outraged Gabriel. He always did have a fierce personality.

"Hi, Dad," Bella greeted her father, blushing. We all knew. She was about a week behind Elizabeth in her pregnancy. Edward called earlier with the good news. Figures he'd get her on the first try. As my images probably got a bit too crude, Edward grumbled a "do you mind?" to me from somewhere behind me. Oprostite.

"How is she?" Edward asked his father as I turned to see everyone. Esme had already flitted over to the couch and sat next to Gabriel, brushing the hair back from Elizabeth's face as she slept.

Carlisle didn't answer aloud but Edward's face was rather fierce. He looked from Carlisle, to Elizabeth, and then worriedly at Bella. Carlisle only placed a hand on Edward's shoulder and a reassuring smile.

"I'm glad you're back, Bells," Charlie stated to his daughter. The man didn't speak much but you knew who he loved and liked through his actions. His daughter was everything to that man. Well, that and his job.

"Umm, yeah, Dad. For now," Bella muttered out. I went to join the sleeping girl group and give Bella and Charlie some semblance of privacy. Edward walked over to, and looked down at his cousin with an odd expression.

"…a few minutes ago. I am sure she will awaken in another hour or two," Gabriel stated to Esme in a voice too soft to wake his wife. The sweet woman nodded and kissed the human woman, the one she called her sister, on the forehead before sitting back down.

"Speak again," Edward told Gabriel after a couple of seconds. Gabriel looked at Edward curiously but didn't seem to take offense.

"On what?" the elder vampire asked.

"It doesn't matter. Any subject will do," Edward said, looking at Elizabeth's swollen belly.

"What reasoning do you have behind this, Edward? I do not wish to wake my wife," Gabriel told him a bit more seriously.

Edward's eyes went from narrowing in on Elizabeth's belly to wide with surprise. He looked to see Charlie still at the door talking to Bella. The police chief wasn't paying attention to us if that's what he was worried about.

"It's almost like…an echo but the tenors are different," Edward whispered.

"Tenors?" Esme asked. What did he mean tenors? He could hear the baby already?

Edward nodded. I'm not sure if it was to me or to all of us. "Tenor_s_. There are…two. They were repeating your voice in their heads. One is comparing it to Elizabeth's voice," he said in awe. I don't think anyone's jaw was connected to their skull anymore.

It made sense though. Why Elizabeth was so much bigger than anyone thought she should be; why her skin was having trouble keeping up with the growth rate; why she needed so much more blood than even some newborns I've heard of; why, even with that, she looked like she was thinning; twins. The little human girl was carrying vampire twins.

"Gemelli," Gabriel breathed. Twins in Italian. I felt so sorry for him as he squeezed his wife a bit tighter to him, trying not to hurt her at the same time. One vampire hybrid in there was enough to deal with. The stories everyone had uncovered and what Elizabeth had told us indicated that she'd have to be changed the second the baby was born. But with twins? Could she and the babies survive? I hoped so. Our family didn't need anymore loss…

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**Author's Note:** So umm…a couple of you suspected this or knew this was coming. Those two can join me in the bunker. The rest? Um...please just review. Even if you don't like it? The bunker can totally take it. I think.


	77. BIII Cxvii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own a truck, fabric, and Miss Ginsie. :-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** Squee! Thank you for all the reviews! I'm really excited to see how many new people are also reviewing now. I guess y'all really do like the story. :-) This chapter is, hopefully, a bit suspenseful.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 17

Gabriel and Edward would not leave their wives sides anymore. Whereas Gabriel had been going outside to at least catch his wife some sort of carnivore for her lunch, that changed once Edward said twins. Gabriel hadn't left Elizabeth's side. Actually, he hadn't put her down since then really. Gabriel carried Elizabeth wherever she wanted to go or held her close to him. She had complained at first but Gabriel must have said something because she just sighed now.

Edward just wouldn't leave Bella's side either. If Edward did leave Bella's side, it was only get more blood for her to drink. Even then, Rosalie or Esme were sitting in for him. The fear in both of the soon to be fathers' eyes was visible and it was driving poor Jasper crazy.

Jasper joined Carlisle's crew in the 1950's along with his wife, Alice. Alice was a strange one but fun to have around. Jasper seemed to want to be part of the background. One was a total extrovert and the other was an introvert. One was tall and one was short. Dark hair and light hair. They were opposites in almost every way but I don't think anyone would be blind enough to see that they didn't completely love each other. So, because Jasper really couldn't take the emotional climate and because Alice was getting headaches from being around Elizabeth and Bella, the couple kept their distance from the pregnant women. I suppose it was for the best.

Saturday night, Gabriel told his wife the truth. Elizabeth was carrying twins. We were all worried about her reaction but Jasper stayed down with us to keep us all calm. I was just surprised by her reaction. It was almost joyful. Although Gabriel had taken Elizabeth downstairs to their apartment by that point, he left the door open so that he wouldn't have to leave her side if anything should go wrong. We would hear and be able to help. Despite that, it was still hard to hear him through wide open door. Really, why my cousins thought a panic room was a good idea seemed ridiculous to me.

"Amore, are you truly awake?" Gabriel asked her gently. Gently and Gabriel never seemed to go together in my mind. It was just odd to hear him not be his crass, cocky self.

"No, g'way," we all heard Elizabeth grumble. She was awake. However something in Gabriel's expression or maybe his lack of response must have tipped the woman off because her voice suddenly got stronger. "What is it?" she asked quickly. As if she could do anything about any problems in her condition. She was human too. What five humans could do, one vampire could take care of instantly.

Silence. That was all we could hear for the next whole minute. It was clear who was listening and who wasn't. Well, I'm sure Edward was listening, just not with his ears. Carlisle sat on the edge of the couch, reading that same journal again –or pretending to read it at least. Esme was at his side, biting her lip as she listened in.

"Oh for God's sake, Gabe, just tell me already!" Elizabeth shouted. I could just make out the intact of breath after her vocal berating of her husband. More silence.

"Mi dispiace, tesorina," Gabriel said. At least, I think that was an apology. His voice was so soft I could hardly hear him!

"Just tell me," Elizabeth said softly back. I really have to talk to Carlisle regarding sound proof rooms. Other than Emmett and Rosalie, what was the point?

"We think that…" Gabriel started. He must have thought better of it and just stated, "twins."

It was silent again for a half a minute while we all waited from Elizabeth's response. I looked over at emo-boy, Jasper, but saw nothing unusual. He didn't seem to be any more stressed than he had been already. What was surprising was that I think I was Edward's mouth twitch into a smile.

Elizabeth must have said something, but I couldn't hear it. All I could hear was Gabriel's response. "Si, they are growing too fast for…" he started but Elizabeth interrupted.

"Oh, I just ordered the crib! It won't be big enough. Do you think we should get another or just send the one I got back and get a bigger one?" she asked. I blinked. The little human woman wasn't worried? She wasn't terrified? Didn't she know that one looked to be dangerous; carrying two would be… As much as Gabriel has changed, he really would never be the same if he lost his mate. No one ever was in the few cases I had seen.

Apparently she wasn't scared at all. When Carlisle later pointed the dangers, she became defensive. She refused to speak to him for the rest of the day, not wanting anyone to "take her babies" from her. Carlisle promised he wouldn't until it became absolutely necessary but still, Gabriel's mate wasn't going to be swayed that easily.

Edward's mate, Bella, watched all of this with wide, curious brown eyes. I would hear her whisper things to Edward once in a while. Most of it was just making sure that nothing like that would happen to her and her own reassurances that she was fine. For the first few days that Bella and Edward were back in their home, Bella could walk around easily. It wasn't until yesterday, Wednesday, that her stomach started to swell a bit beneath her clothing and the baby was kicking her.

Edward would lean over and whisper against Bella's belly. I was amazed that the baby seemed to listen to him –to a degree- already. everytime he or Bella spoke, Bella would comment that the baby would make some movement or stop making some movement. Maybe it was just the sound of his voice. The baby probably already knew the sounds of her parents' voices and it calmed her. Or it could be Jasper.

It was my turn, along with Carmen and Eleazar's, to go out and bring back some animal blood for the two pregnant women. I laughed when Gabriel and Edward argued over whether or not to leave their wives to get them what they were craving. Bella was being practical; she'd drink the human donated blood that Carlisle had stored up in his make shift medical room. Gabriel wasn't so lucky with Elizabeth, although I guess she was being practical in her own way. It probably would be easier on her, at least, if she never tasted human blood to begin with. I remember how hard it was to stop and go cold turkey.

Eleazar volunteered us to go catch something for the two girls. Gabriel insisted on only bring back predator blood for his wife. Elizabeth glared at him and said anything would do. It was still odd to watch her continue to grow so quickly….

I had caught the scent of an elk, deer, and way too many other smaller creatures but no predators. I think Elizabeth will just have to do with an elk. Not that she'd mind much but Gabriel might. Oh well, I've dealt with him before. Although dealing with a heartbreaker is much different from dealing with an over-protective husband. I'm still not sure how to deal with the latter. The former just needs someone that is more flirtatious than himself.

Carmen was ahead of me, speaking in her native Spanish to her mate. They seemed to be tracking the elk too. Good, it was big enough to fill the jugs we brought. Between the two women at home, we needed gallons and not just the liters that Carlisle had in stock. It's a good thing there are so many older vampires around them. Anyone only a couple decades old would be having far more serious issues that either Jasper or Gabriel were. Although Gabriel didn't seem to be having nearly the troubles Jasper was. I wonder why…

"No quiero tocarla," Eleazar stated. I translated quickly in my head: "I don't want you touching her." That caught my interest. Exactly who was he speaking about.

"Incluso si es similar, la niña es inofensivo," Carmen responded. The child? The must be talking about one of the two human women but I hadn't seen either of them act in anyway that would make Eleazar afraid of them. Unless he still believed that whole vampire slayer thing. We all had a good laugh over that once Carlisle relayed exactly how Jane died. Da, you shouldn't laugh about someone getting destroyed like that but a can of hairspray and a lighter? I'm surprised the girl didn't get hurt!

"You are still worried over Carlisle's little slayer? She can hardly sit up anymore," I teased as I joined them. Carmen squeezed my arm in greeting and Eleazar smiled at me.

"I am not worried about the child in those terms," Eleazar explained. His face turned serious. We continued to walk at our own pace towards the elk as he spoke next. "It is her ability that has me concerned," he continued. Her ability? I think Gabriel mentioned something about his wife and ghosts but I thought he was just talking about her obsession with the paranormal.

"Pojasnite," I sort of more demanded than asked. Despite that we've all lost our accents by now, my mother's tongue still slips out now and again.

"Edward's mate, this Bella, is a shield. A quite powerful one if my guess is correct," he started. Eleazar furrowed his brow a bit, looking straight ahead. "Aro sent me around the world looking for one such as her."

Shaking his head, he continued. "But Gabriel's Elizabeth, her abilities… they seem to be similar to that of Aro's himself," he said almost angrily. I think I hissed. Yes, I probably did. To have another vampire out there that could rape your mind with a simple touch…. Not that I thought Elizabeth would be that cruel but I had seen Aro do that to criminals. To determine the innocent among the guilty…like he had with my sisters and myself. We had no choice….

"Similar? ¿Comó?" Carmen asked as we slowed. The elk was close.

"I don't think she reads the mind, exactly. And she can extend it beyond herself a bit already. I'm not even sure if she," he started but quickly stopped. I smelled it too. Two, no three, of our kind. Immediately, I went into a crouch, ready to defend ourselves if necessary. I hoped it wouldn't be, of course, but you never knew. The three that were coming from the northeastern direction weren't ones I recognized.

"Kate," Eleazar said to me in a whisper. His tone meant he recognized at least one of the scents. I stood up a bit more but I wasn't about to back down. We had two pregnant women with vampire hybrids at our cousins' house and a bunch of werewolves. Most vampires probably wouldn't take that in stride.

The three stood out on the green woods of Forks as they came nearer to us. They all wore gray and it took me a moment to realize it was gray cloaks. The Guard. But why would the Guard be interested in Forks right now? Did they already know? Was this some sort of scouting party?

"Salve," Eleazar greeted them. The shorter of the two came forward and pushed back his hood. By his features, I think this one was the tracker, Demetri, for the Volturi.

"Salve, Eleazar, Carmen," this Demetri stated with a smile. If he was here for a scouting mission, he certainly didn't look like it.

"This is Kate. She, along with her sisters, live with us in Alaska," Eleazar introduced me. I bowed my head slightly. It was probably better not to make the guard upset right away. After all, they were the good guys –destroying the criminals that might make my very existence impossible. It doesn't matter that my mother was one of those criminals….

"Salve," Demetri greeted me as the other two pulled back their hoods. The tallest of them all, another brown haired vampire, winked at me. Ah, that type, eh? I can very much deal with him later. Or maybe Tanya would like to take a try.

"Are you on some sort of…expedition?" Demetri asked. I wondered what he was starting at and realized we were all still holding the jugs we had brought with us to fill up for Elizabeth and Bella.

"A science experiment, if you will," Eleazar smiled easily. Or preparing for a labor day party. That was coming up soon not that we tended to have barbeques or anything like that. Maybe it was still a good couple of weeks away but would the Guard even know that?

"Ah, interesting," Demetri said, instantly uninterested but politely paying attention too. "I take it you are here visiting the Olympic Coven?" he said with an easy smile. The tallest one smirked while the third still looked like how I remembered the entire guard looking all those years ago; the coldest of the cold.

"Yes, Carlisle's clan is very dear to us," Eleazar told him. I really hope there was a warning in that. Of course, we would all defend our cousins to our dying breath, so to speak, after seeing everything that has transpired. For Irina to do that to them…

"Then you have met their uh, newest additions?" Demetri asked. My eyes narrowed. They already knew? This was a scouting party or was this something completely different?

"Yes, we have met Gabriel previous and I take it you met Elizabeth?" Eleazar replied. Oh yes, that would be the newest additions. There was nothing too sensational, I thought, in mentioning either. It was the other newest additions that I was worried about even though they hadn't been born yet. I don't think there is a vampire on the west coast that doesn't know about the slayer.

"You mean that fa..," the tallest one started but a look from both of the others quickly silenced him. I guess that means he's either the newest recruit to the guard or simply the weakest link in some way.

"Yes, we have been introduced to the sabbatianoi on many occasions. We were just heading to the coven's home to see them again. We are in town, for a couple of days after clearing up a mess down south again," Demetri explained. I think I shuddered a bit. The southerners were notorious for their violence and indiscriminate choices. They killed their own kind and humans as if we were all nothing more than animals for the slaughter. There was no life in their ways.

"I am afraid Elizabeth is indisposed at the moment. I'm sure that another time," Eleazar started but it was the tallest one that spoke up.

"Did someone actually hurt her?" he asked. I couldn't figure out if he was angry or excited or both. What was the relationship between Gabriel, Elizabeth, and the Guard anyway.

"Not exactly," Eleazar stated.

"She is ill and not up to having many visitors," I spoke quickly. It sounded probable enough. I think. I probably should pay closer attention to human women in the future.

"Did Gabriel finally bite her?" Felix smirked. Since none of us responded quickly Demetri's eyes narrowed.

"No, he didn't," Demetri stated. He looked at his two companions and then towards the Cullen house. I looked to Eleazar and Carmen and we all knew that no amount of talking would stop them.

"Venite!" Demetri shouted at the two men behind him. As the turned to leave, I looked at Eleazar and Carmen. I was the fastest of us three. We had to warn our cousins. I dropped my jugs and looked at my family.

"Get the blood," I said as quickly as possible before dashing off. I ran as quickly as I could. I just hoped the Volturi Guard would try to stick as a synchronized unit and none of them would run any quicker than the others. I might have a chance then of giving the cousins maybe a second or two. It would be long enough to hide Bella and Elizabeth downstairs or something. We didn't need this kind of trouble and certainly not right now.

It took me a minute and a half to get to within three miles of the house. We had been pretty far up in the mountain range hunting for any predators when we came across the Guard. Not quite the type of predator I had been looking for but I suppose they were a type. I'd much prefer the fox or bears were had been looking for. Not that that tall one wasn't cute but he wasn't on our side either right now.

_Edward, please, hide Bella and Elizabeth. The Guard is coming!_ I pleaded in my head. I just hoped my cousin would hear me. I started to play the confrontation in the woods over again in my head so he'd know exactly what to expect.

As I ran up to the old white home, it was Emmett that opened the door for me. I looked up at him and his face looked appropriately worried. He also was holding Elizabeth's dog in his arms. "The Guard will be here in another few seconds," I hissed at everyone in the room. I noticed no one moved much and everyone looked depressed. I also noticed that the pregnant women and their mates weren't to be seen and neither was Carlisle. Was this all part of the act for when the Guard arrived?

I spun as I heard Rosalie about to say something but the doorbell already rung. Alice answered it. I didn't think Alice would be back yet since she had been hanging out on the reservation a bit more. The wolves didn't seem to mind her there although they were wary of Jasper. I guess Alice did _look_ harmless.

"Hello, Demetri," Alice said with a smile. She danced out of the way, Jasper right behind her, to let the rest of the Guard in.

"Alice," he said politely before looking at me. "We heard that Elizabeth was ill. I was hoping to see her," Demetri stated. I could just make a hiss out from upstairs. I think it was Gabriel. Why would he be up there though if Irina was up there? "Of course, only if that would be alright," he continued.

"I'm afraid she isn't up for visitors right now, Demetri," Carlisle said as he came down the stairs. His face looked older, lines of worry etched on it. Did something happen while I was away? I just hoped that nothing happened to either of the pregnant women. Our family wouldn't be able to take it.

Demetri made like he was about to answer when a short gasp and a hiss erupted upstairs. It sounded like someone swallowing a scream. Carlisle, myself, and Demetri ran up the stairs. Jasper and Alice tried to block the other two but only succeeded in blocking the moor. Carlisle ran into his office and Demetri stopped short at the doorway. I slid in and around the Guard, ready to protect myself or my cousins from him if necessary. Mentally, I geared myself up to use my ability –to shock Demetri- but I didn't prepare for what I saw.

Elizabeth was laying down on a hospital bed at an incline. Her face didn't have any color left to it at all. I looked tan compared to the sheet white girl. She clutched her eyes closed tight and I couldn't hear her breathing. Gabriel was at her side, fretting really, while Carlisle was at her other side, grabbing the x-ray machine and preparing it. The machine wouldn't harm us at all so neither Demetri or I moved.

In the past hour since I had last seen her, she had taken a turn for the worse. She had been lying down on the sofa downstairs, using Gabriel as a pillow. That wasn't the case anymore. I just hoped Bella was okay wherever Edward hid her.

As Carlisle took the picture, Elizabeth still refusing to breathe despite her husband's demands, I realized that Demetri wasn't breathing either. Actually, both he and the tall one were standing perfectly vampire still in the doorway. A human not breathing was a bad thing; a vampire not breathing either meant they were trying not to kill you or they were in shock. By the focus on Elizabeth's very swollen stomach, I could guess which one they were.

The tall one held up his hand, looking like he was counting his fingers. He kept the repetitive motion over and over and just looked more confused each time. Demetri took a step closer in the room earning a hiss from me and a full blown snarl from Gabriel. Elizabeth sucked in a slight breath. "No, Gabe. Jus' curious," she breathed. "Right?" she asked, turning her bright green eyes to Demetri. I realized why her voice sounded off. She was trying not to breathe…

Demetri nodded and looked from Elizabeth's swollen abdomen to Carlisle and then back. When he reached the foot of the bed, Gabriel actually growling lowly at the tracker, he looked to Elizabeth. "How?" he asked. With that simple question there were a ton of answers. If the situation was not so serious, I might have laughed at the look Elizabeth gave him. Even in pain, she could glare.

"We have discovered that male vampires can father children," Carlisle said quietly as he developed the x-rays. It was only when Gabriel picked up his wife's hand that I even noticed the IV in it. How could she turn that badly that quickly?

Demetri took a step back, hissing and the tall one charged into the room. Immediately, I stepped in front of the tall one, ready to strike him if necessary. I could just make out Gabriel standing before Demetri, ready to attack. "An immortal child! You know the rules!" Demetri screeched.

"Not one of…them," Elizabeth huffed out. Her breaths were shallow and very labored. I'm guessing the twins might have actually broken the rib this time. I saw some movement behind me; Carlisle moving to Elizabeth's side, a hand on her shoulder.

"The children grow," Carlisle started. I noticed Demetri relaxing slightly. Maybe they would be willing to listen? "At a phenomenal rate," my cousin continued.

"Children?" Demetri asked, casting an eye away from Gabriel and towards Carlisle. Carlisle only nodded as Elizabeth sucked in another breath. It was enough to distract Gabriel too. As Gabriel rushed to his wife's side, Demetri stayed planted but the big one didn't. He tried to march past me so I quickly grabbed him by the shoulder. Before he could respond, the big one fell to the floor.

"Kate," I heard the human woman try to yell at me. I did happen to notice Demetri simply shrug.

"Serves Felix right, Elizabeth. He needs to learn to think first then act," Demetri said before turning to me. "Although, I would appreciate it if you let him up, please. I promise to keep him check," the tracker asked me. I let go and it took Felix a couple of seconds to shake off the shock of the fire running through his veins. He mumbled something about stupid mind witches but I ignored it. At least he'd think twice about attacking now.

"The children are yours then, Gabriel?" Demetri asked. The once proud man was completely humble next to his wife's bed. He only nodded once, as if in agony himself. It was a very slight movement but I think Elizabeth tried to squeeze his hand. Even in all this pain she was clearly in, she was worried about her mate?

"I see," Demetri said. He paused before turning to Carlisle. "I have never heard of such a thing before but then again Elizabeth is the first …slayer I have met as well," he said before turning to Felix. The moor had joined in too with Jasper right next to him. I think my southern cousin might be influencing the mood just a tad. "If the children grow, then they are not like the ones of old," he said.

The ones of old. Like the one my mother created. I had no knowledge of him. The sweet looking cherub face burning in those flames as my mother cradled him in her arms, still singing the lullaby….

"There are four such children in the Amazon, we believe," Jasper said roughly. By the look in his eyes, I don't think he had actually seen his Aunt today. "We know they reach maturity at six or seven years and they are more like us at that point," he explained.

"And before that point?" Demetri asked at large.

"More…human," Elizabeth breathed.

"Tesorina, don't speak," Gabriel pleaded with her. All eyes turned to the couple. Elizabeth tried to blush, I think, because her face looked a bit more like her normal alabaster than the color of the sheets that surrounded her.

"Then…get Edward..up," she said to her husband with her typical glare. It was refreshing in a way to see that despite how sick she was, she was still the defiant human woman.

"The ribs aren't broken," Carlisle said. His expression looked relieved before turning back around to Elizabeth. "Still, it would be better," he started. Elizabeth interrupted him with an angry wave of the hand. She held up five fingers. I guess this was from an earlier argument?

Gabriel groaned and Demetri looked at the odd fight going on. "If you all would, please, it's probably better for Elizabeth to get some rest. The twins were a bit too active today," Jasper said, his own Texan accent coming through.

"Yes, of course," Demetri stated. Like a commander, he waved Felix and the moor outside of the room before turning back to Carlisle, Elizabeth, and Gabriel. "I would like to speak with you more, Carlisle, if you don't mind," the leader of the Guard told him. Carlisle nodded, casting wary eyes to Elizabeth. He held up only his index finger in return as we left. Being the last to leave, I saw Elizabeth hold up four fingers in return. Whatever the argument was over, they were trying to work out a compromise.

Going down the stairs, I noticed Edward and Bella were back in the living room. It had been two weeks since the wedding so Bella wasn't showing yet with her sweatshirt on. I'm guessing the Guard must have already known about Bella because none of them looked the slightest bit surprised.

Flipping through the channels on the TV, Edward quirked his head to the side and looked at Felix. "Hardly…" he muttered before wrapping his arm back around Bella. Bella was curled up beneath a blanket next to him. You couldn't see anything, thank goodness.

"Must be the animal blood…" Felix muttered, shaking his head. I think I saw a twinge of a smile form on Edward's lips. For now, whatever Felix was thinking, I suppose animal blood was as good an excuse as any. At least he could pass it off as nothing more than a quirk. I wish that's all this was.

"The jugs?" Demetri asked, turning to me. His eyes told me he was trying to figure something out.

"For Elizabeth," I started to explain. The three members of the Guard looked to be in various expressions of confused and curious.

"The babies are half vampire half human," Edward started for me. His expression was hard as he looked at the TV. "They require blood."

Bella looked up at him with her expressive brown eyes. Edward only squeezed her closer. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Bella was also pregnant. Apparently, the Guard figured it out too. Well, at least Demetri and the moor. The moor's expression hardened, his eyes narrowed. Demetri only looked thoughtful.

"We need to tell Aro about this," the moor demanded. Edward, Alice, and Rosalie all hissed. I growled. Looking around the room, the moor seemed affected by this but Demetri and Felix weren't. Felix just opened his palm to Edward and flexed his fingers; an invitation to fight him.

"What crime has been committed, Santiago? The children grow. You know at the very least Aro will be curious. If the coven is kind enough, I believe we should stay and watch this for ourselves before reporting anything, if anything, back," Demetri told him.

"We do not know that, Demetri. It could be a trick," Santiago continued.

Demetri raised an eyebrow. "Even Felix was trying to count. You saw the sabbatianoi not two months ago and she was not pregnant then. How else do you explain her swollen abdomen?" he asked. Santiago grimaced but said no more.

"We, of course, will try to make accommodations for you here," Esme stated. She had just come up from the basement. Perhaps that's were we are keeping my sister for now? Irina would probably be happier down there than in the attic right now. And what about the wolves?

"It will not be necessary, Esme. But thank you the same," Demetri stated. "We will stay nearby and I suppose one of us, at least, will come by to check on any progress," he continued.

"If you don't mind, we would prefer that you don't hunt nearby. Given our permanent residence here," Esme tried to state. She wringed the small cloth she had in her hands as she said so.

"Of course, we will stay off the peninsula, We are very well acquainted with such rules," Demetri said with a small smile. All heads turned when we heard someone from outside. I was worried it was the wolves until I heard Eleazar's voice. Eleazar and Carmen were back, and they had twenty jugs full of elk blood. Maybe that will help.

What didn't help was Bella looking at it longingly. Edward sighed. The last bit of hope that they wouldn't notice Bella was pregnant was gone. "Her as well?" Santiago asked angrily. Felix just laughed. The big tall vampire laughed. Well, finding this amusing was better than most reactions he could have.

Edward only nodded stiffly at Santiago before helping Eleazar and Carmen with the jugs. As Edward got up, Esme joined Bella on the sofa. "He'll be right back, dear," she whispered to her daughter in law.

"We will go. Either I or Felix will return tomorrow," Demetri stated. Esme nodded and Emmett and I went to the door to show the Guard out. I only hoped that Santiago wasn't the loose cannon he appeared to be. We didn't need him taking matters into his own hands like my sister did with the wolves. The Volturi would kill us all without a second thought.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, the guard knows…or at least, part of the guard. Demetri's pretty level headed about it and Felix thinks they are all crazy. But what about Santiago? And what was Carlisle and Elizabeth's non-verbal argument about? Tune in next time on "As the Vampire Bites"…. I so should not watch movies over at Mom & Dad's anymore. I wanted to watch Mega Shark versus Giant Octopus but noooo…. Review?


	78. BIII Cxviii

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I have today off of work! Woohoo!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** This starts off a little bit fluffy and becomes more serious quickly. The whole vampire hybrid being carried by a human thing is not a pretty picture at all...

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 18

It had been two weeks since the wedding. Whereas Elizabeth was starting her third trimester, Bella was starting her second. Both soon to be fathers, as well as the grandfather, grandmother, and various Aunts and Uncles, were all worried. Bella was just starting to show through her clothing. The small lump had turned into a gentle swell. Still, she could easily get up and walk around –and away from- Edward. It would be another week, according to Carlisle, before she would have to be on bed rest.

Elizabeth wasn't allowed from the medical room. Despite the IV in her and the near constant supply of blood, her condition wasn't improving much. Of course, it wouldn't improve until the twins were delivered and she was changed. For now, all Carlisle could do is keep her stable. One baby was hard enough on a human mother; two would kill her if something didn't happen soon.

Edward refused to leave Bella's side much. Bella didn't seem to mind in the least that Edward was following her every footstep. For whatever reason, the two of them were spending a lot of time up in the make shift medical room visiting with Elizabeth and Gabriel. I wasn't sure if it was because Edward wanted to be near his blood cousin in what may possibly be her final days or if Bella wanted to be near her too –too see what she will be going through herself soon. Whatever the reason, and I'm sure there were many, they stayed up there a bit.

I tried to stay out of the way of the pregnant women. I remembered enough from my time of what it was like to be around them. Yes, this was different, but I still thought the entire situation was best to be avoided. So I played guard for Irina, a lot, over the past couple of days. She was being kept in Elizabeth and Gabriel's apartment in the basement.

"Oh dear," I heard Esme say from one of the back rooms. I wasn't quite sure what was beyond the sewing room and it didn't smell like Gabriel or Elizabeth ventured much beyond that point.

"Esme?" I called, putting down my hand of cards. Irina looked at me with a questioning eyebrow. "Don't cheat," I whispered before heading down the hallway. We were playing with Seth right now. He seemed rather at ease with us. When I found out that Edward and Seth were friends and how worried Seth was over both Bella and Elizabeth, well, it was hard not to like the kid back.

"It's the paint. They mixed the color wrong," she said with a sigh. I looked at the woman wearing her overalls and a piece of fabric tied in her hair to keep it up right. It wasn't like she would really get any paint on her but I suppose the outfit did work better than wearing a skirt and high heels. Not that it would matter either way.

The room was small in comparison to the rest of the house. I suppose it was one of the storage rooms just recently cleared out. I could smell the pine and sawdust of the new wooden floors in the air still. Half the room had the white primer and the other half was a minty green. The can on the floor was more of a seagrass. I could instantly see what Esme was worried over.

"Do you want me or one of the boys to run out and get another can? I'm sure that the color can't be that hard to find," I told her. Caramel waves tossled about her head and she shook it.

"No, I'll go out later. I need a few more things for the babies' room," she told me with a smile.

"Pre za kinders?" I asked. I realized what language I had spoken, given that I was distracted looking about the room, but Esme replied anyway.

"Yes, I just hope Elizabeth will like it. She mentioned that she wanted everything in a mint green," Esme said as she took her own critical eye to the room.

"I doubt that girl would dislike anything you did for her," I pointed out. In truth, I wasn't even sure the girl would make it long enough for her likes or dislikes to be known.

Yesterday, she had gotten into some fight with Gabriel. It devastated Gabriel, whatever the argument was about. Elizabeth refused to even look at her husband for an entire hour. It wasn't until Carlisle intervened that anyone understood what had taken place. The human woman wrote up her will and demanded that Gabriel honor it. She was preparing to die.

Esme was about to say something else when Emmett came into the room, Rosalie behind him. "Mom! Kate! You've got to come upstairs too!" he said excitedly. I didn't see Emmett get this worked up unless there was a game on the TV.

"What is going on, Emmett?" Esme asked, her voice full of concern. Emmett's grin only became bigger.

"Edward and Leah are going to race!"

It was only a minute later that both covens and packs lined the front porch. Jacob and Alice were appointed the referees for this little game. Both stood out in the driveway, discussing who would be on which end of the course. The three mile long driveway was to be the chosen racetrack.

Bella sat in between Rosalie and Emmett in one of the chairs that found its way outside very quickly. The swing was taken over by Elizabeth and Gabriel. She had a bit of color to her face today but that might be because of the water bottle she had in her hands or the IV that was hooked up to the swing. Based on the slight hint of smell from here, I think it was some more of the elk blood in the water bottle. Gabriel was cradling her in his arms, trying not to show her how much pain he was in from watching his wife deteriorate so fast.

It was Seth that took his place near Gabriel and Elizabeth. I stood over near my sisters and the rest of our family. It wouldn't really matter where anyone other than the two human girls sat. Everyone else would be able to see enough to have some idea of who was faster.

"Are you ready to watch the race?" Edward asked, his eyes not showing the almost usual worry that he had had since he had came back.

"Go team!" Bella replied rather unenthusiastically. I'm not sure how much the race the two humans could even really see. Edward smirked slightly at this wife before giving her a kiss. I guess that's what my sister always wanted, a kiss like that from Edward. He was nice about saying no to her, though. Tanya just thought Edward was cute; their lives were far too different to form any sort of lasting relationship beyond cousins. Tanya had been bothered that Edward said because he was the first man than ever had. She'd gotten over it. I think. Seeing how happy he was with Bella was helping if nothing else.

My cousin went to where Jacob, Alice, and the she-wolf were all standing. Leah, was in her wolf form, staying slightly back from little Alice. The bitch's eyes narrowed as Edward moved out on to the field. Why she agreed to this when the wolf didn't even like us -or rather, clearly loathed us, was sort of beyond me. Who's idea was it to have a race anyway?

"All are agreed upon the rules then?" Alice asked calmly to the group. Leah nodded and Edward smiled before he agreed as well.

Jacob sighed, took a step back, and waited for Alice to run off to the far end of the driveway, Leah and Edward casually running behind her. "Edward and Leah are both going to race from the far end of the drive. The 3-mile sprint will finish at the large oak here," Jacob shouted. I suppose the two human women would need to hear as well. The large oak, the Jacob pointed to, stood adjacent to the front porch. Ah, so that's why Gabriel moved the swing to face out. Elizabeth would have prime seating to see the conclusion of the race.

"Bella?" Jacob called to the human woman. She blushed but stood up and looked down the driveway towards where the two runners were.

"One," She started to count. This race would be over with in a matter of seconds. "Two," she said a bit louder. I'm sure they could hear her well enough. "Three!!" Bella shouted as loud as she could.

The sounds of paws hitting the gravel were pretty clear despite the two of them running. The zip of wind that flew around both the runners helped to indicate how many were racing. It also told me that they were neck and neck. Maybe Edward was just making Leah feel good about trying to outrun a vampire?

As they came closer, I could see that they were both running very fast. Faster than even I could run. I supposed the little wolf girl really could beat him. That would be a first.

As the two came into the human's view, Bella got up to look over the porch railing, squinting down the driveway. Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper were all around her, explaining that Leah and Edward were tied. At the same time, Elizabeth gasped slightly. All heads turned to her, briefly, but she waved us off quickly. Only Carlisle came up behind Gabriel to check on the heavily pregnant woman.

It was two seconds later that the race ended. Edward won much to the disappointment of the girl-wolf. Of course, it was only by a hair's breath, literally. "It was a good race, Leah," Edward told her, congradulatorily. He patted her on the back and I was shocked that the wolf didn't snap at him. Maybe she was getting use to us.

I saw the she-wolf look up to the porch and back to Edward. Edward gave her a small smile and shook his head. I had no idea what that was about as we all descended around the two racers to congratulate them. Well, all except for Carlisle, Gabriel, Elizabeth, and Seth. I was curious why the young wolf would stay up on the porch and not praise his sister but I thought better than to question it.

No more than ten minutes later did we all assemble back inside, back to our various pursuits. I was ready to finish the poker game but also wanted to play check up on everyone upstairs. I know Irina would ask for an update despite the fact even she was outside. I don't think anyone had told either set of soon to be parents that Irina was nailbinding three blankets for the babies. I suppose it was her way to try and show her sorrow over what she did. I didn't stop her and neither did the rest of my family. What would be the point? Make her feel worse than she already does?

When I looked through the cracked open door, it was positively Norman Rockwell inside. Elizabeth was curled up on her good side, asleep already, while Bella was asleep on the other side of the bed, curled up; both women facing each other. Behind them were their dutiful husbands. Gabriel, watching over his bride and Edward watching over his. Of course, right in the middle of the foot of the bed was the small puppy dog curled up. Ginsie popped up her head when she saw me at the door and growled lightly. Both men admonished the pup quietly and she rested her head back down, curling back up into a lazy slumber position.

"How are they?" I asked softly. Bella was starting to sleep a great deal more. I suppose by the end of the week she should be very visibly pregnant.

"Tired," Edward said with a half smile. Gabriel brushed back Elizabeth's long brown hair and kissed her cheek. She didn't stir at all.

"Two more days," the elder of the two stated. Two more days and Gabriel would have his family. He had given up his nomadic ways such as I had seen so many men in my human life do and stayed with his wife to, well, it was like a vampire would start a farm. Maybe a wildlife preserve? I was curious as to what the former nomad might do from now on. He would have children and a wife. Not exactly conducive to roaming around wherever he pleased anymore.

Of course, that was all assuming the babies and Elizabeth made it. Carlisle had bought two infant incubators that were placed to the side of the room for now. He informed us all that he wasn't sure what a normal temperature for a hybrid might be so he was concerned that no amount of precautionary measures might help. The twins, born earlier than they should be, might not make it. Elizabeth might not make it. Her body couldn't take the continued punishment of housing to creatures that were so much stronger than her, no matter what she thought.

Edward's eyes narrowed and I thought it was at my train of thought at first. I then noticed he was staring heavily at Elizabeth's belly. "Yes, they are both still here," he whispered, his voice soothing and soft; like you would speak to a child.

Gabriel looked up, questioningly to Edward. Edward gestured to Elizabeth's swollen abdomen that was covered by a flannel shirt and sheets. "One of the twins was calling for you and for Elizabeth," he explained. Calling for them? They were already that developed?

Some of the depression faded from Gabriel's eyes as he looked to his wife's belly. "Si, we are still here, miei bambini," he said softly, his fingers only grazing the fabric covering his wife and children. "You must be good though and not move much. It hurts your mother badly," he continued as if a child that small could even understand. As if the twins had any concept of the damage they were doing. Was Gabriel still holding on to every shred of hope?

"There is always hope," Edward said to me, slightly angrily. When Gabriel's eyes flashed to mine, I had to leave. The anger, the pain, and the need in them… He needed his Elizabeth or I think he might just die with her.

The next day started normally. I was helping Esme with the babies' room. It should be ready for the little ones tomorrow if all goes well. I hope it does. I had been avoiding both sets of soon to be parents since yesterday. I didn't want to see that look again, ever.

Irina had Leah as a guard today. Tanya had tried to talk to the she-wolf but quickly moved to go spend quality time with Carmen and Eleazar instead. I was keeping hidden in the mint green room surround by the smell of wet paint. It was better than wet dog and the color was brighter than the mood outside this room.

Carlisle had gone to work today and wouldn't be home until six. Everyone else was mulling about, speaking about the race yesterday, and otherwise trying to get about a normal afternoon. Well, until Demetri came to check up on Elizabeth and Bella. He left Santiago with Felix and I just hoped neither would disobey the current leader of the Guard. If either ran off to tell the Volturi about the children right now…

"Hello, Demetri," I heard Jasper say as I came up the stairs. We explained yesterday that the "stench" was from the addition in the basement. Clawing at the decaying earth to get some more room downstairs sounded like a perfectly legitimate excuse to me and did explain the smell. We were just all glad that Demetri bought it.

"Jasper," Demetri stated. "I take it Elizabeth is still being kept upstairs?" he asked. I saw Jasper nod as I turned the corner. "Bella is also up there right now," he explain.

"I'll take him up, Jasper," I offered, getting a smile from each of the men. One of gratitude from Jasper, one of something entirely different from the tracker.

I came up next to the Volturi guardsman and let him escort me up the stairs. It was a very medieval gesture but I didn't mind. I had lived through most of the middle ages and that had been interesting. I much preferred the Age of Enlightenment. The 18th century had been a heck of a lot of fun no matter where you were.

When we entered the room, Bella and Edward looked like they were just about to leave. I guess nap time was over. I think there was some fresh blood in the refrigerator downstairs for Bella and Elizabeth. Edward nodded to me and then to Demetri before the couple quickly left the office turned hospital room.

Elizabeth's condition was a bit worse than I remembered. She had two IV's in now; one bag looked clear and the other was blood. Her face was back to being white as the sheets around her and I swear I smelt something like decay in the room. The decay of human flesh, maybe? But I could hear Elizabeth's heart beating as well as that of the two hummingbirds she held inside of her.

Lying on her back, asleep again, Gabriel only slightly turned to see Demetri and myself at the door. "You have seen her," he said quietly after a minute or two. I was surprised the tracker hadn't asked anything. He just looked at the human woman lying there, her round belly sticking up like someone had placed a beach ball on top of her beneath the sheets.

Turning to us, Gabriel's eyes were fierce again. "Now get out!" he said lowly but the threat was there. I felt so horrible for the former nomad. It was clear that everything he loved was right before him, slowly dying.

"Gabriel," Demetri started to say. He must have thought better of it, with the look Gabriel was giving him, because he only sighed and shook his head. "Either I or Felix will be back by tomorrow," the guardsman stated before heading down the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel," I whispered before I turned to leave. I'm not entirely sure what happened next but I did hear the front door close. I started to take a step when I heard a gasp behind me. As I whirled around, I could see Elizabeth's bright green eyes open wide with what looked like fright.

"Elizabetta!" Gabriel shouted, quickly clearly the space around his wife. He tore the sheets off of her and exposed her rounded belly. It was disgusting and something that I had only seen in one of Carlisle's medical books. Parts of her skin were in complete necrosis –so that was the decaying smell. Parts of her skin were dead, parts of her were dead. What wasn't dead, was completely black with little shading from one side or the other. It wasn't until you got to her sides that there was any purple or even the normal alabaster flesh I was use to seeing. There were even patches of a sickly green.

Gabriel pressed his hands on her stomach. I could just make out the smell of blood and quickly held my breath to leave the ghastly scene. As Edward ran by me and I went down the stairs, I realized what had happened. The dead skin ripped, tearing some of the living skin with it. Elizabeth's body was dying before she had even left it.

I could hear the clash of metal and the various orders being shouted from upstairs. Bella looked terrified even in the space of Esme's arms. I think it was Jasper I heard on the phone, begging for Carlisle. We needed him. We couldn't wait until tomorrow. The babies were to be born today, at the equivalent of 29 weeks.

"Elizabeth will make it," Bella whispered. I hoped so. I wish I had the faith that little human girl did. But I had smelled the decay and seen the dead skin. I had heard the gasp and even seen the will. I had seen Elizabeth's eyes and she wasn't sure she would make it herself. She had forced Gabriel to promise to stay here with the twins if anything should go wrong.

Right now, everything was going wrong. Carlisle wasn't here. Granted, Edward and Rosalie had both been through medical school but neither had the control that Carlisle had. I could only hope that Edward's love for his cousin would offer some control and that he held his breath. Jasper left the second he got in touch with his father but I think it was too late. It would still be minutes until Carlisle got here and I don't think the human woman had minutes.

"Luca," I heard Gabriel say as one hummingbird heart suddenly sounded stronger and like it was moving.

"You've got to do it now, Gabriel. I have the other one," Edward told him tersely. I swear I heard Elizabeth's voice whisper something before another crash. The movement of feet and the zip of the wind were the only sounds for a second.

I then heard the sound of something metal again before I heard a jump in Elizabeth's heart. "Good," Edward said followed by more shuffling of feet.

"There should be enough in her," Gabriel almost whispered. It was almost silent as the babies' hearts fluttered and Elizabeth's became a very steady rhythm. Bella must have asked a question I missed because Esme whispered a yes and kissed her daughter in law on the forehead. Whatever the question was, Bella looked relieved.

"And this one?" Edward asked. For the first time in weeks, I heard Gabriel smirk.

"Claudia."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know. A bit late. And poor Kate doesn't get the joke yet. Does anyone else get it? ::giggles:: Review, please?


	79. BIII Cxix

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I have today off of work! Woohoo!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This is one of those relatively short but plot important chapters. I'm going to say that if you don't realize whose POV this is by uh...paragraph three, just wait until tomorrow to read it. It will make more sense then. I realized I couldn't continue with Kate's POV and Elizabeth's would force me to skip over some rather important details. I didn't want people to come back and say "When the heck did THAT happen?!?" and me just be "Oh, while Elizabeth was sleeping" That just doesn't work...

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

_Chapter 19_

It very well could have been the longest ten minutes of my life. It was certainly in the running to be among the most stressful moments of my existence, even given the events over the past two years. The only event that might trump such a one as this would be when we discovered that my son, Edward, had run to my old friends and asked them to kill him.

Currently, my mind was focused on the task at hand. I hurriedly spoke with the nurse on duty and explained to her that a situation had erupted at the house and I was unable to perform any of the afternoon surgeries henceforth. Perhaps I should not have said henceforth since I do not think it to be a word commonly in usage anymore. However, I was in a great hurry and doubt much would come of my minor vocabulary slip. I needed to tend to Elizabeth.

Given that this was my sister's last days prior to conducting the c-section I wished to perform, I had little wish to continue my work at the hospital whereas I should be giving care to her and my daughter. Two of the most precious women in my existence's lives were held but by a thread and yet I continued the façade. Dr. Gerandy would hopefully excuse my absence. I would explain that Elizabeth was further along than we believed at the wedding and had a Braxton Hicks contraction. Such a lie may excuse my behavior a few minutes ago as I rushed out of the hospital.

I tried my best to get home in a reasonable amount of time without attracting attention. Such a contradiction that was! For to get home, I had to exceed the limits placed upon the roads but at the same time I did not wish to anger Charlie nor any of his small squad of officers. I suppose explaining that Elizabeth was having complications with her pregnancy and that I wished to rush home to help my sister-in-law would be a justified excuse. But to stop would only waste more time than I did currently have.

Complications were an understatement at any rate. I was watching Bella, my newest daughter and already quite dear to my heart, with a critical eye. I would not allow her to get as bad as I had allowed with Elizabeth. Elizabeth, my beloved little sister whom not six months ago entered into our lives with a force of a whirlwind, was unable to even lift her own body more than a few inches from the mattress on which she laid. The only hint of her former vitality were in her expressions and her half breathed arguments as of late. I allowed her to continue the pregnancy thus far only due to seeing her conviction in such an idea. I saw the spark in her eyes again as she waved her hand at me. My sister was still very much there.

However, how much longer would that be the case? The skin which was so terribly stretched over her swollen abdomen was beginning to die. The bruising from the twins in which she had inside of her had caused a lack of blood flow to the skin. Necrosis. I spotted it last night but Elizabeth pleaded further to wait. If such a matter could be left for two days and most likely be healed by venom, she argued, why bother to treat that which did not need to be treated? Against my better judgment, I allowed it. I informed her I would perform the c-section upon Monday morning but it seems in my allowance of her continuation, I was wrong. I just prayed that it was not her life that would be taken from us for my mistake.

I feared for all our sakes but as much as I was afraid of my family and their ability to cope with such a tragic loss, it was Gabriel to whom most of my concern did go. He had lived the nomadic life for so terribly long and was changed utterly and completely upon the arrival of our dear Elizabeth in his life. Not unlike myself when my beloved Esme did enter into my own existence. However, the change was far more profound, I believe, with Gabriel. He gave up drinking human blood, his attitude towards all life was changed, and he accepted the idea of a permanent residence with little ado. His ways were now so completely wrapped around the human girl that I did not understand it until she was firstly almost taken from us while she lived here; when the children of the moon attacked.

That had also been a dreadful day. My poor wife called me upon the cellular phone crying once the connection had been lost. We had no idea as to what we would find when we did discover her location. Would my sister of so short a time, one that would forever be embedded in my memory, be lost to us? Would we find her alive? The look in Gabriel's eyes upon the realization that we may not find her still with us was enough to tell me how much he had changed; his eyes looked as if he, himself, had died. I had little doubt that I might see that look again if I did not arrive in time.

I took the corner onto our driveway as quickly as I was able without throwing the entire car off balance. There was little use in wrecking the car that would allow me to arrive at the house in a quicker time than I could if I jumped out now. I would, at the very least, need to turn the car off first. If anything, it might prove necessary to use the Mercedes later. That, and Esme did enjoy this vehicle.

Upon my arrival to my home, I found it almost eerily quite. My son, Jasper, was in the lawn, his head upon his hands as he sat against a tree. I parked the car quickly and moved to make one small detour on my way to my office; I placed a hand upon Jasper's shoulder. I sent with a simple squeeze all the love and pride I could towards my son. To be in such a predicament as to be continually tested with the presence of humans in the house as well as the current emotional environment was well above what I would normally expect of him. He had done exceedingly well considering.

Jasper gave me a small smile before whispering quickly. "It's a boy and a girl," he said. My eyes went wide with alarm. They already delivered the twins? Feeling my urgency to attend to the medical situation within our home, Jasper shooed me off. I would speak at length with my son later.

I only greeted my wife quickly before rushing to the office. I prayed Esme would forgive my slight given the current situation. Our sister was in need.

Upon my entry of the familiar wooden doorway, I saw a most horrific scene. Blood laid splattered upon the once pristine white sheets. Elizabeth's body was ashen white and her hair lay drenched in sweat and blood. The sheets were pulled up to cover her, her flannel shirt –or more precisely Gabriel's flannel shirt that she wore- looked to have been torn open from what I could see of it. The only part that gave me any hope upon this scene were the sounds of three beating hearts; two which beat continually fast and one which beat at it's familiar rhythm. All three lives were preserved.

Both my son and my brother in law looked upon me as I entered. The look of death was not in Gabriel's eyes but they still held much worry. Quietly, I approached my son, squeezing his shoulder. The fact that Edward did pause to smile upon me also relieved my worst fears. It could only mean that things had gone as they should.

"Gabriel managed to get enough venom in her heart, I think," Edward told me as best he could before looking to where I had place the incubator units. Inside were two small moving bundles of blankets. The twins had made it as well. "I wasn't sure what temperature to set it at," he continued. I patted my son on the back before moving to the incubator unit near Gabriel. It was positioned so that the new father could see his children as well as his wife. I was amazed that Elizabeth was not screaming if she was, indeed, undergoing the transformation process. Had they given her something to ease her transition into this life?

"No," Edward stated. "Just a general anesthetic."

How very odd then. It was as if she were more statue then all else given her visage. Perhaps it was just her strength of will. Elizabeth was a stubborn creature when she had made her mind up; but then again, was there a woman that I knew of that wasn't? Even my newest daughter had her own determinations.

Quickly, I checked upon the twins. I looked upon every diagnostic I could though I knew not what a normal reading would be for either child. What surprised me of both was their coloring for neither Elizabeth nor Gabriel had blond hair yet both children had golden locks upon their heads. The boy's eyes were a bright blue as well yet he also clearly had Gabriel's nose and brow. The girl held her mother's eyes; bright emerald green. The same as Edward and his mother's had been.

"Gabriel said that Elizabeth warned him. Their hair will turn darker," Edward stated with a slightest hint of a smirk behind me.

Gabriel reached for his son and smiled. "I believe at least Luca's may darken. Given that both Elizabeth's own ancestry as well as my mother had golden hair, I am not sure if they both will turn," he stated easily. I had heard of such things happening; the hair being a very different color at birth than of either of the parents. It was an odd thing to see just the same. Though none could argue that either child was any less that beautiful.

As I checked up the small girl, she sighed and nuzzled against the crook of my arm. "They are hungry. I'll go and if we have any bottles downstairs," my son told me before disappearing. Upon my examination, I could find little wrong with either child other than their need to grow and gain weight. They may also have trouble regulating their temperature so it was best to keep them in the incubator for the time being.

Making sure the children were secure, once explaining to Gabriel the need to keep his children in a warm environment and thus placing them in the incubator, I checked Elizabeth's vitals. Given that she had the venom in her system and I could easily hear her heart beat, there was little else to check for. I did make sure that the necrosis had been taken care of. I was pleasantly surprised to see that her skin was healed and that no scar remained of where the children had been taken out from. Only faint yellow and green splotches upon her abdomen indicated any sort of trauma. Rather than minutes old, it looked to be a good couple of weeks since the trauma had taken place. I only prayed for my sister that the shot of venom into the heart that Gabriel gave her based upon the empty syringe I saw lying upon the tray helped to quicken the suffering and end it before the three day mark. We all remember well the burning.

"You did far better than I believe I could have, Gabriel. She will be well," I told the worried husband and now father. He hindered a small glance in my direction before retaking his place at his wife's side, her hand in his.

"I only hope she will forgive me."

It was the next day when my wife decided to introduce the twins to the rest of the family more formally. Although many had been in and out of the make-shift hospital room over the past twenty four hours to see both Elizabeth and her progeny, Esme did not find such a greeting to the world to be acceptable. I acquiesced with allowing the twins to be bundled in fleece and taken down to the living room for an hour; assuming all was acceptable to their father as well.

I smiled when Gabriel handed both of his children over to my wife. He kissed each of the babes upon the head and whispered to them in Italian to behave. Not that even a vampire hybrid newborn could construct much destruction upon themselves or others with the endless supply of Aunts and Uncles that awaited their appearance downstairs.

The wolves even decorated the walls of my home. Seth was a regular guest along with Jacob. The others came and went as necessary so I was much surprised to see young Leah among the guests that had filed into the living room. My heart was glad of it though and I hoped that this was a show of things to come. I wanted no ill will to exist between the tribe and my family.

Bella sat upon the sofa with my son, Edward, both eagerly awaiting not only the twins but their own child in three more weeks. It was something I had considered since learning of Elizabeth's pregnancy; Bella still human and Elizabeth a newborn vampire. I believe we may be able to keep them separated for the three weeks. Rosalie suggested that Elizabeth would stay in her apartment while Bella lived upon the upper floors but I did not see that as a solution to the problem. Perhaps the extra preparation within itself would be enough to help Elizabeth resist the temptation. Although I did not wish to place her within any sort of predicament –to place either of them- I wondered if the preparation and love they have for each other would be enough to keep Elizabeth's instincts under control. Well, unless Bella being Edward's singer is a genetic fluke that Elizabeth has as well; then there may be little else we could do than lock Elizabeth away from Bella. It was not a task I wished to undertake.

Esme brought down little Luca of whose full name Elizabeth must have thought we would never consider and merely change upon her state of unconsciousness. After all, if you pronounce the middle name of Paris as the French did… She must have thought that was funny. Not nearly as humorous as actually naming her tiny daughter Claudia though. Claudia Louisa Caldola. That Gabriel went along with Claudia on its own, well, I suppose it would be an inside joke. No one other than the family and perhaps other vampires would understand that our darling Claudia was also a vampire child just as the one in Anne Rice's books was. Of course, our Claudia would grow, change…but it was odd that she did have the golden ringlets and bright green eyes that were so much in keeping with the vampire child of fiction.

According to Gabriel and the pictures Elizabeth showed Esme once of her own childhood, the color of their hair was subject to fade. Esme told me of our darling sister's own strawberry blond locks in a picture of her at the age of three. I wonder what Jacob would think of that given the many insults I had heard him hurl at Rosalie. Not that my daughter did not give Jacob just cause with her actions on a great many occasions…

Rosalie brought down young Claudia. My daughter smiling at the perfect child in her arms as she held the girl in the pink blanket. Claudia appeared to be trying to sit up and look around but of course, my Rose would not let the girl's eyes falter from her own for long. I would not say anything now but I may speak with Rosalie after this introduction was over.

Instantly all the vampires, wolves, and Bella, gathered around one of the two twins. The endless sounds of cooing and awing at the small children –each only a bit more than two pounds upon their birth and now three pounds with the near constant feeding we have had to supply them with – was all that filled the living room walls. Each babe looked at the many faces in fascination which is why I found it so odd to see my son, Edward, tensing up as he sat next to his young bride. I looked at the crowd and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Alice was peeking over Seth's arms to get a glance at her niece. I suppose it was odd to see Carmen holding Luca, Eleazar behind his mate, and Leah that close but I thought little of it.

As the frivolity continued on, Edward's hands turned into fists. Bella looked at her husband and realized something was wrong. "Edward?" her voice sounded lightly against my ears. Looking at my son more closely I saw his expression change from one of puzzlement as he looked towards where Seth still held Claudia to one of fierce anger as he looked towards…Leah holding the child. Leah, who was not fond of us to say the least but did side upon Jacob's pack as a way to preserve what she believed to be best for her. It was odd but nothing in which to become angry over. If anything, we should be happy that Leah is now comfortable enough with us to come into our home and hold a vampire hybrid child so tenderly.

"Both of you?" Edward suddenly asked aloud incredulously. None seemed to understand his frustration until my son Jasper began to laugh and both Seth and Leah blushed. Jacob groaned as well suddenly understood too well; Seth had imprinted upon Claudia and Leah upon Luca. The wolves were very much going to be apart of our family for now on.

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**Author's Note:** See? Plot important! Ummm...now that a couple of you are probably going to kill me for that, I'm going to run and hide.... Someplace that is not the bunker...


	80. BIII Cxx

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I have today off of work! Woohoo!

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This chapter ended up being a lot longer than even I thought it would be. I knew it would be long but...umm, yeah. Oh, and it's very much rated Teen. I'd almost be willing to give it an R rating but it's not quite that bad, yet. Sorry it's late but at uh... nearly 10,000 words, I think y'all can guess why it's late. Oh, and I had to sew a dress, go to a tea, make sure Miss Ginsie didn't have another seizure (she had one a couple of days ago), go to church, clean the house, and do other various things that weren't writing. yeah, I know. Life. That stuff that gets in the way of everything else I want to do.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 20_  
_

Burning. Fear and burning. Was I afraid of the fire? I couldn't quite remember what I was so terrified of but I don't think it was the fire. It wasn't fear for myself, really, but it felt like fear for someone else. Who though? Was Mom in trouble? Or Miss Ginsie? Oh please, let Ginsie get out okay.

Wait. Where was I again? It would be good to know where I was to help escape the burning. I laid as still as I could, knowing that rolling either way might actually lead me deeper into the flames. Was I dead though? Was this Hell? If so, where were the screams of the other souls? What sins sent me here? I don't think I had committed murder.

A flame, a knife, a hairstick. Wait. Had I committed murder? I seem to remember something about people dying by my hand. A hairstick to the eye. In the massive amount of pain I was in, slowly other memories came into my head. No, it wasn't 2009. I remember going somewhere. I remember not getting there. I got stuck. Stuck here. But…where was here?

I remembered trees and green. I remembered a handsome face. I remembered a long drive. Running, trying not to die. Explosions… It was like watching bits and pieces of some action film while stuck inside a tin house in the middle of the dessert in summer at noon. I was burning. But why? The pain was so intense.

Kidney stones ripping through my sides while in a full blown kidney infection. That had hurt so bad I could hardly stand up. When I refused to go to school for a third day, I remember my Dad coming in and tearing me off my bed. I screamed which caused everyone else in the house to come in. Dad argued with Mom while I collapsed into a pile on the floor. After kicking at me, Dad said "Fine! But if you are that sick, you are going to the ER now," and storming out of the bedroom. When the ER doctors argued with my Mom about me staying overnight because they were scared the infection had made my kidneys into swiss cheese, Dad apologized. That had been painful.

When I fell just walking across the kitchen floor when I was 12 and ripped the last ligament in my right leg, the knee slipping again, I screamed. It was like someone ripped my knee cap from my leg and tried to make it into a yo yo with my skin still over it. That had been painful.

There was something else painful. Something recent. Something I should remember but couldn't right now. I just remember my ribs hurting so badly and being in so much pain but, at the same time, not caring because it was for a good cause. Something important…

However, even those really didn't hold a flicker to those pains. Those had been instantaneous, localized, and fleeting. Once the initial shock happened, the pain started to decrease. Well not the kidney stones, but everything else. The kidney stones plus the infection was an all over dull pain. This was an all over sharp pain. And there wasn't a decrease in the pain, it just burned.

I tried to place this burn, compare it to the times I had gotten burned before. It didn't feel like a true fire burn. I had done that. Mom and Dad both yelled at me when I accidentally left a candle burning one day and set off the smoke detectors. The flames were pretty impressive but the column of smoke was more so. I just remember my Dad yelling about smoke damage and Mom yelling at me to blow the thing out. It was up so high. I had to grab it in order to blow it out. The candle was in a metal cup. I knew I would burn myself but anything to stop the yelling. Anything to stop the screams…

I don't think I was screaming now. This type of burning wasn't like that. I remembered the pain of the blisters on my hand minutes later. My Mom asked me if I burned it as an after thought. My Dad told me it served me right and I could have burned down the house. The flames weren't that big…and they were contained.

No, it didn't feel like that. This felt more like the old iodine on the scrapped knees. That instant burn that immediately becomes numb. The problem was that there wasn't any numbing. The burn just continued to move around my skin, my veins, my muscles…It felt like every piece of me was covered in some chemical that prevented that pleasant numbing feeling from ever happening. Instead, all I got was the burn. Or maybe it was more like when I placed the NuSkin on a popped blister. Yes, it was more like that. The pain had been so intense at first I couldn't even scream.

So now that I'm pretty sure it's a chemical burn and not a fire burn, I'm trying to figure out why I would be dounced in chemicals like this. Was it some training gone wrong? I wouldn't put it past me to have an awful reaction to pepper spray or something. But I don't think I was going to work. In fact, I don't remember working much at all anymore. My old passwords to all my FBI computers were nothing more than a memory. I think. And I know I hadn't been wearing those dreadful skirt and oxford shirt combos anymore.

Yes, I hadn't been to work in a very long time. Something happened recently –something bad- that made me wish I had been there. But I was there. But I wasn't. I could only remember thinking that I was supposed to be there but that…. That handsome man again. He was near me while I was thinking about all of this. Who was he?

As I thought on the burning again, something told me it would do no use to scream. Were other people burning too? Was this some sort of terrorist attack? Did I hurt my head and that's why I couldn't remember? The something bad! It had been a terrorist attack! Washington DC had been hit! But why? And who was the handsome man?

I knew I had been injured. Something about my stomach? As I focused on that, something that was becoming easier to do, it hit me. Every single memory over the past six months assaulted my brain. The car trip. The Cullens. Mr. Blackeyes. The Volturi Guard. My engagement. Living in Forks. The werewolves. The children of the moon. My wedding. My babies… My precious babies.

I was being changed? NO! It was too soon! The twins? What about the twins? Were my children alright? Gabriel? Where was my husband? Did he take the twins? All I could hear for now was the roar in my ears as the venom burned there. Maybe later I would hear Gabriel. Maybe later Edward would hear me and tell me of my children. Any pain I was in physically was nothing if my children were harmed.

I tried to focus on that rather than the burn that consumed me. I wanted to try and picture my children but I could only remember the feeling of my skin being ripped apart, Kate in the doorway, and Edward running up and throwing something in my arm. I don't think it was morphine. It was something else to put me asleep. I think I heard someone say Luca before I was completely under.

Luca. So I had a little boy? Did I have two little boys? That would be the universe's way of laughing at me, wouldn't it? I so desperately always wanted a little girl in the family and I got brothers. Now, when I grow up and am able to have a child of my own, I get boys. Not that I wouldn't love them to death but it just seemed that, once again, God was laughing at me. Maybe, if I did have two boys, I'd at least get granddaughters someday.

Of course, this was all assuming my children were alright. I only prayed that Gabriel and Edward managed to get the children out of me and that they were both alive. I prayed they were both well; that I carried them long enough that they wouldn't have any serious complications. Hopefully, Carlisle will be home soon and be able to treat them.

I felt the burn upon every inch of my body. It was inside me, on me, covering me as every single cell changed and, what once was water, was now replaced with venom. Gabriel's venom, I think. He had explained to me what would happen earlier. My poor husband… I remember him liking the idea of a syringe straight to my heart filled with venom. Carlisle easily agreed to that idea and got an extra one. Anything to make the processes easier, quicker.

How much quicker though? I had no idea how much time had elapsed. I tried to think back. How long had I been lying here? How long had I realized I was lying somewhere? I wasn't exactly sure but I knew it was about six or seven hours since I noticed the burning. So that would make at least forty hours to go, right? Maybe more like fifty. Fifty hours of pure burning pain. If it was so I'd live to see my children, to stay with my husband, and my family, I would take it.

Knowing that the pain would end was the only thing keeping me from asking someone to just kill me. It was too much to scream. I don't get how Rosalie managed to scream if this is what it felt like. My fingers, my toes, every part of me felt as if I were being burned in acid. I suppose I was, in a way. But rather than being horrible disfigured, I'd be beautiful. I hoped. Watch. I'd be the only person ever to go through a transformation and come out uglier than when they went in.

A chuckle. I knew that chuckle. I think Edward is here. My babies? My husband? Where are they?

"They are here," he said smoothly. I heard a slight shuffle. I slowly realized how easy it was to think around the pain, through it. It was like that block that I always seemed to have at the front of my brain –the one that caused my tongue to trip and forced me to not be able to figure out things as quickly as I liked- was gone. I could hear and I could feel but I refused to open my eyes to see yet. I also didn't want to move much. I wasn't entirely sure if I could move.

"She has asked of us?" Gabriel said quietly. More shuffling.

"She wanted to know if you were here still and that Luca and Claudia were here too," Edward replied. Shuffle again. The movement of fabric. It sounded like the slip of sweatshirt fleece but I wasn't sure.

"We are here, amore," Gabriel whispered in my ear, I think. I heard a soft smack and I think he must have kissed me but I wasn't entirely sure. My body was in too much pain to really register much more than the chemical burn that covered everything.

Luca. Claudia. I had my little boy and my little girl. I searched out past the pain to see if I could hear them. I could hear three heart beats; two that were so fast they must be my babies. The sounded so close. A third was also in the room and it almost sounded confused with another hummingbird heart. The hummingbird heart in this case was faint though…like it was muffled. Bella was in the room? Wasn't that dangerous with me?

"No, not yet," Edward said but I wasn't sure if it was to me or to someone else. More shuffling. I suppose that was Bella. She could still walk? Was she seeing what would be in store for her soon enough? Of course, she'd be able to carry Renesmee full term. There would be no mistakes, no unknowns, with her. She had already read about the pain.

The pain. I tried not to think about it. If I thought about it, Edward would hear. Any face Edward would make would only be interpreted by Gabriel. I didn't care how much this hurt, I would never want Gabriel to think he had done something wrong. The feeling of my cells being burned away, being changed –the physical pain- was nothing compared to the emotional pain of knowing that I gave Gabriel one second of doubt in changing me to be a vampire. I didn't want Gabriel to think I didn't want to be with him forever –when I did- or for him to regret changing me. The second would be a pain I couldn't bear. Physical pain was easy compared to any emotional scars I had.

Gabriel not wanting me around forever was way too painful to even consider. I knew it wouldn't be like that, that any doubt he would have was purely based on causing me pain, but still the idea of the idea… To think that Gabriel thought it would be better to kill me rather than turn me to save me from the physical pain…that emotional pain right there was what would destroy me. I was never very good about the emotional stuff. Physical, I could take it if I knew it would end. This would end. The burning would end.

I just wish it would end quicker. I needed a way to pass the time since I couldn't open my eyes. Or wouldn't, I should say. I didn't want to give any indication to Gabriel how much pain I was in. My eyes would tell him.

I tried to think on our children but I was upset that I hadn't seen them. I had no idea what they looked like. What color were their eyes? Their hair? I know it would turn brown but was it already brown? Did they, just like everyone on the French side of the family, have blond hair at birth? Nicky had blond hair until he was nine or so. Mine changed at three or four. Would the twins be like that? Blond for a year or two and then change to some sort of shade of brown? Or did they not inherit that gene?

I kept trying to picture them, but couldn't. How could I when I had no idea what they looked like? I knew I was growing more and more frustrated when I felt a wave of calm, of serenity over me. Jasper was clearly in the room now.

"How long?" I heard Gabriel ask. I guess Alice must be here too.

"I'm still not sure. It's so odd. I can see that her heart will stop in another twenty hours and thirty seven minutes but I'm not sure if she'll wake up then," I heard Alice state from over near where my babies were.

I knew the sigh that followed. It was Gabriel's. "But you do see her… You see her awake?" he asked. His voice. It was so filled with trepidation that it made the emotional ache in my heart start to push out and make the physical pain seem less important.

"Yes," Alice said gently. I could just hear the wisp of fabric as I guess Alice picked one of the twins up. Based on the heartbeats, I think Jasper got the other one. "She'll wake up." Someone stomped their foot lightly against the wooden floor. "Ugh!" Alice. Jasper followed up her frustrated verbalization with a snicker. "I just wish I knew why she wasn't going to open her eyes for another week or two!"

A week?! But Alice, you just said my heart would stop soon. I had less than a day to go but I wouldn't wake up until a couple of weeks later? Vampires don't sleep. Why would I not open my eyes –move- for so terribly long?

The second I thought of it, it hit me. Bella. The easiest way for me to not go after my niece would be to simply lie here and not breathe until she had Renesmee. But still, even then, she had a lot longer than a week or two to go. What reason would I not wake up?

Maybe something else went wrong? Something I didn't even realize yet? But Alice could only see things once a decision was made. I knew I'd open my eyes the second the pain was over with. Until then I'd lie here. Maybe the pain wouldn't stop? That was a thought I didn't like.

Or maybe this entire thing wasn't dependent upon me. I couldn't see how but maybe it was based on someone elses' decision and I just wouldn't move because of it.

I wanted to see my babies! I wanted to hold Claudia and Luca in my arms. I wanted to cover them in kisses. Why would I even think of missing the first two weeks of their lives lying here in Carlisle's office?

Two weeks in the lifetime of a hybrid was forever. My babies wouldn't look like newborns anymore. It would be what? About three months? Four? My babies would be babies. They'd probably already know how to sit up and even learn a few words by then. Assuming they just didn't get up, walk, and start speaking already by then. Hybrid development is so quick. I didn't want to lie here and miss it.

The pain flared again but I tried to distract myself with Gabriel, Alice, and Jasper's voices. "I'm not sure," Alice said to some question I missed. I had been too upset to really listen, concentrate, on their voices. "All I can see is that when she does wake up, she'll start wearing gloves a lot," I heard her say. Gloves? Why the heck would I take up wearing gloves? Maybe because, even as an immortal, my fingers get cold.

"Maybe it has something to do with the twins," Alice mused.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out later," Jasper said smoothly. I heard the movement of fabric again. I wasn't sure what was going on, only that Jasper and Alice had my babies. I wanted to hold them so badly. To hug them close and cover them with kisses.

"Prego, bring them back soon. Do not let the wolves take them out of the living area," Gabriel nearly grumbled the last part. Why would the wolves even think of taking my babies anywhere?

Again, the second I thought the question, the answer came. Renesmee. Jacob. Oh no. None of the wolves better have imprinted on my babies before I even have gotten to see them! My little angels and some stupid mutt thinks Claudia is his? Oh…and Leah better damn well not have imprinted on Luca. I will so take _her_ head off. I doubt that their healing ability covers that!

I felt myself calming again. Jasper was still in the room. I guess that I was jumping to conclusions. Really, maybe it was just Seth and Jacob playing with the kids. That I wouldn't mind.

"I think she can hear I us," Jasper said with a chuckle.

"Edward said as much earlier. She was listening to us," Gabriel said softly. "I am here, amore. Jasper and Alice are taking the twins to see the rest of the family for an hour or so," he continued to tell me.

"We'll bring them back, Elizabeth," Alice told me chirpily.

I heard the movement of fabric again. "Do you want to see your mama?" I heard Jasper ask. Which twin did he hold? Did they wish to see me already? I hoped that I looked decent. I'm sure either Esme or Alice cleaned me up. Well, if Gabriel let them. He might have dressed me again in PJs for all I know.

There was the faintest pressure against my side and arm. The burning didn't let me distinguish between fabrics like I could when I was human, but I could tell that the pressure took up most of side. One of my babies. My precious baby was in my arm.

I could feel a similar pressure on the other side suddenly. Both of them? I got to hold both of them already. I didn't care right now that I couldn't see them. I had them safe in my arms.

"Luca is on your right and Claudia is on your left, Elizabeth," Jasper said softly. My baby boy and my baby girl. I could also feel a soft increase in pressure on my right hand. I suppose Gabriel was holding my hand the entire time. He wouldn't leave me, thank God.

I felt Claudia move slightly, like she was curly up to snuggle against me. I so wanted to move my arm just slightly, just to hold her closer but two things stopped me. I didn't want to hurt her because I knew I was getting stronger and I didn't want to scream with my babies in my arms. I was sure I would do that with the pain I was still very much in.

I heard a tinkling laugh, a deeper chuckle, and my husband's own smirk. I suppose Claudia was being cute. "Maybe we should leave them up here for a little bit longer," Alice said, thinking.

"Don't you dare, Alice," I could just make out Rosalie's voice from downstairs. I heard the wave of footsteps as someone came upstairs. The footsteps stopped at the doorway. "Oh," Rosalie breathed.

"They want to be here, Rose," Alice reprimanded her sister.

"They do look adorable," Rose acquiesced. Adorable? What were my children up to?

I could just feel Luca moving now. He pressed against my side and then I felt the tiniest pressure right above my breast. His hand? "Si, questa è la tua Mamma, bambino," Gabriel told him. I then heard the most beautiful sound. I heard Luca, I think, laugh. It was the sound of a thousand bells at Christmas, a harpsichord in the fall, and the wind in Spring. All my favorite sounds combined in one simple sound from my sweet little angel. The pain suddenly seemed bearable. I had my angels in my arms and my beloved husband at my side. This was worth it.

I started counting Gabriel's breaths when everyone left with my children. I suddenly got why Bella did that in the book –count Edward's breaths. It was because there really was nothing else to concentrate on. Oh, I could recite various things, go back over the seam lines of various historical fashions, or listen to things going on downstairs but none of that would tell me the time. I was already at four thousand breaths when the footsteps started again in the office. Esme brought my little ones back.

At eleven thousand one hundred and sixteen breaths, I realized I had about fifteen hours left before my heart would stop. I begged for that now. I was sure I looked like my eyes had been burned out and my skin had completely peeled off based on the feel of the burn.

The twins, I think, were sleeping. Their breath had changed. First one, than the other. They were still both nearby.

Around twenty thousand breaths, and after someone watched a marathon of the Simpsons on TV downstairs, the pain began to fade. I could feel my finger tips again! My toes were all intact. The bad thing was my throat.

I couldn't really describe it. It was almost like being super thirsty and not having a drop of water nearby, but that didn't cover it. It honestly felt more like what my throat felt like at the start of an allergy attack. The scratchy, itchy feeling that made me want to drink until it went away. Of course, that was assuming my throat didn't swell up first and Carlisle would reprimand me for not keeping my epi pen nearby…. Good thing I'd never need that again.

My heart felt hotter, if that was possible. It was like someone was slowly douncing and even strong acid on it. Drip by drip, as the pain faded from my hands agonizingly slowly, my heart began to get hotter, drip by drip.

My hands were cool and I could just make out the feeling of pressure again, this time cool on cool –both the same tempature. Gabriel was squeezing my hand. "Not too much longer, amore. The pain will go away soon, tesorina," he whispered. I felt him kiss my hand. It took everything in me not to move. I didn't want to scream when he did things like that.

"Do you wish to have the others here?" Carlisle asked. Carlisle? My big brother was here? I missed that. I guess I was so focused on the pain amplifying in my heart that I wasn't really able to pay attention to much else.

"I believe that she might. Should the bambini go downstairs for now?" Gabriel asked cautiously.

"It might be best. We know from what Edward and Bella have said that the children will hold no temptation for her but still," Carlisle told my husband. "I will defer to your judgment on that matter," he continued.

"Let the Denali coven watch them for an hour or so until my wife becomes accustom to this room at least," Gabriel said quietly. "You will see them, amata mia. I do not wish for you to be tempted immediately in anyway, though," he said so softly in my ear, I barely hear him.

The rustling of fabric again and the movement of footsteps. I heard the smack of Gabriel's lips upon something. I think it was the twins. "Make sure that Irina is not near them. I do not trust her with my children," Gabriel ordered.

"I'm sure the wolves will not allow it," Carlisle stated, amused. My irritation broke through again. Had one of the wolves imprinted on my babies? They better not have… Flame throwers will look like a godsend when I'm done with the wolves if they have.

As the pain left my arms, my head, and my legs, it seemed to be magnified in my torso. My heart began to pump faster, harder, as the pain grew to a point I didn't realize anyone could be in this amount of pain. The burning of the venom congregated in my heart, making it move so quickly that it almost matched in speed to that of my children's heartbeats. The pain was so intense, so agonizing, I think my mouth must have opened but I still didn't scream. My hands twisted into fists and I heard a chair clatter to the floor.

"Elizabetta!" Gabriel shouted out, fear in his voice. Did I hurt him? I wasn't sure.

The fire became nothing more than a point in my too fast beating heart. As my heat made off like wings of a helicopter, I felt the pain become hotter and hotter in a tiny, small space –like a small sprinkle of red hot lava burned there.

Suddenly, my heart stopped. It made one blimp and then another. Then…nothing. There wasn't any sound in the room what so ever.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel whispered.

The total lack of pain was so amazing that I didn't even think of anything else until I saw the colors. I think I heard Gabriel again, saying something about opening my eyes, but I didn't want to loose the colors. Not yet. Not while I could see….everything.

I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. The mess of images in my head was just that, a mess. Slowly, I managed to separate them out. I'd separate out the sounds in a second, even though that was more annoying.

The colors were actually four separate moving images. I realized that the sounds were actually the various sound tracks that went with the images. I had four movies going on in my head but five soundtracks. I think the fifth one was actually what was going on around me. It sounded like Gabriel, Carlisle, Esme, and Edward. I ignored that and pushed that to the back my brain. I wanted to know what the four movies were.

The first had started off as a cotton field but now it looked like the cotton was being processed, being cleaned, spun, and woven into something. Boring. I didn't want to watch a documentary on sheet making in India. That got pushed back too.

The next was sort of gross. I saw worms, tons of them. It took me a second to realize they were silk worms. I pushed that to the back of my head too. What was this? Was I in tune with the Discovery Channel all the sudden? I didn't want to learn about silk making in China. I already knew about it. I hated raw silk but that was because I had been allergic to it. Was allergic? Yeah, the only vampire with allergies. That would totally be me.

That left two movies. I was slightly disappointed that I hadn't paid attention to either one more closely before. One was of a young boy in hosen and a cotehardie running around a garden. The other was of…me. I remembered this! This was my life!

The movie that had me was of when I was two and a half. I was wearing my brown corduroy jumper dress my Mom made me. Mom and Dad were there, sitting in the front of the train while I bugged the other passengers. I walked up and down the aisle saying hello to everyone. Most of the people just laughed and said hello back or ignored me. It didn't matter that we were in Portugal. One little girl, with pretty brown ringlets, looked to be about my age. I said hello to her and she said Ola back. I got frustrated. Although I couldn't hear my thoughts, I remembered them at the time. I fought back a chuckle.

At the time, I didn't get why the girl, who was about my age, couldn't speak! Why didn't she use her words? Why was she acting like a baby and not speaking English. Everyone spoke English and she was speaking baby talk. Stupid baby. So I hit her. My parents were horrified at their two and a half year old's behavior. My Dad forced me to apologize, although I thought it was stupid. Why should I apologize when she was the one being the baby?

Both movies were moving quickly. The boy was about five now. He was speaking in Italian I realized. What shocked me was that I understood the Italian. I could comprehend it as he spoke it to the taller man that had my Gabriel's eyes. The tall man, I slowly realized, was Gabriel's father and the young boy was Gabriel. My beloved Gabriel. I would get to watch him grow, change, and see everything that happened to him before he met me.

Was this my ability or was I dead? We knew my ability would have something to do with seeing the past. I could see Gabriel's life as well as my own flashing before my eyes. I was four now. Papa died. I was horrified but didn't get it at the time. Mom explained I'd see him again in Heaven. But that would never happen now, would it? Because I would never die. I think. Unless I am dying and that's why my life was flashing before my eyes.

But then why would Gabriel's life flash before my eyes too? The fact it was my ability made more sense. I could see my life because well, I was touching me, sort of, because I am me. I could see Gabriel's life because he was holding my hand still. The cotton was probably the sheet that still covered me and the silk….Alice is so going to pay for that.

I could still hear everyone around me but it was like they were talking too slow for me to want to pay attention to them. The movies were far more interesting. I was seven and I fell down in the kitchen. My Dad yelled at me. I made a comment back and he grounded me. That would be most of my life from now on. I would do something and my Dad would see me. He would yell and I'd yell back. He'd think I was being disrespectful and ground me.

Gabriel's life was far more entertaining and didn't needlessly bring up thoughts I'd much rather never think on again. His mother was a beauty. She had blond hair and would have been able to give Rosalie a run for her money. I recognized my necklace –her necklace- instantly. She wore it around her neck along with her embroidered gowns and brocades.

I wish there was some way to pause the movies! I'd love to be able to stop them, rewind, and play a certain scene over and over again. But I don't think I can. They both went so quickly that by the time one set went on, and I got distracted by something, I was two or three months behind! I didn't want to miss a second of either.

I was nine now and anorexic. I remembered that, the not wanting to eat. I don't think anyone really got the reason why. I remember Mrs. Poole sitting with me at the lunch table trying to convince me to eat to no avail. I was so depressed. It was only a few months earlier I had tried to run away…

Gabriel was ten or eleven now. He kissed one of the servant girls. I tried not to feel jealous since I knew perfectly well I was Gabriel's last lover, not his first. But to see his lips, even at that young age, on someone else's…it was hard not to turn into the green eyed monster.

Of course, my eyes weren't green anymore. Was either of my babies' eyes green? Were mine blood red? Brilliant and terrifying? As I began to think on the real world and focus less on the two compelling dramas that were playing out before my eyes –Gabriel's father found out that he had been making out with a servant girl and wasn't pleased- I wondered if everyone was still waiting for me to wake up. Alice had said anywhere from a week to two weeks until I woke up. I didn't want to waste that much time.

I wanted to see my angels! I wanted….

Suddenly, a third film came into my view. I also felt the slightest pressure on my left arm. This film started out dark. The room was simple and wooden with sort of a stucco wall. The man had sandy blond hair and was holding a screaming infant. Didn't he know to get that baby wrapped up? It looked cold outside! Out of the wavy glass window, I could see snow falling by the candlelight.

"Margery? Tis a boy!" the man said, holding the bloody infant precariously in his hands, the umbilical cord still attached. The woman's head lulled to the side a bit as she was pushed up against the pillows on the tiny bed.

"Margery?" He asked again, softer. Placing the crying infant in a bit of linen to the side of the bed, he went up to obviously dead woman and listened for her breath or for her heart. I wasn't sure which. "Margery?" he asked again as he shook her. Nothing. She would not be moved. "NO!" the sandy blond haired man screamed before he collapsed to his knees. The tiny infant only screamed louder. Carlisle. I was watching the birth of my big brother.

However, as quickly as it started, it faded. It didn't go away, really, it was more like it became a memory and not a movie to be played. Or maybe like a movie in another room that I couldn't really get too. Either way, it passed away as did the pressure on my arm.

I couldn't concentrate on Carlisle's life movie anymore; unless I wanted to miss Gabriel's or my own's. Switching back to those, I heard something inbetween.

"Still no change?" Carlisle asked someone. I could understand them now. It was like I was finally able to speed the real world up or maybe I just slowed the movies down. Could I pause them? I tried but no. However, I could slow them down even more. I liked that.

"No," Gabriel answered tersely. "She has not moved," he continued, his voice in so much pain. I'm sorry, Gabe. But this is so interesting! I'll try and speed it up. I'll make it go fast enough that I'll wake up soon. Still, I think I have a good five hundred years yet to catch up on your life.

As I heard Carlisle and Gabriel talk more -even Edward joined in, I think-, I watched in rapt fascination of the changing clothing styles and the entire life my husband lead. His father had died and left him the estate. His mother was pressuring my young husband to take a wife. Any wife. So he did. He married a donna from a neighboring city. She was pretty enough, I suppose, but I had seen her kind before. Everything about her screamed golddigger. Watching the wedding wasn't that hard, it was the wedding night that was next to impossible. Seeing Gabriel with someone else that way, watching my husband in his own porn film like that was…just too much. Just because I knew there had been others didn't mean I wanted to know every detail about them. The way she said that she had paid her marriage debt and to leave her for the night…. It was all just too much for me.

I focused on my life again. I was in college now. My pretty semi circular dorm room that I had all to myself. I remembered the set up so well. It was the third floor, in the tower of the gorgeous Edwardian building. It overlooked the main building where I would take classes almost every day. I had the entire room set up so I could watch tv, play on the computer, and sew easily. I loved that room so much. I hated leaving it to go back home.

I continued to watch both movies. Gabriel was getting closer to the time he was turned and I was getting closer to when I got here. Each movie was making its way to the pivotal moments in our lives. I watched Gabriel's again with my near total attention. He was beginning to express concern to a few close friends that his wife could not conceive. He was unsure if he was doing something wrong or if she was barren. Considering how many times I was forced to see him share her bed, I was starting to think she was barren.

Gabriel caught his wife kissing another man when he was about thirty. The man slipped her something. Some sort of poison or potion. Examining her room later, Gabriel found it. It was some sort of drug known to be used by the courtesans so they would not be with child. Furious, Gabriel confronts her and actually slaps her across the face. She spat at him… I couldn't watch the rest. Even though, all he did was throw her to her bed and then leave the room. I could hear her crying as he left. The stupid bitch.

I watched my own life again. September eleventh. Yeap, don't want to relieve that again. Once was enough, thank you.

Switching back to Gabriel's, he kept his wife confined to her room. She was not leave the grounds except for Sunday service and she was to have no visitors other than his mother and her own mother. She never did have the potion in her possession again.

Free from the drugs, she conceived, much to her distain. "Questo è quello che volevi, non è vero, Gabriel? Questa cosa?" she would say to him over and over. This is what you wanted, wasn't it, Gabriel? This _thing_? She said with such distain. How could she not love her own child? How could she not want that? I didn't understand how she couldn't love Gabriel or at least like him. He was handsome even human. Although I'm glad he lost the beard over the centuries. That SOS pad stuck to his chin would totally have to go.

Once the baby was born, Gabriel left his wife alone. He had his son and spent ever minute with his baby boy. I learned to love the boy as I watched him grow. He wasn't mine but he was my husband's. That was enough for me to love young Francesco right there. But the boy was genuinely sweet and loved his father so much. I wish there was some way for our children to know their half brother or at least of him.

My life, again. I was twenty seven now. My father finally admitted he had screwed up with me. He should have let me go into fashion design rather than force me into Oceangraphy. I was never meant to be a scientist. I was a designer! I knew fabric construction and could care less about chemistry. I wanted to play with fabrics, not look at dead sea turtles! Archeology had been a compromise.

His wife again, if you could even call her that. Gabriel caught her with another man but said nothing to her. He only handed the man his slops and told him to never come back here again. He looked at his wife without a stitch on her as the man left the castle. Gabriel left her without saying a word. He only told the servants to not open her door for three days.

Their son was eight and I realized it was getting close. It wasn't until Gabriel arrived at the gothic cathedral that I realized how close. He rode on a perfect black horse, jumping off the saddle and straight into the church without any ado. He had just caught his wife again with the same man. Gabriel waited long enough to hear her tell him that she was pregnant with her lover's child. That was Gabriel's breaking point. He went straight to the church after that. His son didn't need a mother like that.

He argued with the priest, demanded a letter be written to the bishop. He cared little that his son would be declared a bastard by the church. Gabriel swore he would not negate his responsibilities to his child but he could not put up with his wife and her ways any longer. He stopped short of admitting that she was an adulteress; a sure way to get her killed in those days. The church would force her to confess and stone her or maybe hang her if they were being generous that day. I think. Maybe it was just Gabriel exaggerating.

The priest refused and told him to get back to his wife and bed her well. Enflamed, Gabriel drew his sword and killed the priest right there on the alter. The blood dripped down the white cloth and on to the marble floor as the priest gargled on his last breath. Dropping his sword, Gabriel slowly backed away from his work. His mouth was agape in that position I recognized so easily. He wanted to speak but couldn't as his jaw moved up and down.

Once he stumbled pass the first few pews, Gabriel broke out into a run. He ignored the screams from the front of the church as other discovered what he had done. My husband just ran.

I understood now, to a degree. Gabriel associated the church with betrayal. His wife, whom he married there, betrayed him many times; and when he went for help, the priest that married them betrayed him by refusing to even pay lip service to speaking to the bishop. All Gabriel wished for was to quietly annul their marriage so his wife would be free to marry her lover. He didn't want to take her away from what she truly wanted. He wasn't even sure if his son was his or not anymore.

And he ran. I watched as Gabriel ran into the mountains and up through the forest. It was only a few meters in that the red haired wind caught him and was thrust upon his neck. When she thought she had drained him, she dropped him to the ground and left my Gabriel for dead. It would be three days before he would stop screaming in pain.

I watched my own life again. I was packing up my messy little home to go on the car trip now. I had Ginsie's leopard print bed in the truck and more fabric than even I knew what to do with. I was on the phone with Mom and the day before I planned on leaving. Hearing her voice again made me want to cry. I wanted my own mother so badly. I wanted her to see who I chose, who was the father of her grandkids. Heck, I wanted her to see her grandkids!

A third movie popped up again. I felt a different kind of pressure on my left hand this time. It wasn't Carlisle's life again. That was still playing, but faded greatly, in the background. The sheets and the silk dress had stopped playing long ago. The faint pressure was from a furry paw.

This movie started off with my beloved Miss Ginsie being born. Although I knew her life had started out hard, I never realized how terrible it had been. A middle aged white man kicked the newborn pup and laughed. "Well, that one bounces," he stated. I memorized his face so that if I ever saw him again, I would make a big exception to the whole no humans vegetarian diet rule. Anyone that treats an animal like that, particularly my Miss Ginsie, will die. And not quickly.

"Ginsie, c'mon pup, you need to go out," I heard Emmett's booming voice. Emmett was here? The four different soundtracks and the three movies were starting to get confusing. I was getting ready to leave. Ginsie was being tossed away with the garbage after the monster threw her against a piling in the barn. Gabriel was hunting his first victim, one of his wife's two lovers.

Ginsie growled at Emmett. Wait, Ginsie never growls at Emmett anymore. She loves the oversized vampire! Why would she…

"Ginsie, I will watch her," Gabriel stated. I heard the pup sigh and then hop down? She must have because her story began to fade just like Carlisle's. I hope Gabriel didn't let go because I didn't want his story to fade. I wanted to know this. I needed to know everything about my beloved husband.

I focused again on the two movies. I was driving now. It was starting to rain hard. I knew this part all too well. It was still very clear in my memory. I thought that memories were suppose to fade once you changed but maybe it took a while. It had only been what? An hour? Two at the most. I could finish up the movies in a day. Just one day and then I'd see my babies. That sounded reasonable.

Since I knew this part of my life, I focused more on Gabriel's. I was able to speed it up to the point where I had to pay careful attention just to keep up. Gabriel's fifth hunt, his tenth. I watched as the years passed on and Gabriel kept a watchful eye on his son. His wife had married the lover that lived only a few days after Gabriel's "death". His son looked so much like Gabriel, there could be no doubt to his paternity. That, and his son had a birthmark on his neck that was similar to the birthmark Gabriel's mother had. Her necklace covered it up. It was my necklace now.

I watched and learned so much as Gabriel's life flashed before my eyes. Not only could I understand the Italian –as well as Spanish, French, Ancient Greek, Latin, and a bit of Japanese thanks to going back over those in my memory- but I got so much of Gabriel's personality now. The beard pulling he got from his father. I had caught that quickly. The smoldering volcano temper of his was what he got from him mother. He was hard to anger but watch out when you tipped that line. He loved his son and made sure that his son married properly. He would not let his only child fall into the same mistake he did.

Even though neither party knew, Gabriel constructed a series of letters to introduce Francesco with a proper young lady who lived a couple of days away. In today's distances, it was only maybe forty miles. But back then, it took forever even on horse back. Once his son was properly married, Gabriel kept his hands out of the affairs. He only visited the castle once while everyone was sleeping to gather a few things of value. He grabbed his mother's necklace, her earrings, some other bits of jewels and fine cloth –all of which he could sell if he needed to. He had learned over the past decade that even as a vampire, he needed money. If nothing else, it helped to buy clothing and therefore not have the entire town look for some traveling thief. Curious eyes became accusing and would soon track down the vampire. He didn't want to attract anymore attention that needed.

My story was near its end. My eyes popped open as the babies broke my ribs. I think. It hurt like hell was all I could remember of it. Gabriel and Edward rushed to get the twins out. Edward pushed me full of some sort of medication and Kate left as my eyes fell closed. By still, the movie played on like it really was some third eye in the room. I wondered why but didn't mind it too much.

Gabriel cut through my skin and through the womb to get the children out. It was almost like he was kissing my dead skin over my stomach until I heard the tearing of metal sound. Even now, as a vampire, that sound hurt my teeth. My babies! I could finally see my babies! My little boy, Luca, had blue eyes just like his daddy had when he was human. My little girl had my green eyes. I was glad of that. They were both blond and both the most breathtakingly beautiful creatures I had ever seen even if they were still covered in my blood. As my heart slowed and Edward cleaned the twins up, placing them in the incubator, Gabriel shot my heart with the syringe. He changed me.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed. Even as my own movie began to fade into the background now that I was caught up with my life, I concentrated more and more on Gabriel's life. It consisted of hunting, roaming, sexing pretty much any single female vampire he came across, and watching out for his family. The generations passed and he never grew any older. He said once that he had already committed a multitude of sins to become the monster he was. Since he was going to Hell, why not enjoy the ride while he was heading there. It was his excuse for his multiple lovers. Although, he seemed to only take one ever few decades or so. Once she spoke of being mates, Gabriel would take off and go to roaming again.

His family… His son died and I felt like crying with my husband. When his grandchildren and great grandchildren died, Gabriel went numb. His life, his existence, became routine. He did nothing but hunt for a long while. Still, he kept up with the family, ran into other vampires from time to time, but his entire life was nothing more than a blur of hunting and nothingness. For nearly four hundred years it was like that…until he came to America. It was then I started to see more familiar faces.

I could now places faces to names I had only heard of or read. I could see the turn of the century buildings and watched with wide eyes as the world changed around Gabriel. He had spent so much time just hunting the random travelers and thieves of the forests that I didn't realize how much time had passed.

Before Edward came into the picture, I saw Gabriel's darkest of days. He became like the sadistic Incubus; taking pleasure out of the black widows he hunted. They were evil women but to see him like that again and again… This was not what I wanted to know.

He cleaned up his act, a bit, upon meeting Edward. It was odd to see the two of them working in tandem. My cousin and my husband… But it did explain a lot of their inside jokes. I was going to have to get Edward back for the "Flying Squirrel" comment. Ginsie did not look anything like that when Emmett took the pup to the doggie salon in Seattle. Really. Flying Squirrel. Some name for a bar anyway.

"Just another day, I think" I heard Alice say. I hadn't paid the least bit of attention to the voices around me for a while. How long had it been? Just a few hours, I suppose. I couldn't take my eyes off the movie playing before me. It was so hard to ignore. Still, another day? What did Alice mean by another day? I would be done with this in an hour or so, I thought.

"She is still so quiet," Gabriel whispered painfully. "It has been ten days thus far, Alice."

Ten days?!? What did Gabriel mean by ten days? It had only been ten hours, I thought. If that much. I tried to think back and think over everything I had heard. I started to count my husband's breaths and watch the movie at the same time, pacing it. Quickly, I calculated and was aghast at myself when I realized he was right. It had been ten days. Twelve days since my precious babies were born. Where was Bella? Was she alright? Where were my babies?

As all my worries and fears came to the forefront of my mind, I opened my eyes, ignored the rest of the movie in my head, and saw everything.

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**Author's Note:** So...what do y'all think? Review!


	81. BIII Cxxi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I have a very silly puppy dog that seems to think that lying on the pile of "needs to be repaired" clothing is perfectly fine.

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I think a few people are going to be shocked by this chapter a bit. I don't think everyone got the gravity of Elizabeth's abilities. Hopefully, this will shed a bit of light on it. Her mind will constantly be torn in two or three different directions. Trying to describe everything she now sees is ridiculously difficult so I know I'm going to leave some stuff out. Sorry!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 21

The world was not the same. Or I was not the same. Well, both, really. I sort of sat up and opened my eyes at the same time. Really vampire-out-of-the-crypt like really. Figures I'd try that. What I saw was just weird.

I could still see the movie. It was sort of like a holographic screen playing before my eyes but I could also see the world around me. Gabriel looked frantic. My poor husband looked to be at his wits end but he also looked devastatingly handsome. My human eyes hadn't been clear enough to capture his true beauty.

Even though I was still watching the movie –I was up to where Edward left to go back to Carlisle and Esme- I was also watching everyone and everything else. I didn't have to pay attention to one and get tunnel vision, essentially ignoring the other. I could, but it wasn't completely necessary anymore. My brain managed to compute both, like some super high speed computer…and like I had been running on a 386 before. I don't think they've made 386's in a decade or two.

Actually, to say Gabriel was handsome was a sin. He was way beyond handsome. Part of me wanted to ignore the rest of the movie but I'm not sure I could. I sat there, watching it, eyes open, while watching my husband, Alice, Jasper, and…the twins. My babies! My angels weren't here anymore.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel whispered as I turned my head to see where my children had been. The incubator was still there but they weren't. Maybe they were downstairs? I tried to push the movie –the vision, I guess- to the back of my mind, I realized something else, everyone had auras about them. It was sort of like what I would see when I got migraines as a human, except sharper.

Gabriel was surrounded in an odd deep purple and blue aura with just hints or maybe splotches of yellow and black in it. The black wasn't a pretty color at all. It wasn't the smooth jet or onyx that I loved but rather more like that I remember of muck, of sewage along the side of the road in the city. I didn't like it mixed in with the glorious violet blue.

Alice, who was trying to get my attention, was surrounded in a cherry red. It was beautiful like holly berries at Christmas or like a pretty red bow on the Fourth of July. Despite her worried face and anxiously moving lips, the color surrounding her was almost happy looking –if colors could look happy.

Jasper's aura was hard to see at first but I realized that was because it was composed of a couple of layers. He had one aura that was a soft heather gray, the kind that reminds me of Ireland in the spring, and another that was sort of like a clear wavy line. It looked like he was surrounded by water but there was nothing but air around him. Of course, his face was covered in scars, so much so that I wanted to cringe. However, it was amusing to see the clear aura reach out and touch Alice's bright red one. Alice seemed to calm instantly.

My babies. They weren't in the room anymore. I tried to listen for them but the movie and it's soundtrack were too encompassing to let me investigate much beyond the room. Where were my children? Who had them? Where they okay now? Had they gained enough weight? I wanted my babies! I wanted to see them with my own defective eyes!

"Amore?" Gabriel whispered as he let go of my hand to twist me towards him. My legs fell off the bed as I faced him, his hands now on my shoulders. I tried hard to push the movie away –now in the mist of the Great Depression- but nothing happened. It was still playing even though Gabriel no longer held my hand.

"It's a vision," Jasper stated quickly. I saw his wavy, clear, aura reach out for my almost rainbow like one. My own aura, I realized, looked like a bubble when the light hits it, a mix of all the colors swirling in an infinite ballet. It was beautiful. Great, I'd be just as narcissistic as Rosalie now –constantly looking at myself just to contemplate my own beauty. It least for me it would be because of my aura and not my physical features, I think. Well, maybe that isn't any better.

"A vision?" Gabriel asked, confused and worried. I could see Jasper nod from my peripheral vision. Alice came around and tucked herself underneath Gabriel's arm to get a better look at me I supposed.

"Her eyes," Jasper started. "Alice's used to get like that before she learned to close them," he continued with a wary smile. Alice shot him back a flashing grin –a beautiful rainbow exploding as she opened her mouth as the light bounced off her teeth- before she turned back to me and looked at me critically. Being a full head and a half shorted than Gabriel, she wasn't in his way.

Alice's spiky black hair was outlined in the cherry red of her aura. It looked rather lovely, the contrast of red and black, but then again, it had always been one of my favorites. The movie continued to play. Gabriel was still in Chicago, taking down a reporter this time who had ties to the mob, even though Edward had left to find Esme and Carlisle. Tilting her head to the side, Alice continued to look at me critically. "Maybe hitting her would bring her out of it," she mused. I didn't understand. Bring me out of it? I had tried and every time I try, it gets worse!

Gabriel's jaw clenched but he didn't argue with Alice. Instead, he gently pushed her towards her husband with one hand and kept the other hand on my shoulder. "Tesorina?" Gabriel breathed.

"Edward did mention that she was seeing the history of everything she touches or that touches her," Jasper mused aloud. Alice looked up at her husband's thoughtful face curious. I noticed Jasper's clear wavy aura now extended over her too and Alice's cherry red aura turned…smooth for lack of a better word. Huh.

"But she's still in it," Gabriel said. His voice was filled with such misery that I tried to break out of it again but it was like the movie was blocking me. It kept capturing my attention so badly that I didn't want to ignore it. Gabriel was roaming now. He was going to head back towards New York and leave the streets of Chicago.

"Elizabeth?" Esme called to me. I shot my head around and everyone looked surprised. Oh, right. I hadn't spoken yet. It really hadn't even occurred to me to try and speak over the noise. The two different soundtracks –one of the past the other of the present- were so jumbled in my skull the speaking to either seemed almost a ridiculous notion. Why would you talk to the characters on a screen? Except this was the present, not the vision. I think….

I heard the gasps and saw Esme take a step closer to me. "Careful, Esme. She's a newborn and we don't know what's going on with her vision," Jasper warned her. Esme smiled a bit at her son before ignoring him and taking another step closer.

Placing her hand gently on Gabriel's upper arm, Gabe moved only a bit to the side, allowing Esme to stand in front of me. "She can see us and hear us to an extent at least," Esme calmly told Jasper before looking at me. "Elizabeth, sweetheart, your children and Ginsie are downstairs. You can't see them until you've hunted. I know you've just woken up but until you hunt and until you manage to snap out of this, you can't leave this room," she told me sincerely. It reminded me of when I was four and I had just gotten my tonsils out. My Mom told me I couldn't come home with her to see Dusty unless I ate the icky jello…

Rather than pushing the movie out, like I was pushing it forward and ahead of me, I pushed it back, like I was placing it in the back of my thoughts. For whatever reason, that seemed to work. The movie faded from my eyes and I could actually see for the first time. What I thought were already brilliant colors was nothing compared to what I could see now. I blinked as I looked at the dark wood and off white walls of Carlisle's library, realizing the different colors in the dark wood –red, brown, black- and in the off white. There was just a slight hint of the eight colored rainbow glancing off the walls as the light hit it.

Esme gave me her tentative smile. I tried to smile back when I felt the burn in my throat. I hadn't thought a thing about it until just then. It was an odd feeling. It wasn't like I was thirsty, really, it was more like I needed to drink and quickly. Honestly, it felt almost exactly like how my throat felt after I ate something I was highly allergic too –scratchy, parched, and itchy- right before my throat swelled up and I'd have to figure out where the heck I put my epi pen. They don't make epi pens for vampires, do they?

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel whispered, searching my eyes this time. I didn't even really think about it, I just hugged him tight. He sounded out of breath when he gently said my name with a hint of a warning. Casting his eyes down at me, I realized I accidentally hurt him. Oops. I glanced at the floor again and realized what I was wearing. I quickly sent a glare over to Alice.

Jasper stood in front of his wife protectively. Considering the amount of times I've glared at Alice before, I found Jasper's narrow eyed look disconcerting. It only took a half second to realize why; none of the family had actually dealt with a newborn that had been prepared before. Oh, Bella and Edward read about it, as had I, but to experience something was always totally different than anything your imagination could come up with. I should know; I am _here_. I didn't drop my glare though.

"Pink silk evenin' gowns, Alice?" I asked her. She grinned behind her husband. Jasper's wavy aura was starting to come back towards me again when I quickly shot my glare to him. "Don't evahn think about it, Jasper," I warned him.

"How'd you..?" he started as his narrowed eyed look turned to one of confusion and dismay. I heard my husband chuckle behind me. I turned quickly. That was an odd feeling within itself. I use to always be terrified of falling or tripping –a throw back to when I was a teenager and just as bad as Bella- but that fear wasn't there. Odd.

"Ya aren't getting off the hook, either, Gabriel. You let her dress me like this," I glared at him. Gabriel grinned which seemed to set Jasper off edge.

"Gabriel," Jasper warned. I guess he was still worried I was like every other newborn he had ever known. I didn't feel like it. Other than the vision and the very surreal feel of being in two places at once thanks to my visions, I felt like me –sort of.

"Alice gave me two choices, amata mia. The pink evening dress or a green one," he teased. I narrowed my eyes at my husband but I'd get him back later. When I turned back to Alice, Jasper appeared even more confused.

"Do ya have any idea how annoyin' it is to see how silk is made? Or see everyone that evah touched the fabric as it was made into the dress?" I asked her pointedly. Alice just smiled more and moved around Jasper. Jasper actually hissed at her but Alice shrugged him off.

"Trust me, Jazz. This isn't anything you've see before," she said before turning back to me. Alice gave me the perfect sad puppy face that was completely and totally irresistible and she knew it. "But I thought you liked the pretty dresses," she told me, her big golden eyes looking into mine. It was like staring down a hurt child that was lost from her parents. I narrowed my eyes further.

"You are a cruel creature, Alice," I muttered at her before quickly finding the safety of my husband's arms from the death ray of cuteness.

"How is she…?" Jasper mumbled from behind me. Alice just giggled. I could feel Esme's hand on my shoulder. It was odd –I guess that's the word of the day- because, even though I had my eyes closed, I could still see the various colors of the auras around the room. Gabriel's violet blue surrounded me and Esme's lavender gently seemed to envelop my shoulder at the edges of my vision.

Two more –no, three more- colors came into my sight. Although I hadn't seen those auras before, I recognized them. Emmett's green, Rosalie's strawberry milk pink, and Carlisle's pale gold illuminated the back of my eyelids as they all stood at the door. I turned my head more towards them and opened my eyes to see them. By that time, Carlisle had already started speaking with everyone gathered.

"We came back as soon as we heard. How long as she been up?" Carlisle asked at large as he slowly came over to me.

"I'm fine, Carlisle," I grumbled, burying my head back into Gabriel's arms and chest. I didn't care if I couldn't blush anymore. I just wanted to leave and stop being the center of attention for a second. Can't we go hunt yet? My throat feels all funny.

The golden aura I had seen –which was a very different color from the ugly yellow that seemed to pollute a bit of the blue violet in Gabriel's aura as well as a bit of Jasper's and Rosalie's- stopped at the edge of my peripheral vision. I like Carlisle's gold; it was more like the color I always thought gold should be.

"The visions?" Carlisle asked, curious as always. I could feel Gabriel shrug as he held me protectively.

"She seemed to try end them once Alice and Jasper entered the room. Upon Esme speaking with her, Elizabetta appeared to come out of it fully," Gabriel explained calmly. I could feel the happiness in his tone though. I guess he was just as glad that I finally woke up as I was.

"Perhaps," Carlisle began but I interrupted him as another thought entered my head. I had just seen the incubators again when I opened my eyes, turning slightly away from the door.

"The twins?" I asked, almost longingly. I wanted my babies. I only had them inside of me for twenty seven days but I had become accustom to them in that short time.

"They are downstairs, sweetheart. They're safe," Esme told me sweetly. I bit my lip, wondering who had them. Only Edward and Bella weren't here of the immediately family. Maybe the Denali clan was still here as well? That would explain why I heard the slightest hint of a growl in Gabriel's throat when Esme said they were safe. After all, Gabriel would never growl at Esme!

I nodded, still biting my lip. "Oh, I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Carlisle started as if he suddenly realized something. "You must be quite thirsty after all of this. If you don't mind, I would like to speak with you more later," he more asked than stated, excited like I was some new curiosity. I suppose I was. I only nodded, meaning to indicate I would talk to him later.

"Come, amore," Gabriel said as he gently pulled me out of the room that had been my crypt for the past two weeks. Actually, I hadn't really set sight outside of these walls much for the past month. Given the trauma the twins had taken on my human body, Carlisle didn't like me leaving his office at all –where the ultrasound, X-ray, and other medical equipment was kept hidden behind the bookshelves. It was all very Bruce Wayne, I suppose, but it was pretty cool to watch the bookshelves twirl around like that.

Outside of the safety of the office, I stopped and hissed slightly. I had pressed my hand against the doorframe as I stepped into the hallway and I guess that was my first mistake. Rather than see the hallway, I saw everyone that had passed through that hallway speed by since the house was made. It wasn't until someone pushed me –breaking the contact I had with the doorway- that it faded and I could push the forgotten ghosts of the past into the back of my head where I could ignore them.

Alice rushed by me and came back a second later with a pair of white, long sleeved, gloves still fresh in their packaging. "Here, you'll need these for now. It will take you about ten minutes to get adjusted to them but it should be better than any vintage pair," she told me as I stepped toward her. I let the younger looking girl place the gloves on me. Jasper was, of course, hesitant to let his wife so close to a newborn but he didn't stop her either. I hissed again as she placed the gloves on and I could see the silk worms being boiled alive so that the thread of the cocoons weren't broken. When I did come out of it, gloves on, Alice was behind Jasper. Jasper was right in front of me, looking down at me like a drill sergeant would a new recruit –I suppose that's what I was in his head- and Gabriel holding on to my shoulders protectively.

"The gloves should help stop the visions from coming so quickly," Alice whispered once I blinked.

"Thanks," I whispered back. Esme and Carlisle were to one side of an open window while Rose stood impatiently to the other with Emmett. Looking at the gloves that went up to the mid part of my upper arm, I realized how apt my old High School nickname was; Rogue. I suppose I really was like Rogue now from the X-men. My accent wasn't as thick, of course, but I did need to wear gloves to prevent me from seeing everything about a person's past. Of course, I also needed them to prevent me from seeing any object's past as well. And I did have super strength now. Too bad I couldn't fly…and too bad the rest of my family had super strength too. Well, I'd be the strongest for another couple of weeks! Huh, that would be fun; me versus Bella in a newborn arm wrestling championship.

I heard Jasper mutter something too low for even me to hear. I looked over at him confused. His wavy aura seemed to dance around him like he wasn't sure if he wanted to extend it or not. "I'm fine, Jasper. I just…" I sighed. I just what? Was thinking how odd this all was still? Jasper gave me a funny look and Alice giggled.

"No, she can't," Alice chirped happily to her husband. I also heard a familiar chuckle downstairs. Edward.

"Amore?" Gabriel asked, slowly turning me towards him again. He was still acting as if I were made of glass. Maybe old habits are hard to break? I rose my eyebrow at him. "Let's hunt," he teased.

It was so simple. I thought about jumping and I jumped. Gabriel had pretty much walked out of the window as if there was nothing more than a step down, and not the twenty foot drop. Realizing I was more likely to create a crater than I was to get hurt, I hopped out the window soon after. The ground was spongy beneath my feet. Thank God Alice put flats on me. I guess that might have been a Gabriel or Bella request. I didn't like heels. Being as tall as the guys always made me on edge.

I grinned at Gabriel when I landed and he smiled back. I could feel more pairs of eyes on me now. I started to turn, to look back at the house, by Gabriel pulled my gloved hand. "Later, amore. You have been asleep for a long while and need to hunt," he whispered. Hearing the heartbeats, I realized who was at the window. Our children, the wolves, and Bella. I nodded, not even wanting to think of possibly hurting Bella or the kids. I would never want to do that.

The river was a very quick split second walk from the house. Only a half second passed between Gabriel jumping over it and my jumping over it. I saw my husband do it and I automatically knew how. Of course, I had also seen him perform similar stunts in Europe and one the East Coast in my vision of his past. It was something I had already seen a few hundred times so doing it myself seemed a rather easy trick. What I wasn't prepared for was the exhilaration of it.

Soaring through the air was just as much fun, well even more fun, as a vampire than it was as a human. As a human, I loved rollercoasters and riding around in the M3 with the top down, going a hundred MPH. I liked the feeling of the wind against my face, blowing my hair back, and I liked the adrenaline. That feeling was sort of doubled now. It was more like the feeling I got when I was little and I realized how fast I could skip and how high I could jump. I felt bouncy.

The world looked so different as well. Rather than the green on green that made up the Pacific Northwest, the world was filled with color now. The trees, the rocks, everything had auras. They weren't as vibrant or as visible as around the members of my family, but they were there. The greak oaks had a pale golden brown outline around them and the pines had a smoky blue. Each tree even seemed to have slightly different shades on their outlines or auras. Even the river had a peaceful blue hint to it although the water never looked blue before to me.

Giggling as I ended up in a tree, I hopped down from the feather soft branches -coated in a smokey outline- and ignored the pine sap I was getting in my hair. Gabriel caught me in his arms with an amused expression on his face. Looking into my lover's eyes, I forgot that we were supposed to be hunting. My left arm found it's way around his neck as my right hand pressed against where his heart was. My lips found his instantly.

Kissing was completely different. We were no longer fire and ice, but two perfectly matched people. My lips fought with his and held their own. My left hand crept into his long brown locks as I pulled him –gently- towards me to deepen the kiss. Gabriel tried to pull back after twenty three seconds but I wouldn't let him. He muttered something against my bottom lip which I didn't understand. Letting him up a bit, I looked at him with curious and hurt eyes. Didn't he still want me? Had I been right? Was I the first ugly vampire in history? After all, Alice didn't offer to show me what I looked like in the mirror.

One look in his eyes and I knew that wasn't the case. His eyes were just as black as the night sky. "Hunt," Gabriel grunted. I nodded. He seemed to debate about putting me down again but slowly my feet touched the earth and we took off running. Now, I get to hunt my own wolverines and elks! Uck. Elk blood.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, a bit different from when Bella woke up in Breaking Dawn. Wait until Elizabeth finds out about the wolves. ::giggles::


	82. BIII Cxxii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **Sorry this is a bit late. I went to see New Moon (woohoo!) and ended up staying on the other side of the state until today. :-) I hope you like this one. Elizabeth gets to hunt!

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 22

Now that I was away from the house and now that I had gloves on, the visions slowed even more in the back of my head. I could pay attention to them, if I wanted to, but I was more interested in where Gabriel was leading me than his exploits during the Great Depression. The woods were familiar even though they looked totally different through my vampire eyes. It wasn't a multitude of only two or three shades of green anymore, there were browns and blacks mixed in, nearly microscopically, with the varying shades. Adding the auras only made this place seem like the Emerald City as designed by Tolken's elves.

It was when Gabriel stopped that I realized where we were and where he wanted to bring me for my first hunt; our strange little grove. We were engaged when he first brought me here. I remembered the odd furry trees and the small waterfall that now sounded even more beautiful and looked all the more brilliant with my new eyes. Gabriel had told me he found this place while hunting.

I slowly twirled around, looking at the auras, the colors, and getting a feel for the forest. It felt odd. It looked odd. As I tried to orient myself, Gabriel's aura and then his arms enveloped me. The aura's of the trees seemed to bend towards me. The movie that I thought I had pushed safely to the back of my head began to press forward again. But more than that, I could see the forest as it was just minutes ago. I think. A herd of deer running by; some small furry critters passing; oh, and a mountain lion had been here recently. I tried to look through that vision to see as to when but all I could see was the fall of darkness. It could have been last night or last year for what little I know. That will be annoying.

"Amata mia?" Gabriel whispered in my ear. I swallowed, which was hard to do given how parched my throat was and how scratchy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to drink or if I wanted to get the anti-histamine pills. I doubt the later would help.

"I…" I started before turning around in his arms. I guess my eyes looked funny because the smile fell away from Gabriel's face. Or was I the first ugly vampire in history? I wouldn't put that past God. He would think that was funny.

Quickly, I looked down, breaking the contact between us easily and taking a step back. I would have never been able to do that when I was human. Getting out of Gabriel's hold was impossible unless he let me go. Now, it was like breaking free from a paper chain; easy.

Taking two steps as I walked towards the tiny waterfall, I shook my head. "I still see…everything. It's harder…" I whispered. I didn't want to tell him that it was harder to ignore the visions when he held me but that was the truth. When we ran, I thought they were gone but the truth was they were still back there, playing along, only to push to the surface when he got close. What if every time Gabriel got close, the movie restarted? I don't think I'd like that. I also liked the idea of my husband never kissing me again a lot less.

"Your visions?" Gabriel asked quietly, not moving from his spot. I nodded in response. I think I heard him gulp but I wasn't sure why. It wasn't until I heard a thud and the crinkle of the leaves and needles that I thought to turn around. There, my husband knelt, his hands limp by his side as his hair hung down, not allowing me to see his beautiful face.

"Gabriel?" I gasped. I didn't even think about it, I just wanted to be at his side and I was. Who cares about Alice's pretty pink silk gown? It was going to have mud stains and moss on it anyway given that this was supposed to be my first hunt.

Placing my gloved hands on either side of his face, I pushed the luscious brown locks away so I could at least attempt to see him. "Gabriel?" I asked quietly, kneeling myself so I could see him. I bit my lip when his eyes opened, a soft black with just a hint of amber.

"How can you be here so calmly if you have seen all that I have done?" he asked me incredulously. My eyes faded from his and I rocked back on my heels. Did Gabriel not want me? No. It was just that he knows I know everything now. He's worried I'll leave. That's all.

"You aren't that person anymore, Gabriel. I've seen you come through the worst of it, both in my visions and with my own eyes," I whispered, looking down. I had seen him at his worst –his very worst. In the visions when he began to prey upon anyone who had a sin against them, when he took to bed the "black widows" and feasted from them as he… I didn't want to think about it. Gabriel turned his back on all that long ago. He had started to go after the serial killers, the rapists, the ones that didn't have a chance of being reintroduced to society again by the time he met up with Edward. He was chasing demons not sinners.

And then I saw him change with my own eyes. He was no longer the nomad that feasted upon any villain that crossed his path; he was civilized now. Well, as civilized as my Gabriel could be. He had become a vegetarian vampire; so much so that I noticed when he brought me the predator blood and only took to drinking the herbivore blood himself. Gabriel thought I was sleeping when he told Carlisle that he would not have his wife drinking anything less than what I was craving. If I wanted wolverines and bears, then that's what I'd have. He'd stick to the herbivores so as to not cause any undo environmental issues. He hadn't given up anything ever before since the death of his son. I noticed that. I knew that. He didn't sacrifice anything for anyone until he met me.

"What if I turn again? What if I decide this life is not for me?" he asked. I could see the edges of his blue-violet aura trying to come towards me and then pulling back, like the aura itself was hesitant. I looked down and away, closing my eyes; what little good that did me. I could still see the blue-violet light behind my eyelids.

"If you didn't want me anymore, I suppose I'd stay here. Raise the children," I barely managed to whisper.

I felt Gabriel's hand on my chin and could see the brilliant blue-violet get even brighter before I felt his lips on mine. Bewildered, I opened my eyes. "I will never want anything other than you. I will never leave your side nor shall I leave our children until you tell me to leave," he whispered back. I narrowed my eyes, confused.

"But you said," I started only to be hushed with a single finger to my lips. I kissed that and watched even the slightest hint of color leave Gabriel's eyes. Well, I guess I can't be that ugly if he still gets all hot and bothered with a simple kiss like that.

"I said," Gabriel started, his voice sounding hoarse. I tried not to smile as he cleared his throat. "If this life, this sedentary lifestyle was no longer for me, then I would take my wife and children with me. You, I will never leave," he said. I did smile slightly at that.

"You'd kidnap me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Again?" I tacked on. After all, he did kidnap me once already; taking me away from Esme and almost taking me away from Miss Ginsie as well. Of course, if he hadn't done that, I might not be alive. We certainly wouldn't have a cordial relationship with Demetri and Felix and I'm not sure what would happen with Gabriel.

"It would not be a kidnapping. You are my wife and you are to follow me as your husband. It is not up to a wife to…" Gabriel started until he saw the look I was giving him. I was standing up now; towering over him for once. Based on the look he gave back, he knew he was digging his own grave. Lucky for him, he could dig back out of it being a vampire and all.

"The couch?" he asked with a sigh as he stood up. I nodded. He was totally going to be on his own, in the living room, for the next couple of days if he kept that line of thought up. He sighed again and gently touched my shoulders but didn't embrace me. The look on his face was more asking my permission, seeing if this was alright. I nodded again. I was okay, for now.

"Breathe, tesorina. There is something nearby that will help your thirst," he told me. Closing my eyes, I took a breath and could smell the musky scent of the forest, my beloved husband's patchouli and sea salt, and something not too far away. It smelt like rawhide and some sort of wet animal. I wrinkled my nose.

"Deer, for now. I would try to find something more desirous but I wish to sedate your thirst a bit," he told me, worry in his eyes. I shook my head.

"Deer is fine even if it smells funny," I told him. I hadn't liked deer when I was human so I doubt I'd like it much now. Oh well. I guess I need to eat my veggies before I can have steak.

Turning me, Gabriel's hands rested on my shoulders. His lips came close to my ear as he whispered, "Listen for the heartbeat. Let your instincts take over and lunge for your prey."

Closing my eyes, I tried to listen for the heartbeat but all I could do is see Gabriel's aura and the vision slowly coming to the forefront again. It was the start of World War II now in Europe and Gabriel was thinking of heading over to fight. I could also see the forest around us but it was like watching everything backwards. I was trying to make sense of it when I felt someone shaking me.

Opening my eyes, I could still see the vision but I could also see Gabriel. His eyes were worried and he breathed a sigh of relief once I opened my eyes. "Amore, you had me," he started to say but I wasn't about to let him finish. Being in this place, I remembered the last time we were here too. It was during one of our in-between honeymoon vacations. We'd check back every so often and…well, right now, I had a strong urge to recreate what we did last time we were here.

My lips held their own against Gabriel's as I threw my arms around him. I think he stumbled backwards a bit before he held me tighter. Now, I was the one that had to be careful; at least for the first year or so. A loud but deep growl erupted from Gabriel's chest. When I looked past him, I realized we were on the ground. Oh. I guess it was more than a stumble. "The twins," he managed to mutter out before locking his lips with mine again.

It only took that word to change my mood completely. Twins. My babies. I had to see them with my own eyes. Slowly, I broke the kiss. I guess we'd have plenty of time for that later. "Hunting?" I questioned. Gabriel smirked, rolled me over and pinned my arms down.

"I suppose we should," he teased as he began to kiss the side of my neck. I began to growl and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to be released from his grip or not.

"Claudia, Luca," I breathed. It took a couple of seconds but our kisses became less fervent, more chaste.

"The deer are still nearby," Gabriel said with a cocky smirk as he helped me up. I looked down at my gown and it was still on which was a big plus.

"Let's go eat those icky things and then go see our children," I said, my voice trailing off at the last part. I wanted to see them NOW but I knew letting me around anything with a beating heart right now probably wasn't the best idea. I had to eat first, then see our perfect babies.

As we ran towards the smell of deer, I thought on our children. It was a heck of a lot easier than thinking on Gabriel. All that did is bring up well, things that we'll do once the babies are asleep in our apartment plus it seemed to bring the vision up rather than keep it nicely tucked at the back of my head.

How would I react to them? Would I be able to control myself? What about Bella? Could I be a vampire and not a newborn around her? Could I see my cousin-in-law, my little niece and not want to drink every last drop of her blood? The very idea was appalling to the rational side of me but not to the newly formed instinctual side. The vampire in me crossed her arms and pouted.

My throat started to flame up more as we got close. I jumped and grabbed one of the bucks, slicing into its neck quickly. As I drained the creature, a vision of it's life popped into my head. The doe pregnant. The first few steps. The learning to fight. Loosing one of the heard to Carlisle, I think. All I could see was a bit of blond hair as he moved quickly, taking out a deer that this one knew. As I drank the last drop, the vision abruptly ended and I threw down the carcass to the forest floor.

"Amore?" Gabriel called to me. I looked up at him, confused by what I had just seen.

"I think," I started before I shook my head. "I want more," I told him truthfully. I did want more to drink. The blood had eased the odd burning/scratchy sensation at the back of my throat. It was like cool water when I was about to have a bad allergy attack. Allergy attack! Brilliant! That's what I'd do! I'd just think that I was allergic to human blood. The first vampire ever to be allergic to human blood. I could easily convince myself of that.

When I was human, smelling things like Mom's sugo or fresh baked pizza always made me hungry but I knew I couldn't eat it. I didn't want to end up back in the ER and I hated my throat swelling up like that. So, I just ignored it and distracted myself. I doubt it would be that different now that I'm a vampire. It was a matter of mind over matter after all.

Smiling, I took Gabriel's hand and looked down at my dress. It was torn to one side and covered in mud and blood. I must look a wreck. Frowning, I tried to brush some of the debris from the silk. I doubt anything could really salvage it.

"Che cos'è, amata mia?" he asked, enveloping me in a hug. I didn't mind despite the vision becoming clearer as he held me. I needed to feel that he still loved me even when I looked like this. But how did I look? I wasn't sure what my own reflection was anymore.

"Gabriel?" I muffled into his shirt. It was about then I realized that I think I was a bit taller than I use to be. I had to slouch a slight bit to fit my head against his neck and beneath his chin.

"Si?"

"Why didn't Alice show me a mirror? Did the transformation make me ugly or something?" I asked, worried. Gabriel was still for a moment and I was terrified that the answer was yes…until he started laughing.

"You think…?" he managed to get out in-between a gaff or two. I stepped away, placed my hands on my hips, and glared at my husband. Seeing the change in my mood her tried to sober up but couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Taking my hand he knelt down before me, almost like he was proposing again. I'm sure if I had a beating heart still, it would have been jumping. As it was, it felt weird to simple not breathe rather than give into my stress responses. "You," Gabriel said smoothly as he kissed my hand, "are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

"But then," I tried to say as he kissed each of my gloved knuckles. Darn dazzling sparklepire. Didn't matter that I could probably do that now too.

"Why didn't she show you?" he asked me my question. I nodded in response as he pulled on my arm, slowly standing, and kissed his way up.

"Because," Gabriel breathed in my ear. "To me, you already were the most beautiful creature and I wanted to be the first one to see your eyes when you saw what I have always seen."

I smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss. "I take it that is the correct answer," Gabriel teased me. It was a long standing joke between us on what was the wrong answer –such as me being his wife and therefore follow his lead- and the right answer. That was the right answer. I nodded before turning to hunt for more critters.

After three deer and even a bear –Emmett will be disappointed about that- I was finally full. I don't think that was really the right way to describe it as much as I couldn't hold anymore blood in me. My throat still felt a bit itchy but it was more like when I'm in a dusty room rather than in the middle of hayfever season eating tomatoes and buckwheat pasta. I can deal with a dusty room.

The same thing happened with each animal I drained. I would see their life flash before my eyes as I drained them only for it to abruptly end as their heart stopped. Maybe when the soul left the body, I could no longer see anything? I did notice the aura around them became weaker -more like the trees or water than it was like a living creature. I guess that means, as vampires, we are still alive since all vampires have extremely bright auras. I suppose I already knew that given the ghost of the vampire that likes to live outside the back porch door anymore.

"Are you ready to go home?" Gabriel asked, laughing at me still. The bear had gotten a chunk of my dress. I was stuck with one strap but Gabriel had been kind enough to loan his jacket. It covered everything that needed to be covered. I'd just change when we got home to see the twins.

My babies must be so big now. Were they walking? Talking? How did they get along with everyone? What about the wolves? I know the Denali's were still here; what did they think of my children?

The fact that I had children was overwhelming to me. I was having trouble even finding a half way decent boyfriend back in March and now I had a husband and two children. Two perfect children. I would never have to give anything up –no one who was a vampire hybrid or a vampire died without it being murder. There was no death, no illness; I got to escape the very worst fears of any mother except…those fears of illnesses and accidents came in a very different form; the Volturi. What would we do about them?

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, the babies are next! Squee! Did you Like it? Hate it? Review, please?


	83. BIII Cxxiii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! Also, welcome to all the new people that added this story this week. Yes, the babies are in this chapter. I promise.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 23

I was scared half to death. I had no idea what to think other than my need to see my –our- children. Gabriel told me that they had kept the babies up in the office with me most of the time until two days ago. They were finally big enough to not need the incubators and Carlisle was no longer concerned that their bodies wouldn't function properly without the extra warmth. They could generate warmth on their own without stunting their growth or other physical problems. They looked to be about the size of your average three month olds. Given that they were pre-mature, everyone seemed impressed by their progress. I only hoped my babies would know me right away.

What if they didn't? What if I had been some abstract statue in the background all this time? Would I scare them? The statue coming to life before them and demanding hugs would probably be traumatizing but is that what I am to them? I wanted to be their mother not a monster to them. I was supposed to wake up ten days ago and, instead, I slept while they grew from premature infants to sweet little babies. I was a horrible mother. I wasn't sure how I'd make it up to my children but I'd try.

As we ran back home, I barely noticed the colors or anything other than the movie still playing out in the back of my head, until Gabriel stopped abruptly in front of me. If I were still human, I would have skidded right into him. As it was, I stopped with only a couple of inches between us. Smiling, I kissed his neck before coming to see what the problem was. However, Gabriel wouldn't let me. He had his arm in front of me, not allowing me to pass him.

"There is one other thing I should mention," Gabriel told me before turning around. His face was grave and I was immediately worried.

"Is it Bella? She's alright, isn't she? What about our children?" I quickly asked, worried. What if I hadn't carried them long enough. I had been nothing more than a weak human after all. Normal twins were hard on a mother's body but, still, I should have been stronger. I should have done something more to keep the babies inside of me just a couple of extra days. What if they had problems now because I had been weak?

"They aren't…I mean, I know I didn't carry them long enough," I whispered. I was too weak. My heart was breaking at the thought I was too weak to protect them, to help my own flesh and blood. The two most precious creatures on the planet to me, my children had problems due to my own weakness. Now they'd be weak and it was all my fault.

"Shh," Gabriel said, kissing the top of my head. I was too far gone to scowl at him. "The twins are well. There is nothing wrong with our children," he told me softly. Looking up at him, I wondered what could be wrong then. I knew there had to be something wrong; his eyes told me that much.

"I wish for you to be calm before I tell you all for I think any violent reaction may hurt more than you realize," Gabriel told me before his own reaction became fierce. "Not that I had not thought of such a reaction myself," he muttered. He began to grumble, in Italian, about the mannaro and I immediately stiffened. I could hear my husband, see his aura as it flowed around him. I could hear the leaves dance in the breeze and the sounds of small animals scurrying about but what I missed hearing was the sound of my blood boiling as it should in my eardrums right about now.

"What?" I hissed, tensed and ready to fight. Gabriel looked at me and quickly placed his hands on my shoulders to hold me in my spot. I seethed there, worried about my worst fears coming true. "They didn't…." I whispered before forcing a look to my husband. "Who?" I asked and then quickly added, "Who imprinted on one of our children?"

Gabriel's expression was like that of stone; a warning. I tried to calm down, but I couldn't. The movie that had been at the back of my head was coming full force to the front of my brain along with other images. I could see some of my family pass by here, even the wolves. I could see the changing of the seasons; past and present intertwined in front of me to the point that I couldn't really tell which was which. Not that it mattered to me right now, I was too angry to care.

"Seth and Leah," Gabriel whispered as he took in my expression. Seth's name disarmed me a bit. I liked Seth. He was a sweetheart and could I really be that angry at him to want to kill him for going all wolfy on my daughter? Not kill, but he was going to be neutered until Claudia was at least 20. Leah. Leah had imprinted on my baby boy?!? I had no idea what to think of that.

That wasn't true, really. I had every idea of what to think of that. They were my children. MINE! I would not share them with anyone other than Gabriel. They were our children. The wolves had no rights to them despite what they may think in those defective, fur clogged brains of theirs.

An angry snarl ripped from my throat. "Elizabetta," Gabriel warned me. My eyes met his, throwing the visions to the back of my head again. He was my focus. "Calm," Gabriel insisted.

"They imprinted on our babies!" I screeched at him. My voice sounded odd to my ears and I saw Gabriel wince. Maybe I was louder –and higher- than I thought I was? I was a second soprano when I was human so I knew my voice could get up there….

"Si, amore. As much as I would like to let you instill your wrath upon them, it would not do well for the treaty or for the rest of the family," Gabriel reminded me gently. True. Taking out Seth and Leah would make everyone upset. Edward had become friends with Seth even without the whole Victoria fighting thing. Esme probably wouldn't like me tearing up her house and Carlisle… My big brother would be disappointed that I injured anyone and that I put the family in harm's way. If Leah was killed, there was no doubt in my mind Sam would react and we'd have the pack after us again. I couldn't stand to have my family hurt like that, no matter what.

I was a horrible mother. Their future mates –I sneered at the very term- had seen and spoken with my own children before I had. My babies' memories wouldn't be of me, but of them and that crushed me. I wanted my children to be mine. When they grew, maybe, I'd let them find their won way in the world but for now they were to be my and Gabriel's angels; surrounded by Aunts and Uncles, not with stupid mutts with screwed up genes.

"I want my babies," I whispered to Gabriel. He searched my eyes –they must be a brilliant red now- and nodded once. This time, when he kissed me on the forehead, I did look up and scowl. Gabriel smirked and took my left hand into his, kissing the finger that held my wedding ring before lowering it and breaking off into a run with me at his side.

I realized I wasn't exactly decently dressed anymore. The skirt to the dress was covered in blood and mud while the top was half torn thanks to the bear. Gabriel's jacket covered everything it should but I didn't want my children's first memory of their mother to be looking like a hildabeast as I emerged from the woods! "Gabe?" I asked as I slowed down. Gabriel followed suit and looked at me. The way his eyes traveled across me made me want to blush but I couldn't do that anymore. Instead, I looked down. "Maybe I should get a new dress first? This one has had it," I told him. "I don't want our children to see me like this," I added.

I felt Gabriel cup my face. Looking up at him, I looked at his eyes quizzingly. There were still gold. His lips crashed against mine before I knew it, his body moved to press me up against a poor tree that probably wouldn't be able to deal with the strain of two rocks crashing against it. "I think you may be right," Gabriel stated, teasingly fingering the remains of the left bodice. "This dress has done its job quite well."

"Gabe," I whispered. It wasn't that I didn't want to, just not right now. We had our children to see! That, and being this close to him, like this, was making his "movie" start to edge out reality. It wasn't exactly something I wanted to happen. I rather liked the present reality.

I heard a chuckle in his voice before Gabriel began to kiss me down my jaw to my neck. I could feel the dress falling away and, as much as I wanted to see my children, it was also hard to say no to this, even this close to the house. It wasn't until I felt Gabriel kneel and gently take one of my flats off that I was able to regain my voice. I opened my mouth to say something when Gabriel pulled out a pair of jeans from just behind the tree we were at and slipped them on me like I was a china doll.

It didn't take me long to figure out exactly what was happening and what had just happened. Yes, I had slowed down, but so did Gabriel. It had almost been like this was the point he had chosen. We were only a half mile, if that, from the house. Based on the scents, this was a common trail everyone used to go in and out of the woods to hunt. My husband hid those clothes here and was probably planning this all along. I scowled at him as the last of me dress fell to the forest floor only to be replaced by a long sleeved t-shirt. Gabriel grinned.

Kissing me on my cheek once I was fully dressed, he whispered, "Later, tesorina." He took my hand and brought that to his lips too, despite the gloves that still covered them. I noticed that the movie once again retreated to the back of my mind. Maybe, once it was done playing, once I knew every action Gabriel had ever taken, every person he had ever met, the vision would stop and never play again? Given that I have perfect recall, I hope so. I didn't want to have a vision every time Gabriel touched me. That would get annoying very quickly.

The closer we got to the house, the more nervous I got. Gabriel wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we slowed and kissed the top of my head. "They love you, amore. Claudia cries until someone brings her up to see you and Luca will climb the stairs on his own if no one catches him first," he said with a mix of awe, pride, and love.

"They can walk?" I asked, my voice shaking. Gabriel gently turned me to look at him. He was smiling but his eyes were even brighter, joyful.

"No, not yet, amore. Not that they are let down much to see if they might be able to," Gabriel stated. I nodded, ignoring his tone of annoyance towards the end. I guess the fur-brains don't let them down much. I hope at least Rose and Esme got to hold them. I'd much prefer that!

When the house came into view, I was hesitant to take the next step. What if the books were wrong? What if Bella did have some super self control? What if her shield helped with that? What if I hurt my babies? I would never be able to live with myself, I knew that much.

Gabriel squeezed my hand again and led me up to the edge of the woods to the familiar meadow that made up the front lawn. It was about then that the smells hit me. I could smell something that brought back that burn again. I wanted to drink it, to eat it, whatever it was. I didn't care about the horrible old wet dog smell that made me want to wrinkle my nose at the same time I wanted to drink whatever it was that smelled so delicious. I could feel the grip on my shoulders but it was really my own mind that made me stop. Freesia. Lavender. I could smell Bella from here. It shouldn't be that potent, should it?

"This is uncalled for!" Gabriel roared. Turning my head to see him, I realized how very rarely I had seen him that angry. Still, he was gorgeous; far better than my human eyes had seen.

"Not my idea," I heard a female voice say to the right of me. Swinging my head around, I saw Leah standing there. She was wearing a summer top and shorts but held a sweatshirt. Oh. Was that were the smell was coming from? I snarled at Leah, angry about the imprint more than her bringing out Bella's sweatshirt.

Leah stopped cold and began to tremble. "Guess that answers that question," she sneered back at me. She began to get into a fight position as I started to twist out of my lover's arms.

"How dare you imprint on my baby!" I screamed at her. That earned a few chuckles from inside the house plus one groan.

Leah stopped short and wasn't trembling anymore. Her expression became confused. "Amata mia, not now. You need to see the twins first," Gabriel whispered in my ear. I barely noticed that Jasper and Emmett had come out on to the porch. They stopped when I screamed about the imprinting. Did everyone think it was about the sweatshirt?

Yes, Bella smelled like something I would love to gulp down but I couldn't do that to her. Bella was my niece and I had zero desire to hurt her now that I understood what that smell was. I kept in my brain that this was an allergic response. It would only get worse. Let Edward laugh at me all he wants but as long as I believe that I'm allergic to human blood, it should make things a lot easier.

I stopped my struggle to tear away from Gabriel. I had gotten one arm free but Leah had jumped back when I tried to swipe at her. My husband was right; we had to see the twins. I'd deal with the fur rugs later.

As Gabriel and I turned towards the house, Emmett looking confused and Jasper looking like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to take charge of the situation, Leah began to move with us. I shot her a glare, her Wedgewood blue aura spiking slightly when I did that, and Gabriel growled at her. "You have no love for our kind. You will leave my wife to see our children, alone," Gabriel ordered, his voice just barely staying calm.

"Exactly!" Leah said, glaring at Gabriel. That only raised my own heckles up and I began to growl lightly at her. "Having her around Luca is even more dangerous than the situation already is in there," Leah responded. And that was pretty much it.

My anger magnified to a point where I really didn't care anymore. All I wanted was to attack the bitch and have her become my new fur coat. She imprinted on my baby, she insulted my husband, and now she was even considering not letting me near my son? She was toast.

A split second later, Emmett had me and I felt my anger disappointing thanks to Jasper. Gabriel's sighs alerted me to where he was; his blue violet aura was kneeling near a shaking Wedgewood blue one. I suddenly felt a bit guilty. I wasn't sure if it was Jasper or not but I was scared of how badly I might have hurt her.

Carlisle came out of the house with a bag at his side. I couldn't see Leah really –although I cold hear her muffled yelps and Carlisle moved to touch her- because both Gabriel and Carlisle were in the way. "A broken arm and possibly a couple of broken ribs," Carlisle pronounced. Good. That much she deserved. I didn't want to hurt her more than that. "I need to move you, Leah, to take X-rays inside. It would be far easier on you if I carried you," Carlisle told her gently. Emmett and Jasper turned me away from Leah so I couldn't see anything anymore.

"Come on, Aunt Sissy. No more beating up the dogs," Emmett teased.

I heard Leah gruffly mention she could walk herself in and I felt Emmett hand me off to someone else. The blue violet aura that surrounded me before his arms did, told me it was Gabriel. I could hear Carlisle arguing with Leah, he really didn't want her walking, but I wasn't paying attention to them. I was more focused on the little white furry bundle that let herself out of the house. Ginsie.

My puppy had been with me through this entire ordeal. She's been my constant companion since I got her back in August of 2003 down in Mississippi. Her ginger spots were even easier to see now with my eyes and I noticed she also had a pale gold aura. It was similar to Carlisle but with a slight more red associated with it. Almost like a rose gold really.

The small pup came up towards me, tail wagging, at full speed until she saw Leah. She growled at the wolf woman, turning around as if the small pint sized pup might protect me from her. Couldn't Ginsie smell that I wasn't human anymore? Not that being human would have made me weaker than my pet pooch.

"Ginsie," I immediately chastised the small dog. She cocked her head to me and then pranced over, still wagging her tail. Gabriel let me go once he realized all I wanted to do is kneel and pick my pup up.

She smelt interesting. It was like smelling a carrot when I was human. I liked carrots but I could easily pass a plate up if I wanted too. Bella's sweatshirt –which was on the ground- smelled far more appetizing, like the lid to a cake plate. I didn't really care; Ginsie was my pup and still the most precious thing I can safely say I own. She was the best $50 I ever spent in my entire life.

Ginsie sniffed my hand as I reached out for the sweet little pup. She looked at me curiously before scotching closer, her tail wagging all the time. "Hi, puppy," I whispered to her. At that, she jumped up and gave me a kiss.

Smiling, I very carefully placed my gloved hand on her back and smoothed out the white and ginger fur. She gave me one of those puppy smiles, her tongue hanging out of her mouth, while trying to dance beneath my hand. "I missed you too," I whispered. I knew my pup well enough to know her hyper actions right at my feet meant she was glad to see me up and about again. Gabriel chuckled behind me.

"Let us go in, amore," he said softly. Nodding, I very carefully picked up Miss Ginsie. She was as light as a feather. I remember holding her like a football when I was human, how heavy 22 pounds were; but now it was like cradling a feather in my arms. A very breakable feather. As softly as I could, I kissed the pup on the head, reminding myself that she could break and had been broken before. I could still feel the rib that never healed right thanks to her first "owner" kicking her. I wanted to hold her tighter but was too scared of hurting my precious pup.

Jasper and Emmett took up the front of our little parade into the house. The smell was stronger here. Human. Werewolf. Vampire….and something else. It was like smelling a human scented candle. I didn't want to eat whatever it was but I did love the fragrance. Gently, I let Miss Ginsie out of my arms and watched as she ran up to Esme.

Esme's lavender aura was interrupted by a beautiful bright blue one around her arms. Seth, who was staying near Esme, looked up at me and backed up a good couple of paces. Good. I didn't want him near my daughter right now.

Rose held a soft coral aura that contrasted the Robin's Egg blue one perfectly. My baby boy. Both women smiled at me as I entered the living room. I guess the Denali's left based on my ability to now place most of the smells. I couldn't smell the additional vampires. I think Edward and Bella must be downstairs in my apartment –which probably was a good thing.

I walked towards Esme and Rose when Jasper moved with me. Alice sighed from the sidelines and walked over to her husband. "It's fine, Jazz, really," Alice told him, holding his arm. Jasper nodded and seemed to give a non verbal to Emmett as well to back off. I gave a small smile to Alice who returned it with one of her lovely full grins. Cherry red auras and eight colored rainbows surrounding her very person.

Gabriel stayed with me as I bit my lip to get a better look at my children. There they both were in my sister and niece's arms. My Luca's hair was already a darker blond than I remembered from my visions. Claudia was a perfect angelic creature with her golden ringlets. Despite the color of their hair, there was no question that they were mine and Gabriel's.

The babies looked to be about the size of your average three month olds. I was heartbroken. I had missed so much while studying my visions. Had anyone even tried to wake me? Luca turned to look at me from Auntie Rose's arms and laughed. Both twins reached for me at the same time and all I wanted to do was hold them.

The family laughed, of course. Both babies seemed to be trying to crawl out from their Aunts' arms although Luca seemed to be having more luck. I reached for Claudia first, since she was closer.

Esme double checked with Alice –although I'm not sure why since she couldn't see the babies- before handing my girl to me. I grabbed for Luca too, before the wiggle worm managed to get out of his Aunt Rose's arms completely. He grinned happily when I picked him up.

Luca had his father's eyes and nose while Claudia inherited the green eyes. At least that would carry on; my green eyes which were similar to Edward's green eyes were there. Luca had my chin and Claudia had my mother's. I began to place each part of them with either myself or Gabriel as my husband wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Your mother wanted to see both of you," he whispered to the twins. How true that was! Now that I had seen them, I never wanted to let them go again. All the feelings I thought I would feel were magnified so much it didn't feel like even my new body could really contain them. I loved them completely.

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**Author's Note:** I hope this chapter came out right. I kept playing with it and I'm still not sure if I like it or not. I didn't want to make it completely like Bella's reaction in BD but I doubted that anyone would act too terribly differently either. Tell me what you think, please?


	84. BIII Cxxiv

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own way a sick puppy dog. Ginsie had another seizure, unfortunately.

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I know. I'm horrible. My only excuse for this being late is that Alice was being a lot louder than Elizabeth lately. Elizabeth was sitting on the sofa, cooing over her babies, with Gabriel pushing me away and Alice jumping up and down saying "Pick me! Pick me!" Hence why I started yet another story. Sorry. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 24

"They got _who_ to play me?" I nearly screeched. Alice giggled from next to Seth –her current version of aspirin. My baby, Luca, looked up at me from in my arms curiously.

"Elizabeth," Jasper warned but I shot him a glare. I was in no mood to be calm. Gabriel gently pulled at my arm and coaxed me back to the loveseat where we had been sitting prior to my outburst. I settled in against my husband, shooting daggers towards Jasper before my eyes narrowed and looked back at Rosalie.

"Amelia Warner," she said again, off-handedly. The magazine article was in her hands. She had picked it up while shopping with Esme. Grocery shopping had long since been a necessity rather than just a way to keep up appearances. Between me and now Bella and the wolves, food was very needed. The twins refused to eat anything, preferring the bottles of blood their aunts and uncles would give them.

"She was in Mansfield Park and Æon Flux," Rose told me as she continued to read the article. Esme was still busy putting away the groceries before Jacob ate them.

"Ugh," I groaned. "And who did they get to play Estelle?" I asked, figuring it would have to be someone completely wrong for the part. I could just see Jacob get his hand slapped by Esme who told him to wait.

"Umm," Rose said as she skimmed the article. "Tiffany Freisberg," she told me. I looked at her curiously. I had no idea who that was but I have yet to meet anyone named Tiffany that had an IQ over a 100…or, at least, used their IQ to prove they were over 100.

"Who is that?" I asked, disgusted with the entire casting choices for the Destiny movies. They got a British girl to play me, a blond to play Gizelle –who looked exactly like Bettie Page in my world-, and some unknown to play Estelle. I didn't even want to think of who they'd get to play Ben –my boyfriend my junior year of High School; God, was that a mistake- or Joxer. Could the Brit even pull off the slightest hint of an American accent? She didn't have to go for full blown Southern but Mid-Atlantic would be nice…

"I haven't the slightest," Rosalie said flippantly before tossing me the magazine. I caught it although Jasper through her a look. He was getting very frustrated with the no-one-is-treating-the-newborn-like-a-newborn attitude that everyone but him had. Over the past few days, it had gotten a lot easier to not act like a newborn

My first big test was with my children, both of whom I was perfectly fine around. Protective, yes, but what new mother wasn't? Jasper thought that the whole Leah incident was evidence that I was a normal newborn until Bella came upstairs. Jasper, Emmett, and Gabriel surrounded me. I looked at each of them like they were crazy until I could actually smell her.

Oh yes, Bella smelt wonderful. The craving she induced in me was like smelling beef stroganoff and chocolate covered strawberries after working hard all day and being starving…when I was human. I could still remember how that would have tasted. Those had been my favorite foods and I would demand as much as I could eat…but one thought stopped all of that. I simply thought I was allergic to human blood and then…nothing. It was pointless to pine after that that will hurt her. I didn't want to instantaneously combust or something –which would be problematic for a vampire.

"Hi, Bella," I managed to say normally. Gabriel held back a chuckle, Emmett didn't. Jasper just looked at me, eyes narrowed, like I was the weirdest thing he had ever seen. He liked it even less when Bella responded…and a lot less when Edward started to chuckle to and told Jasper that I was fine. Edward did seem to think my line of "first vampire with an allergy to human blood" was funny, but he also couldn't fault the results.

So far, I had been around Bella, Charlie, and Sue with no problems. Sue was still wary of me –after all, I did injure Leah even if the injuries didn't last more than a day- but Charlie was fine. He was shocked by my appearance though. Not quite as shocked as I was, but he mumbled something about need to know and didn't ask anything more than "Will that happen to Bells too?"

After we had gotten the twins to sleep that first night, Gabriel took me to our room in the basement. I still hadn't seen myself all day. It wasn't that I wasn't curious, it just wasn't the first thing on my mind. Between the visions, the auras, the twins…well, what I looked like had taken a backseat on the bumper.

So when Gabriel placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me to look into a full length mirror he had put up on the closet door, I was flabbergasted. I didn't know what I had expected but the person looking back at me wasn't the person I had seen in the mirror previously. She was wearing my clothes, she had on my t-shirt, but that was about it. I was drop dead gorgeous.

My hair had always been wavy. When I got out of the shower, it was a mass of soft curls; to the point that Gabriel loved to wash my hair for me just to see it turn from the soft waves into curls again. Or so he claimed. I knew he had other motivations. But now… The girl in the mirror had curly brown hair that went all the way down her back. I guess the sweat from the transformation would have made my hair wet…or, more likely, someone washed my hair and the sweat plus venom "preserved" my hair like that. Gravity wouldn't have the same effect anymore given the preservation of the venom. I'm pretty sure venom would act like a coat, keeping the dead protein cells in the exact same place that they had been –sort of like formaldehyde. My hair would now always be curly.

I next noticed my face. The horrible scar I had had since I was three that went from my eyebrow down around the corner of my eye and lightly to my cheekbone was completely gone. It had followed the natural line of the eye so hardly anyone noticed it but me. Now that it was gone –along with all my other minor scars like the chicken pox ones- I could see how smooth my skin was! I would never suffer from blotchiness again. My skin looked young, even to me. That would be interesting later on, I'm sure.  
The girl in the mirror's nose was perfect. Her lips were perfect. Her eyes no longer had that odd bagginess about them. She looked perfect. I looked perfect. Well, except for the bright red irises but they'd go away soon enough.

The other thing I noticed was how thin I was. I wasn't exactly big to begin with but I knew I was a lot thinner now. I suppose the twins did take a lot out of me. I looked to be no bigger than maybe a size two or four now. I was tiny! Well, in that respect. I was pretty sure now that I had also stretched out a bit. Maybe only an inch but I was taller than what I remembered.

Gabriel slowly came up behind me, resting his head against my shoulder as he began to kiss my neck. His hands smoothed out the sides of my t-shirt and jeans, moving their way around me. "That's me?" I whispered, already knowing the answer. The aura was the same bubble rainbow that I had seen since I opened my eyes.

Chuckling against my jaw now, Gabriel replied, "You always were beautiful." I continued to look in the mirror.

"All the scars? They are gone?" I asked him for clarification. There were a few scars only Gabriel had seen.

"I didn't check but I can now," Gabriel stated, a low rumble building in his chest. I laughed lightly as we ended up on the bed. Too bad. I liked that bed.

Esme was helpful on getting the remains of the bed, sheets, and everything else that got destroyed out of the house. Emmett tried to make a joke but I glared at him…and hit him. He then tried to give me the super sad little boy face –he was really almost as good as Alice and her deathray of cuteness- but I pointed to myself and simply said "newborn". Emmett grumbled about that. Too bad the excuse won't hold up for long.

Actually, it was hardly holding up now. It had almost been a week since I came out of my vision. I still wore the gloves around the house –to afraid of that happening again although something told me none of my family members would really mind much if I happened to know every action they ever took-, just not at night. Jasper already left once –when Bella and I were sitting next to each other on the couch- he mumbled about not understanding it and went across the river. Edward grinned at that; Bella and I both shrugged.

Bella. Yes, she smelled good but I wasn't about to hurt someone I loved like that. Staying calm around her was pretty easy, especially if I had one of my babies with me. The twins could talk and already were asking when their cousin would be able to play too. I explained to them it would still be a few more days. It was September fifth already.

The twins talking was disconcerting. Seeing the three month –almost four month old bodies now- speak in full sentences bothered me. I knew it wasn't right. Luca's first words to me were "Mommy! Up, please!" when I went into greet them the morning after I had gotten out of the vision. Which wasn't nearly as unnatural as Claudia's "Mommy? Will Uncle Demetri be over today?" spoken words.

The fact that my daughter had spoken a sentence was cause for alarm enough. The fact that she called Demetri "Uncle" made me question exactly what had been going on since I had been changed. Had the Guard really gotten that close to my family? What about Santiago? He hadn't had to deal with me for nearly as long as Demetri and Felix. Those two chased me from New York to Maryland and then came to clean out the newborns in Seattle. Santiago only joined them recently due to the loss of Alec and Jane.

Then, of course, there were those worried. Who would tell the Volturi about my beloved children? How would word of them get out? Not by Demetri or Felix –they had both promised- but Santiago? I still wasn't sure about him. And when would the Volturi come here?

I hugged my Luca closer to me, just thinking on the Volturi. I didn't want them to come here. I didn't want them to know about the twins or Renesmee until the children were grown. Couldn't they just wait six or seven years. But then again, a part of me wanted to show everyone their true colors. With Jane and Alec out of the way, the Guard was hurting. And, given the way Demetri and Felix acted when they came over, the Guard was down almost by half. Their heavy hitters were gone.

So what would they do? Would they come at us straight on still? Would they try a different approach? Should we be collecting witnesses already or could we wait until the Volturi were somehow informed of the babies? I wasn't sure.

Deep in my own thoughts, and barely paying attention to the magazine Rosalie had thrown at me – Tiffany wasn't ugly enough to play Estelle-, I hardly noticed when a large stuffed bear floated toward me. Despite having seen objects float around for the past few days, the bear still startled me. When I gasped, Luca looked up and the bear dropped. "Sorry, Mommy," he told me, giving me a hug. I sighed and kissed my baby on his head. It was Luca's ability –telekinesis. He seemed to get a kick out of it but he couldn't lift anything mentally that was more than twice his weight. Physically was another matter entirely.

Claudia, thank goodness, seems to be normal outside of the whole Vampire/Human hybrid issue. I didn't want her to be one of Aro's collectibles. Although, given that she is one of the very few hybrids, he might want her for that. Kissing my son again, I shivered at the thought of my babies in that horrible place.

"I love you, Mommy," Luca said softly.

"I love you too, baby," I told him, offering a small smile. I could see Gabriel cocking an eyebrow at me. My smile spread a bit as I shook my head. They were meaningless thoughts for now. I had my family around me, my children, and I didn't really need anything else. Who cares about possible impending doom that you've dramatically changed due to killing off the enemies' best offensive weapons when you are surrounded by love?

That got a response out of Edward. "Elizabeth," he groaned. I stuck my tongue out at him. Probably not a good thing to teach my children but I wasn't too concerned about that. They'd learn it from their Aunt Alice anyway.

Fine, I'd try to keep to happy thoughts. Or, at least not thoughts on the Volturi. Were thoughts regarding ridiculous casting decisions by the people that Megan Rodgers sold my story too, okay?

Edward smirked at that which I guess meant he could deal with my grumblings on that topic. I was peeved. I had asked her to stop writing –which meant the next book was coming out in the Spring. April 28, 2007 for my 29th Birthday…again. Unlike some people, I really would have another 29th birthday. That was the beauty of time travel.

Megan Rodgers had the nerve not only to publish another book but to ask for the production of the movie to be sped up. They were filming next week. In and around Washington DC. I was horrified.

Of course, everyone knew now that was around me. Well, not Charlie, but everyone else. Anyone that didn't know previously basically found out through various channels or figured it out and asked. I'm really going to have to get on Kate when the Denali's come back for that. Really!

The Denali's had left while I was still stuck in my vision. They promised to come back down at Christmas and I had spoken with Tanya since then. I only hoped we would have a Christmas. Oh, right, no Volturi thoughts.

I heard the sound of a now familiar car. It was a Bentley Azure, brand new, in a darkish gray. Demetri or Felix had come to visit. I stood up, knowing they'd want to see how much the twins had grown. I was pretty sure now that that was just an excuse. Even Felix seemed to find some amusement in watching the daily goings on of the Cullen household.

Jacob was grinning. Not because more vampires were coming over, but because of the car. The werewolves –who the Guard had met with- just sat outside when Felix or Demetri was over and drooled over the car. Honestly, I didn't like the styling. Yes, it was a convertible but it didn't look fast. I needed something more like a Ferrari. After all, Gabriel did have his Chrysler. Maybe something in the SUV range rather than a car…

Claudia, who had been in Seth's lap this entire time telling Renesmee to be a "good baby and not hurt Aunt Bella", reached up for me as passed them. I scooped her up quickly.

I was still mad at the wolves. Livid, really, but what could I do? At least I got Seth as a son in law…eventually. I didn't have to deal with Jacob, unlike Edward. That got me another look, I was sure. I could feel, and see a bit of Edward's own coppery brown aura attack mine. It was like a simple push against the bubble that surrounded me. I suppressed a grin.

If anything, our own family tree would only be that more complicated. If Charlie married Sue, then wouldn't Bella and I be in-laws twice over? Seth and Leah would be her step-siblings…I escaped one crazy family tree for another. Oh joy.

Which brought up the thought of Gabriel's own family tree. I had been tracing it from his own memories and what I could find on-line. I wanted to know how many descendents he still had and where they were. One branch seemed to be in Italy still.

Felix knocked on the door. I could see his dark mix of green and brown aura easily as I approached the door, a baby on each hip. Felix's green wasn't like Emmett's. Emmett's green was almost cheerful; it reminded me of Saint Paddy's Day. Felix's green was dark, like a forgotten grove. Maybe it was just the deep brown mixed in and the hideous yellow that covered him like a thin veil…although I noticed the yellow was falling away more and more each time he visited. I wasn't sure why.

Gabriel got the door from me, of course, and took Luca as well. The fact he was still so over-protective amused me.

"Felix," I greeted him. Rather than his customary smirk or head shake, he darted in past me and looked to Gabriel. Gabriel, holding our son to one side, turned his other side towards Felix and growled at him.

"Where is Carlisle?" Felix immediately questioned Gabriel, ignoring my husband's defensive stance.

Worried, I held Claudia closer. "Felix? What happened?" I asked him. Something must have happened based on the way he was acting.

Before he even answered, the dark green and brown of his aura seemed to touch me. Or rather, my aura seemed to reach for his. A flash. Demetri running out of the penthouse they had gotten in Seattle. The same way Santiago had gone out before. A brief conversation. "It isn't right!" Santiago shouted at them.

"No, but I will not go back on my word," Demetri countered. All was in Italian but I understood it perfectly.

"You have! Your word to our Masters means nothing, then?" Santiago spat.

"No one owns me," Felix grumbled. Demetri smiled.

"No. No one owns us anymore," Demetri pointed out. I furrowed my brow as I watched this unfold. I must have been under for a bit because Carlisle was in front of me, checking my eyes. I swatted at him.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked, looking from me to Felix.

"Yes, as of an hour ago," he informed the group. Alice was busy sitting on the sofa still, next to Seth, rubbing her temples as she looked into the future. Esme, next to me, had taken Claudia.

"You don't think he will go immediately back to Volterra, do you?" I asked the giant before me. I had seen other things. Bits and pieces of arguments, but nothing concrete. Santiago's will was breaking. He was starting to question, or, at least, it looked that way. Felix already thought himself away from the Volturi Guard based on his answers I saw in my visions. Demetri was their new leader…and Demetri was right now trying to catch up to Santiago.

"No, a direct route would make him too easy to catch," Felix smirked at me.

"He's not going there anyway," Alice stated suddenly. All eyes turned to her. Jasper was by his wife's side instantly. "I think Demetri will catch him. There's a good chance he will. Santiago isn't going to Volterra. He's going to the Southerners."

And, realizing the implications that might lie in that, the room fell completely silent. The Southerners. Where Victoria learned to make a newborn army. Where Jasper had spent too many years. Santiago could bring them here.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Am I forgiven for taking so long now?


	85. BIII Cxxv

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. And New Moon. And Eclipse. And Breaking Dawn. And Midnight Sun. I own a truck, fabric, and Miss Ginsie. :-)

**Summary:** What would happen if one of _us_ ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **First, thank you to Chele for nominating this story for a Twilight award at .net/topic/66481/20624122/1/ the Two Sides of Twilight Forum here on Fan Fiction. I'm really surprised. If anyone else feels like nominating this story for an award, please do.

Second, Thank you for all the reviews. My mind is about three chapters ahead right now and trying to keep it in the pre-Renesmee era is slightly hard. I'm already thinking up conversations that Elizabeth and Garrett will have regarding a bunch of silly things. The fact that Christmas is coming hasn't helped much because now I want to have some fun with that too in this story. Anyway, on to the chapter!

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 25

I had been worried about the weakened Volturi ever since I got pregnant, but now they seemed like nothing. They were a mere pin prick in the finger of life. The Southerners, if Demetri didn't catch Santiago in time, were a vicious large dog ready to rip off our arms…and we didn't have much protection from them.

"What do we do?" Bella breathed from near Edward's side. She was ghastly pale but that was because Renesmee broke another one of her ribs last night. Her skin wasn't super tight over her bones, she just looked like she was suffering from the flu and hiding a beach ball under her sweatshirt. Edward gently pulled her closer, like he was scared he would loose her right then.

What do we do was the question but I doubt anyone had a decent answer. Right now, all anyone could do is pray and hope for the best. If Santiago does get to the southerners, well, it was an automatic death sentence for at least some of us. There was no hope of stopping them and having them listen to reason. They had no reason. They only saw blood and more blood.

But maybe, in that, there was hope. What reason would they have to come up to Seattle? There was no reason to contest this territory, no reason to fight. The territories surrounding the Rio Grande and south of there down into Panama were the territories that they claimed. Mexico City was claimed by all. Jasper showed me a map of the Vampire world once as part of my and Bella's education. It matched a map of the rival drug cartels almost perfectly. When I started asking about other areas of the world and cross comparing numbers of deaths, Jasper just looked at me like I lost my mind. …And he pretty much hasn't stopped much since.

Of course, how hard would it be for Santiago to say that if they helped him, they would all be granted pardon. Maybe if Demetri got to him in time, enough time to not convince the Southerners, then we would have hope again. Even in that, the Southerners might see the division on the Guard and realize how weak the Volturi really are. The killings would escalate even if they didn't come up here. This was all my fault.

"We wait," Carlisle said going over to gently squeeze his youngest daughter's shoulder. "I am sure that Demetri will be able to stop Santiago in time," he said a bit too confidently. Not even Alice was sure.

"Felix," Carlisle addressed the giant in the doorway. The wolves were just outside. Jacob brushed by the vampire Guard to go sit near Edward and Bella. Felix flexed his muscles as the werewolf came in. Jacob glared at Felix but Carlisle patted Jacob on the shoulder, indicating he should just go sit down. "You are welcome to stay, of course," Carlisle continued.

Felix looked at Carlisle like he was crazy. "I'm going back to Seattle and see if I can inform Aro that Santiago has gone rogue," he told my big brother.

"Of course," Carlisle stated quietly. "Thank you for informing us."  
Before Felix left, he turned to look at us again. "If Demetri doesn't catch him, you might want to leave. We can stop him but it will take time," he continued.

"Thank you, Felix," I whispered. He was right, we could leave and that would give us a chance. But to leave all this? In reality, we couldn't leave anyway. Not with Bella almost due and her about to go through the change. Maybe in a week we could run but not yet. Maybe that's all we could ask for, a week.

Felix left quickly. I guess he didn't want to be around the crazies that much when we were all freaking out over what might happen. Alice was giving us a good 70% chance that Demetri will stop him so that's all we could hold on to. I just prayed she's was right.

Taking back Claudia from Esme, I kissed my little girl on the forehead. I wasn't sure what else to do other than wait. The tension reminded me of the same atmosphere I walked into on that March night that seemed forever ago. No one knew if they could stop Edward in time. All I knew what I had read…and even that didn't help us now.

I had changed things too drastically. In destroying Jane and Alec, I took out the worst of the Volturi's offensive. I changed the books. Now, an even worse fate might befall us all and it was all my fault.

Edward's head snapped up at me. "It's not your fault, Elizabeth," he said quickly. I shook my head.

"How is it not my fault, Edward? This isn't what was supposed to happen," I pointed out. In my mind, I went back over the books. Renesmee is born, the wolves become best buddies with the Cullens, and the Volturi leave after Alice shows them Nahuel. End of story.

"You didn't tell Santiago to go to the Southerners. A fight between the Guard and our family was inevitable," Edward told me. Carlisle looked like he wanted to say something as did Gabriel, but I beat them both to the punch.

"It wasn't a fight in the books," I stated.

"Demetri will catch Santiago and there will be no fight," Gabriel insisted as he stepped closer to me, our son in his arms.

"The current situation is no one's fault other than Santiago's," Carlisle stated. The argument went on for a little bit more but, really, it was pointless. No one blamed me but me. I gave up on trying to prove that it was my fault since none of my family would listen. After all, what was the point? For them to see me as I see myself?

But then again, Jane I had to kill. If I hadn't, I would have never met Gabriel. We would have never gotten married. We wouldn't have two perfect children. We wouldn't be here. And, admittedly, I liked it here despite the current Santiago situation.

Oh, I'd probably still be here but I'd be the little in the way human. I wouldn't be anything more than that. I'm not entirely sure what I would have done had Gabriel not come into the picture –the picture didn't make sense without him anymore.

The twins had been quite during the entire argument. I had to explain to them a few days ago that Mommy didn't always live here. That at some point, Mommy lived in a place that was very different. Gabriel and I settled on this plane of existence being a "fairy tale" and the other place sort of "through the looking glass". Of course, we had to read Alice in Wonderland to them immediately afterward. I think the twins understood but I'm not entirely sure that was a good thing. Did I want my babies to be so advanced that they had minds of adults inside the bodies of children? No. I didn't.

Kissing Claudia again, I sat down in one of the chairs in the living room. There really wasn't much point to sitting down other than standing up all the time looked odd. My feet never got tired. I never got a back ache. Pain just…wasn't. All there was anymore was emotional pain and a good deal of confusion.

I was confused over what happened with Felix here. Could I read auras from a distance? It looked like I could only read bits and pieces of the auras, not the whole thing. So what was it that I could read from a distance? Was it only what the person was about to tell me anyway or was it something else? I had no idea and I wanted to test my theories badly. But who do I exactly test that on? It wasn't exactly something you could go up and say "Hey, I want to see if I can read your aura and find out every action you've taken. Want to be a test bunny?" That would not go over well.

Edward smirked at me and I resisted the urge to stick my tongue back out at him. Instead, I looked down at my little girl in my arms. Playing with my daughter's aura didn't seem like a horrible idea. Claudia was too young to have any true regrets in her life. After all, how many regrets could someone who was weeks old possibly have? I couldn't think of anything that she wouldn't want me to know about and then there was the whole "I'm her mother" thought. As her mother, I should know everything about my daughter. . There was also the thought regarding the oddness of worrying about the emotional development of a child that was only sixteen days old. Technically, anything beyond getting fed on time was supposed to be beyond her mental ability.

Of course, I knew that wasn't true. Based on what both my children had said to myself and the rest of the family, I guessed them to be around the same mental age of your age three or four year old. They had the minds of small children, the bodies of babies, and yet, both my darling little angels were only a couple of weeks old. I was worried despite knowing that they would turn out fine. I'd keep them forever and what parent wouldn't want that? All parents wanted their kids to out live them but I got to live with my children forever. Assuming Santiago isn't successful and a newborn army comes to kill us.

If they were, then we'd run. I hope the family wouldn't have to split up –we'd certainly be stronger together- but I also wanted to prepare myself for the possibility. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. It was the realist guide to the universe. That way, Murphy's law could never get you.

Now, of course, Murphy's law had gotten us. Demetri and Felix had chased Gabriel and myself down only to confront us on that beach that seemed so long ago. Even then, it was only because of the compromise Aro and I had worked out. Demetri and Felix would see me with their own eyes and thereby be able to report back to Aro. I'm not sure if they ever did or maybe that's when Aro gave the order for the werewolf attack. I wasn't sure. I should probably ask Felix. He'd tell me. Or Demetri when he got back.

I really hope Santiago didn't decide to go after Demetri. Despite him being a murderous hitman, I did like him. Even if he did try to kill me. After all, I got him first. Not that he's dead or anything, but I did maim him well. Of course, he sic'd the werewolves on me on New York but I'm pretty sure that really was Aro's idea. Since then, he's been much more helpful. He wouldn't be going after Santiago right now to stop the newborn armies from coming to destroy us if he didn't think that was the right thing to do. That, and the twins call him "Uncle Demetri". I still wasn't sure what to think about that.

Thinking on my babies again –or, rather, I suppose having that thought foremost in my mind since the twins never left my thoughts really- I looked back down at my baby girl who was playing with a doll in my lap. It was just your typical rattle doll but she seemed quite happy with it. Her aura was a slight bit brighter robin's egg blue than normal. I reached my iridescent aura around hers and tried to see if I could see anything.

Nothing. I frowned slightly. Was it because she was so young and had yet to experience much more than the walls that currently enclosed us? Was it because I was doing something wrong? Or was it something else entirely? I had no idea but I didn't want to test anymore. I didn't want to know things that the people I love had no desire for me to know.

By the time the afternoon wore into the night, the atmosphere had changed. Everyone was still waiting to hear from Demetri or Felix but Alice had stated that it was looking more and more like Demetri would catch him before he got into southern Texas. That gave us all hope.

I was standing near the back window, Luca on my hip now, when Edward approached me. I was slightly surprised because I hadn't seen my cousin move much from his wife's side. "May I speak with you?" he asked. I looked at the expression on his face which only looked serious. His aura was the same bright copper it had been since I first laid my new eyes on him. I nodded once and followed him as he moved down to my apartment, closing the door behind him.

Curious, I looked up at my cousin when we both reached the living room area. The bright colors looked more garish with my vampire eyes and I realized now why everything upstairs was in whites or pastels. Edward was looking down and started to pace in front of me. Luca watched him for a few seconds before looking up at me.

"What is going on, Mommy?" my baby boy asked me.

"I don't know," I whispered back to him, giving him another kiss on his forehead and hugging him slightly tighter. It was the truth; I didn't know what was going on.

Edward stopped and looked at us. His expression was fierce, like he was thinking over something and getting angry with himself. When he saw his nephew though, his expression immediately softened. "May I?" he asked as he opened his arms to hold Luca. Gently, I gave my son over to Edward.

Edward stroked back Luca's now sandy blond hair and smiled before looking at me again. "Something you thought earlier allowed me to think more clearly myself," Edward started. Sitting down, I gave him a questioning gaze although my only true thought was "What".

Taking my cue, Edward sat on the sofa with Luca in his arms. Luca still looked just as curious as I was. "You won't take the gloves off, not because you are fearful of ending up focusing to much on your visions, but because you are fearful of intruding upon others' lives, correct?" he asked. I nodded slowly, not understanding what he was getting on about.

Edward smirked. "I do that every second of every day and yet you never have seemed to think much of it," he pointed out. I shook my head.

"You don't have a choice. I do," I countered quickly. Edward had no control over his telepathy. I did have control as…well…I guess a touch-see although that doesn't quite cover it.

"No, it doesn't," Edward said softly, slowly, as if he were thinking over my description carefully.

I bit my bottom lip. The two abilities weren't to be compared in my mind. A simple piece of fabric kept me from seeing everything anyone had ever done. Edward didn't have that luxury.

Edward's head snapped up after a minute. Luca hugged his uncle tightly. "Uncle Edward?" he said aloud. Edward only smiled at his nephew.

"I want you to try and reach out to me, as you tried with Claudia earlier," Edward stated quietly. Despite the low volume, there was no masking the sincerity in his words.  
"Are you sure?" I asked. I didn't want Edward to feel obligated simply over guilt –guilt he might have over being able to see into everyone elses' head. I can't imagine having to deal with that –to know everyone elses' waking thoughts and not really being able to do a thing about it.

Smirking, Edward replied, "It was fun when you were still human and dreaming." I couldn't help it that time, I stuck my tongue out at him. It caused Luca to giggle at me at least. Edward chuckled in response.

"Try," he said, softly but seriously. Biting my lip, I reached out to his coppery aura. I could see my sons' bright coral aura and tried to bypass it. Not that I was worried about seeing his as well, but it seemed simpler to focus on one person at a time.

The iridescent aura that surrounded me reached out towards Edward's coppery one as he gently tickled his nephew. Luca was laughing and happy. Smiling, I pushed my aura out more and touched the edge's of Edward's aura and got…nothing. I was frustrated quickly by the lack of results. How come it worked when Felix came in but not now?

Edward got up from sitting on the sofa with Luca once I huffed in frustration. Handing Luca back to me –I kissed my son on the forehead the second I had him back in my arms-, Edward looked at me. "Try again," he said, his expression now fierce.

"Edward," I started but the look in his eye made me stopped. I sighed and figured I'd humor my cousin.

Hugging my baby boy, I reached out again. This time, I noticed a slight change in Edward's bright coppery aura. It looked to be moving, almost like it was reaching out to me too. Grabbing ahold of it with my own, I saw only one thing –Bella, lying on the floor, bleeding. A blond hair vampire that I didn't know immediately was kneeling over her, her hand near his face. Just as he looked to bite down, Edward pushes him across the room, slamming him into a mirror. It was the ballet studio, I was sure of it.

The next scene that I saw play before my eyes was of Bella in long khaki colored twill skirt opening a present. A single drop of blood fell from her finger and Jasper lunges. The birthday party scene.

More scenes came; the phone call from Rose about Bella dying. A street in some unknown city, a model T nearby –maybe the late 1920's? I wasn't sure of when it was but Edward looked a mess. His hair was more disheveled than usual and he looked to have forgone shoes. Maybe this was during his last days as a nomad? He looked depressed as he placed a nickel into the pay phone, calling up a number he had on a crumbled up piece of paper.

I only broke from the visions when I heard both Luca and Edward calling to me. "Mommy?" the sweet little boy's voice demanded of my attention. "Elizabeth, wake up," Edward more asked than stated. I shook my head and smiled.

"It worked that time!" I stated happily. I looked around the room and noticed Jasper and Gabriel had joined in. Jasper didn't look pleased and Gabriel looked worried. Edward only smirked.

Narrowing my eyes, I could see the clock and realized I had been out of it for an hour. "That long?" I gasped.

Edward nodded. "Carlisle was sure you'd come out of it on your own and swat him again," he teased. I grimaced.

"That wasn't a safe experiment with a newborn, Edward," Jasper reprimanded him slightly. Edward only shrugged. I watched as Edward's aura moved again, this time towards Jasper's gray aura.

"Elizabeth has yet to act any differently than she had as a human," Edward pointed out. I guess they are now claiming the whole Leah incident was just part of me being me. I would have attacked Leah, newborn or not. …Which is probably true. The major difference is that I would have tried to use my sword on her when I was human. Worked with Jacob!

"You could have warned us regarding such experiments," Gabriel said to both of us. I noticed our daughter wasn't with him anymore. I hugged Luca closer.

"Where's Claudia?" I asked suddenly, standing up as I spoke, still holding Luca. It was a quick, swift motion. It was my son that answered.

"She's playing with Aunt Esme right now, Mommy. Can I go play too?" he asked cheerfully. I nodded and went to carry my son upstairs but not before stopping near my husband's side.

As we all headed back up, I thought about the experiment. It wasn't until Edward's aura tried to touch mine that I could see anything. Even then, it was bits and pieces of Edward's life –not the entire movie. It was more like the most important, most decisive moments. Was that how it worked? Only the moments that are filled with the most energy –for lack of a better word- were the ones I could see? Then how come I only saw Santiago leaving when I touched Felix's aura. Was there something more to all of this and what was I missing if there was?

Looking down at my son and feeling my husband right behind me as I took Luca over to the dining room to play with his sister and my sister, I realized it didn't matter right now. I didn't have something that could be used as a weapon; only for intelligence. Right now, we needed weaponry if Santiago was successful and brings the Southerners here. But even that I couldn't think on –really- with my children before me. All I could think about was how much I love my family.

* * *

**Author's Note: ** Please, don't forget, thanks to Chele the Original's nomination of this story, you too can nominate it for best AU and Best NM Fan Fic at the Two Sides of Twilight Forum. As usual, I hope y'all liked this chapter. I think the appearance of Carlie, I mean, Renesmee will be in the next chapter. :-)


	86. BIII Cxxvi

The Stars and The Sun

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight universe is not mine. I'm just playing with it because it's fun. Sort of like decorating the tree but you end up decorating your brothers because they just look so pretty with big red bows on their heads!

**Summary:** What would happen if a human from our universe ended up in the Twilight universe? What would she really think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the "fictional" one?

**Author's Note: **I'm trying to plan out the next few chapters. The problem has been that I'm still back at Bella's pregnancy and Elizabeth's already talking to Garrett in my head! Trying to corral Elizabeth back a good few months is always a pain. She's very stubborn and really wants to know what Garrett's favorite color is so she can play dress up Katie Denali.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 26

It was Sunday, September 10th; the day Renesmee was due. Unlike in the books, hunting or finding a blood supply for the pregnant woman to drink wasn't an issue. However, also unlike in the books, we still didn't know if Demetri had caught up to Santiago or not. We had heard nothing for two days. The last Felix told us was that Santiago was trying to find a way around Demetri, to avoid him, but Demetri was tracking him quickly and always just a mile behind. No matter what though, Santiago was determined to avoid Demetri and yet get to the Southerners. They were right on the border now… Right at the Rio Grande….

I tried to ignore that and just pay attention to being the newborn. Given that there would be blood in the house as Renesmee was born, most of us left the premises. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie were going hunting. Esme was taking my children over to Sue's for the day. I was okay with the wolves being around my children as long as their Aunt Esme was there too. Gabriel was taking me –and Ginsie- out for the day.

I argued against it. I wanted to go to church! I hadn't been in so long that I felt horrible about it. Gabriel tried to argue back that, although I had been around humans, they were all humans that I liked so it would hurt me more emotionally to hurt them physically than it would to hurt just some random unknown human. I glared at him.

Ginsie was sitting my feet, wagging her tail. She had gotten very use to the idea that I was now a vampire. It didn't seem to bother her at all. I suppose that all her aggression that she use to show to the vampires was now being pushed to the werewolves –who were not allowed to be around the babies as far as Miss Ginsie was concerned.

Alice told me about what happened while I was still out of it and the babies were only days old. Esme had Claudia and Rosalie had Luca. Ginsie had just come down the stairs –apparently she only left me three or four times a day- to be let outside when she saw Seth staring over Esme's shoulder. Seeing the idiot of a boy that dared to imprint on my baby girl –stupid wolf-, Ginsie started to growl. When Seth reached for Claudia –according to Alice, Seth said he was frightened that Ginsie was going to attack the baby- that did it. Ginsie ran as fast as she could and jumped up on Seth…biting his hand.

This was extraordinary to me. Ginsie, in the many years I have had her now, has never, ever, actually bit anymore. Ever. Ginsie just doesn't bite. Now, yes, she's bit Seth before but that was when he was in wolf form. For all I knew, Ginsie just thought he was another big dumb animal and not a big dumb imprinting werewolf.

She even drew blood which Carlisle had to patch up quickly. Thank goodness werewolf blood stinks or else the idiot would be dead right now! He still might have his chance at the whole dead thing but after that, Ginsie kept an eye on the wolves a bit more. Whenever my family would take the twins out of my room, Ginsie would follow. She wouldn't let Leah, Seth, or even Jacob near my babies. Of course, the twins would laugh every time Ginsie growled…and they loved it when she'd kiss them.

I pet my sweet little pup on the head as gently as I could. She nuzzled my outstretched hand, wagging her tail as quickly as she could. I'm glad I was able to keep her –to have something of my former life that seemed like three lifetimes ago.

I suppose, in a way, it was. I could still remember very clearly my little townhome and my pretty blue truck. The truck was totaled after the real werewolf incident. Gabriel promised me any car or truck I wanted but it had to be over $75,000. That severely limited my options more than I liked. All I wanted was a good four wheel drive vehicle so we could get into some nice hunting grounds…and splash through creeks. Oh. I wonder if adding a snorkel to a suburban would bring it over $75,000. I'd have to check on that…

My life as an intelligence analyst for the FBI seemed lightyears away to me now even if it was only a few months ago. I no longer drove through tons of traffic each day just to get to work and earn a paycheck. I didn't even earn a paycheck anymore. The idea of sitting in traffic for any amount of time seemed completely ridiculous. Why bother with it? I had everything I wanted right here. I didn't need to pay a mortgage – Carlisle had paid for the house in full-, I didn't need to buy food –I just hunted every couple of weeks-, I didn't need to worry about bills – Carlisle and Gabriel had all of that covered-, I didn't need money because there was no reason for it. If I wanted something, I simply thought of it and Edward would tattle on me to Gabriel. Gabriel would buy whatever I wanted. He had his bank accounts, all of which I had access to being his wife, and invested in whatever Alice told him too. Money was no object because there was tons of it.

So, I no longer worked. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do with my forever now that I had it. Now that I didn't work just for the sake of working, what did I actually want to do? My dream had always been to get married, have kids, and home school them but what then? I had my dream –not in the form I thought but I did have it- and I would still have a lot of time after the children grew. They'd be grown in only seven years!

My heart ached at that very thought. My beautiful babies, my twins, would be adults in a third of the time it would take a normal human child. Still, I'd educate them at home along with all their aunts and uncles as best I could. …and then after that I'd do what?

Gabriel had been talking with Charlie a lot lately. My husband's interest seemed to lay with law enforcement. He was asking Charlie all sort of questions about bounty hunters and private investigators and I suppose Gabriel would make a great PI. He'd done that type of thing as a nomad, only this time the people Gabriel was hunting wouldn't end up as dinner. I hoped. He better not be going back on the vegetarian diet so help me…

Ginsie gave me a kiss as I was still absent mindedly petting her.

"Elizabetta, we cannot go to church, amore. We have already discussed this," Gabriel stated exasperatedly.

"I don't want to miss Sunday service, again, Gabriel," I told him. It was the truth. I hated not going to church. The reason church was on Sunday morning was so that God was the way you started your week. I liked that idea and thought –if we were being good little vampires and trying to obey human rules – then we should obey all of them. Even the going to church on Sunday. Even if far too many humans didn't do that anymore - let them go to Hell –I didn't have to join them!

We were currently in the garage arguing over where to go. Gabriel wanted to go into town, drop Ginsie off at the Pet Smart in Port Angeles to get her groomed, and then go somewhere where it was just the two of us for a few hours. I was not entirely opposed to this idea –not that we didn't spend plenty of time together at night but it would be slightly romantic to go somewhere other than our bedroom while the twins were sleeping. My problem was that I wanted to go to church first! Gabriel just didn't get this concept. And mass would be in 15 minutes.

"Cara mia, and what about Ginsie? Shall we leave her here were all that are present will be busy with the child and Bella for the next few hours?" Gabriel asked me.

My eyes narrowed as I looked up at my husband. I was kneeling sort of on the ground to pet my beloved pup. "You are trying to delay this so we can't go," I said before giving Ginsie a kiss on the top of her head. I was very careful not breath and give her only a feather light kiss. It would destroy me if I hurt my puppy.

Standing up, I placed on hand on my hip and had the other hand outstretched. "Keys, Gabriel," I stated.

Gabriel took a slight step back. "Non in questa vita o di qualsiasi altro," he said to me. I didn't even translate in my head anymore, I knew what it meant. One of the benefits of having seen Gabriel's entire life for myself? I could understand Italian perfectly now. Granted, most of it was the older style but it was Italian.

Not in this life or any other was what he said to me. I took a step forward, my eyes narrowing further. I was his wife; he should know better than to say something like that to me! "Gabriel," I growled at him.

Gabriel prepared for me to pounce him. Ginsie, seeing how I was crouched now, quickly got up and went to watch outside of the garage. She knew better than to get between two vampires that were fighting.

Rather than pouncing him, I decided on a far more devious, far more evil, plan. Slowly, I sauntered up to my husband. He looked confused when I wrapped one arm around his neck but he didn't pull away. Slowly, I pulled back his hair and kissed him just below his ear. My other hand was already playing with his belt buckled and Gabriel wasn't about to stop me.

"Gabriel," I whispered. I got some sort of half breathed growl as a reply. I kissed him along his jaw as my one hand skimmed its way to his back pocket. "If you don't want to spend your time alone on the couch," I continued to whisper in his ear as I gently kissed his cheek before pulling away from him. I held up the keys that were hidden in his back pocket on my right hand. Gabriel went from looking…rather lustful to very confused to slightly angry. "Then I suggest you best never deny me the keys to the car like that again," I told him.

I was rather proud of myself as I turned away from him. I had dazzled and seduced my husband out of his car keys rather easily. I unlocked the Chrysler and went to slid into the driver's seat –Ginsie would hop into the back which I could unlock easily once I was in the car- when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked up at Gabriel, curious as t why he would stop me only to find his lips on my very quickly, even for a vampire.

Now thoroughly dazzled myself, Gabriel smirked and pressed his thumb around my lips, outlining them, as he cupped my chin. "You are devious, cucciola mia," he stated as he walked around the car, opening the back door on his way to let Miss Ginsie in. I scowled. He hadn't called me that since our fight. We had fought right here in the garage over whether or not Gabriel could control himself enough to make love to me while I was still human –over whether or not to have a child.

He had hurt my arm, slightly, while in the house of mirrors when we went to that theme park with the family. Everything had been perfect right up until I cried out. Gabriel hated himself for the small and barely noticeable bruises on my arm. He didn't want to touch me –at all- again until I was turned. I wanted a child. After he called me _cucciola mia_, his pet, I blew up at him and left soon afterwards. It wasn't too long after that that the children of the moon attacked. It had been so long since he called me his pet.

Growling lightly as my husband got into the car, I started it up. The nanosecond he shut the door, I yanked the car into reverse and peeled out onto the driveway. "Steering wheel, tesorina," Gabriel chastised _me_. I looked down at my hands and they were fine. Based on the smile on his face, I'm pretty sure he was just trying to be funny. After all, it use to be me that chastised him for holding the steering wheel too tight. Of course, that was also in my old truck that was currently evidence in a murder investigation. I wonder what will ever become of that? After all, it's not like my truck exists…

I refused to speak to Gabriel the entire time I drove to church. I was too annoyed with him. After all, he first didn't want to let me go to church on Sunday of all things and then he goads me with calling me cucciola mia? He is so staying on the couch tonight. I'll just watch the babies or work on some of my much neglected sewing.

When I stopped at the church parking lot, I realized something. I had been so focused on not-being-your-average-newborn therefore I won't attack everyone at church that I forgot another very key factor; the story. Technically speaking, I was on bedrest due to complications with the pregnancy. The problem was now that I was clearly not pregnant anymore and I looked a heck of a lot different. As one of my curls fell into my face, I wondered what I could do; if I could even go into the church.

"Amore?" Gabriel whispered lightly as he reached over to grab my hand. Ginsie came up to stand on the center consul and nudge me on the shoulder.

"Tesorina, if it is too much, you need not go. Not even God expects you to fulfill your Sunday obligation when to do so would cause such pain," Gabriel whispered to me.

I shook my head and turned slightly so I could pet Miss Ginsie, letting her know everything was alright. "No, it's not that," I said. Truth be told, inside the car I could barely smell the humans. I hadn't even realized that my throat was even the slightest bit burning until Gabriel said something.

"What, amore?" Gabriel asked, squeezing my hand. I think he was about to say something else when I interrupted.

"I'm supposed to be pregnant," I told him, The hand that wasn't in his immediately went to my very empty stomach. I had given birth to two beautiful babies but the fact the pregnancy wasn't even a full month long rather than the typical nine month model was bound to be noticed if I got out of the car right now. Not to mention that my face, my hair, everything about me was different. Yes, I still recognized me as did the humans that were in the know but what about these that weren't? What would they say?

Gently, Gabriel placed his free hand beneath my chin indicating he wanted me to look at him. When my eyes found his butterscotch ones, he smiled a bit. "Then we shall go to Port Angeles. I am sure they must have a later mass there," he said softly as his thumb reached to brush against my cheekbone. I smiled slightly.

"And no one shall know us at the church within Port Angeles so the story shall not matter," Gabriel said as he picked me up, slid me into his lap and kissed me. Loosely, I placed my arms around him. The kiss wasn't completely chaste but Gabriel wasn't trying anything either. Well, other than sliding me out of the driver's seat and him sliding over. Stupid mosquito.

I huffed, crossed my arms, and glared out the passenger side window while Gabriel smirked and started the car back up. Ginsie was standing on the consul, wagging her tail, as we started to pull out of the church parking lot. Rather than let her go back to the backseat, I patted the side of my leg. Ginsie happily complied and laid down next to me in the passenger seat.

The trip to Port Angeles started off as a quite one. After all, it hadn't been just me, Gabriel, and Ginsie for…a while. Not since about a week before the wedding. Even then, we had been so caught up in the honeymoon we really hadn't just been us. Gabriel driving, me in the passenger seat; it would only be just like we were prior to our coming to Forks if we were in my old truck…and if I was human.

I was a vampire now and his wife. We weren't running for our lives, just going to church in Port Angeles. But in many ways, I guess, nothing had changed. The Guard was still a problem. Well, not Felix or Demetri, but Santiago was still an issue as well as the rest of the Volturi's Guard. Then there was the Southerners if Demetri didn't get Santiago. We still had trouble to run from, it just wasn't following us yet.

"Do you think that the twins shall be well while we are gone for the day?" Gabriel asked me suddenly. We were just beyond Forks but not yet to the turn in the road that leads to Port Angeles. I looked over at my husband and smiled slightly as I petted Miss Ginsie. His brow was slightly creased and although he wasn't looking at me directly, I knew that look in his eyes. He was worried. He missed our children as much as I did. Not that it wasn't nice to get out and be ourselves for a bit but every moment with my babies was one I cherished.

"Esme will take care of them. I know that," I told him softly. Actually, I wasn't worried about the twins in the care of my big sister at all. What I was scared of was two very stupid wolves who both happen to go by the name Clearwater. Although neither would ever hurt the babies, I was frightened that Leah, at least, might take Luca away when our backs were turned. If I had blood still pumping in my veins, that would have turned them cold. Seth, I don't think, would do that to us –take Claudia away- but he didn't see vegetarian vampires as a threat either. Leah, on the other hand, still did. I could only pray that Esme kept an eye on them and the twins didn't leave her sight. At least she had Sue with her. Not that that was much comfort but maybe being on the reservation –with all those other wolves- would keep Leah in line enough that she wouldn't kidnap my baby from me.

"Esme is not the one I have concern of. I would entrust her with all I hold dear and have done so before," Gabriel stated, trailing off towards the end. He reached, slowly, for my hand, which I gave. Ginsie, of course, got jealous and nudged our conjoined hands. I continued to pet her with my free hand.

"I know," I whispered back.

By the time we got to Port Angeles, we had an hour to waste. So, we went shopping; leaving Ginsie in the car. It was only 55 out right now so she'd be fine for a half hour or so. I was tempted to bring her in since we were only at Walmart. I could leave her in the cart. It's not like Ginsie would cause a ruckus.

Seeing my husband in Walmart always made me giggle. It was just such a normal thing to do. It was what you did when you were bored in Mississippi. It was the best place for cheap fabric that wasn't cheaply made in Maryland and Virginia. It was just some place I spent a lot of my adult life because it was the "hanging out at the mall" for the non-suburban/urban kids. Actually, most of the suburban kids came to Walmart too. They just didn't admit it.

My darling Gabriel was from a completely different time. An indoor shop like this was inconceivable in his day and age. Montgomery Wards was a huge thing not too long after he got to this country because of all the stuff they offered. It was the Amazon of it's day. I remember when it collapsed. I was still a teenager and my Dad and Mom took me to the store closing in Laurel Maryland. Damn, that was a long time ago!

Because this was so totally out of his realm, Gabriel looked at everything like it was the oddest thing he had ever seen. Even odder than what some of the people were wearing. Dear God woman! First off, tube tops are not meant for anyone with a bust or anyone over a hundred and ten pounds. Second, wearing your tan bra with your tube top doesn't help the look any. Especially when your middle doth spillith over the top of your "skinny" jeans. That's just sick.

Cringing, I moved in next to Gabriel. I didn't want to bury my face into his chest in public but at the same time, I did just so I wouldn't see that horrible sight again. I don't think even Alice could help that woman dress properly. I really think we should have stiffer public indecency laws just to safe everyone's eyes.

Gabriel noticed my movement and me hugging his arm tight as we walked around. He looked for the object that had scared me and chuckled lightly, kissing my forehead. I scowled up at him. "You would not have survived the early 1520's," he teased. I grumbled. Only the courtesans wore their bodices cut so low they were non-existent and only were covered by their gauze chemises!

"Would have," I argued back, slowly letting my husband have the use of his arm again. "I just wouldn't have hung out with the courtesans unlike you," I said. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him and went over to look at a couple of shirts. Alice would kill me if I bought clothing here.

Gabriel came after me and his face was grave. I sort of figured that would get a response out of him. He hated that he hadn't been perfect and that he wasn't exactly in uncharted waters –so to speak- when it came to the physical aspects of love, but I had noticed something when I saw his life in my vision. I was the only woman he ever said he loved and admitted it to other people. That's all that mattered to me. Well, that and if he ever cheated on me he'd become a bar of soap. Luckily, when vampires find their mate, that's it, and I knew Gabriel was mine.

Softly, he took my face in his hands. "If I could take back every sin I had ever committed, I would with the knowledge that in this way I could be everything I should for you," he started. I tried to hush him but he placed his fingers on my lips. "You are mia consorte. If you say for me to stay outside your chambers for a hundred years never to feel the touch of your lips, then so shall I do if such would make up my past sins in your eyes," he continued.

I just gave him the look. He knew better. Pretty much everything he did that I was really upset about was long before I got here. Most of it was even long before I was born. There was no reason to do penance; he was who he was. He's different now and that's all I needed to know; that Gabriel was mine and the father of my children that he loved completely.

"You know that's not necessary," I sighed as he released my face. I looked down. "You don't need to keep apologizing for every mistake, Gabriel. All I care about is that I have you here now and that I get to keep you to myself. Everything else happened before I even got here," I pointed out.

Looking up, I could still see the hesitancy in his face. I squeezed his hand and smiled a bit. "You are my husband and the father of our children; doesn't that show you how much I trust you? That you don't need to keep up this guilt?" I asked him. Gabriel sighed and kissed the top of my hand but didn't answer.

"Come," he said. "Let us go to Church." I nodded and walked with him back to the car where Miss Ginsie had taken over the driver's seat. I doubt the church would let her come in but oh well. It's not hot out; she'll be fine. Hopefully, with going to Church, Gabriel will be fine too.

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**Author's Note**: So some of that old Gabriel and Elizabeth interaction in this one. :-) I hope y'all like this chapter. I know, no Renesmee yet. The next chapter, I promise! I just wanted to establish that Elizabeth and Gabriel are still very much…Elizabeth and Gabriel. Review, please?


	87. BIII C xxvii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I really have no excuse for not posting other than the two feet of snow in my front lawn. It's tons of fun watching Miss Ginsie try and move across that.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 27

After mass, we dropped Miss Ginsie off at the Petsmart in Port Angeles to get groomed. Since it was the only Petsmart in the area, it was the one she had the appointment with anyway. It also happened to be close to wherever Gabriel had decided to take me.

The place Gabriel found was the Sol Duc resort which had its own cabins. Gabriel rented one, I discovered, for our use during the week. Since I wasn't a crazed newborn, he argued, what point was there in keeping me in the house? That was hard to argue with. And the cabin was beautiful.

Gabriel gently pulled me into the cabin, pulling me against him, his lips just centimeters from mine as he closed the door. Once the door to the cabin was closed, my lips attacked his. We didn't even really make it out of the foyer area. Despite having every night to ourselves, we hadn't been without the twins since I woke up and into this life.

Gabriel held me tighter to him, pulling me up gently as one hand drifted to the small of my back and another held me about the shoulders. One of my arms found its way around his neck and my hand in his gorgeous mahogany hair that I love so much. My lips missed the coolness I had become so use to as a human but I also loved that my lips now held their own as I gently pushed against him more.

Some small part of me hoped that Gabriel, at least, had the sense to pack extra clothing for the day as I registered the tearing of fabric. I wasn't entirely sure if it was mine, his, or both given that I was too caught up in wanting my husband at that moment. Maybe this was part of being a newborn, just wanting him and not really paying attention to much else. If all I wanted was Gabriel rather than wanting blood, I'd gladly take being a newborn every single day of forever.

This part of our relationship was so terribly different from when I was human. When I was human, Gabriel had to be careful not to break me. He would cringe after every bruise. Now, all fear was gone from his eyes. I was the one that had to be careful for the most part. For now, I was the stronger of the two of us.

The first night I was awake and a vampire was odd in so many ways. I loved the feeling of Gabriel's hands no longer feeling cool; the no need for extra heating was a huge plus. The part that was odd wasn't that everything was so much better as a vampire, but that my vision of his life would still flash before my eyes. Now that we were alone in the cabin, I realized I had control over that to a degree. I could push the vision out of my main line of sight and make sure I only saw Gabriel now, as he was before me with that perfect mahogany hair and very kissable lips. It was dark by the time either of us could find it within us to pull away from each other.

"The twins," Gabriel whispered as I kissed him on the neck. We had been at the cabin for hours now. Not that I minded. However, at the mention of the twins, something did tell me we probably should get going. Although, Esme had them….

"And the pup," I said as Gabriel moved to kiss me again. I lost all ability to think beyond my husband as he gently sucked my lip. "We…we need to leave," I managed to get out.

Gabriel's golden eyes looked into mine as he weighed our options. We could always come back tonight, with the twins and the pup, after we saw Renesmee… and that was pretty much what did it for me. All the worry I had for Bella flooded my senses. I knew exactly what she was going through better than anyone else in the family. We had all gone through the burning but no one else had given birth to a Vampire/Human hybrid besides me. I needed to go to her even if she was burning just to tell her it would be alright.

Thank goodness Gabriel did remember clothes! Well, his version of clothes. I, personally, would not have chosen a summer dress for myself –I wouldn't have chosen a dress for myself- but it was clothing. We drove back to Port Angeles in record time –I figured out one of the fun things to do with my ability was to see if I could "see" the auras of any police cars in the vicinity or feel for them- which seemed to work okay. I suppose it didn't matter much since there weren't any to begin with.

Miss Ginsie was super excited, of course, to see us. She looked absolutely beautiful with her little cocker spaniel cut and bows on her ears. She was wagging her tail like crazy when she saw me and Gabriel. Gabriel gave the groomer $100 as we left. I picked up Miss Ginsie and gave her a kiss as we headed out to the car. I didn't want her to get her pretty coat all dirty in the street. She just looked to adorable to let go of but, still, I did, and put the pup in the back seat.

I was surprised when we drove by the entrance to the house. "Bella," I stated, pointing out the window in the general direction of the house while eyeing my husband curious. Gabriel shook his head at me and smiled a bit.

"Later, cara mia. For now, Alice or Rosalie should have brought the young babe to donna Clearwater's for the evening," Gabriel explained. Oh. So Renesmee was over at the idiotic imprinting wolves' Mom's house? I supposed if everyone other than Bella, Edward, and possibly Carlisle was there…. Besides, my babies were probably still there and they were the most important thing to me. After all, that's where Esme was to keep them. Stupid imprinting wolves…

Gabriel noticed my mood. I supposed the crossed arms and the glare out the window did give a good hint that I was not pleased about something. Of course, he guessed wrong. "We may turn around, if you wish," Gabriel told me, his voice soft. I shook my head and sighed.

"No, it's not that. I want to go see our children," I stated easily. I did want to see my Luca and Claudia. I hated missing any part of their childhood but I also knew I couldn't steal every minute from them. They had to bond with the rest of their family as well. Unfortunately, that now included the wolves whether I liked that or not. "Ah jus' don't wanna see those idiotic, imbecilic, dim-witted werewolves," I grumbled. By the time I got to idiotic, Gabriel was grinning. Whether that was because of how thick my accent was or because he knew where I was going with my train of thought, I wasn't entirely sure. Either way, it didn't matter; I turned and glared at him when he started to chuckle.

After patting me on the knee, Gabriel gently picked up my hand with the one that wasn't on the steering wheel, and kissed it. "Despite what we may think of them, the wolves, at the very least, will not bring harm to our children," Gabriel pointed out. I huffed.

"And what if Leah decides we are harmful to Luca? Or what if Seth thinks we aren't paying enough attention to Claudia? Who is to say that their idea of the best way to help our children isn't the same as ours?" I started, getting angrier by the second. "We are the parents and Leah acts like she's supposed to be Luca's mother," I continued to state. I was furious at the entire situation. I wanted my babies to have as normal a life as possible which meant no imprinting werewolves. However, as long as we were here, there would be idiotic, imbecilic, dim-witted, half breed mutts that didn't like my parenting skills all because I was a vampire now. If I thought I could get away with killing Leah, I totally would just because of the imprinting nonsense. Seth would run on three legs.

"Amore," Gabriel said softly, squeezing my hand. I knew he was trying to hush me. I glared at him and was about to say something else when he continued. Stupid mosquito. "I have spoken with Carlisle and with William Black upon this subject," he told me. I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't surprised that Gabriel would speak to Carlisle about, well, anything, but I was intrigued that he spoke with Billy.

Noticing I was willing to let him speak, Gabriel continued. "Although your brother is fascinated by the wolves, he had little information to give me," my husband told me. Again, no surprise. "So, wishing to know as much as I could and to see if there was a way to reverse such a thing as imprinting, I called upon Jacob's father."

I was quite as Gabriel continued. I wasn't sure what he was going to tell me and didn't feel like "seeing" it for myself. Gabriel took a breath as we turned down the road towards La Push. "To say that Billy was surprised to see one such as myself upon his doorstep would be a grave injustice to the word surprised," Gabriel chuckled. I rolled my eyes. "However, he was most willing to speak with me and did invite me to listen as he told the stories that his people have long since carried with them. He called upon the other elders within in tribe to see if they might also wish to speak to me upon the subject. As he did state to them, I had a right to know given that it were my children that had become involved in such a mess as this imprinting," Gabriel informed me. I noticed that he still gritted his teeth when he said imprinting. Good. He still didn't like it despite whatever Billy told him.

Glancing at me, Gabriel kissed my hand again before resting our conjoined hands on the consol. Ginsie was enthralled by that and decided that she had to get closer to listen to the story. She placed both of her front paws next to our hands.

"From such explanations as Billy and Quil the elder were able to give me, I understand that the imprinting is not voluntary. They explained more regarding Sam, Leah, and Emily to me," Gabriel stated, trailing off to the end. Turning to me, he smiled. "If you had been a child upon our meeting, I doubt it would have been much different for me. Our kind simply know upon when have found the one to which we are destined to spend forever with," Gabriel explained. I squeezed his hand but my face quickly fell.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it!" I more grumbled than anything. "They are our babies, Gabriel," I pleaded with him to understand my outlook on this entire very messed up situation. "They aren't even a month old yet. Neither one has even started walking despite their ability to speak," I whispered towards the end. I looked down at my lap. All I wanted was for my children to be mine and not have some stupid wolf think that my baby was "the one". Luca and Claudia were still infants and yet Leah and Seth already were treating them as if they were toddlers or small children. I knew they could talk but I also knew precisely how long ago it was that I had the emergency c-section –just like Bella must have had a few hours ago.

The car ride was quite for the moment. "Let's go to Sue's," I whispered. Gabriel reached over and kissed me on the forehead –earning him a scowl, of course- but it did help to improve my mood a bit.

Sue Clearwater's house was packed. Based on the trucks, cars, and the police cruiser out front, I could only guess at the amount of people in there. Gabriel parked the car but didn't open the doors. Rather, he looked up at the house for a moment and then over to me. "Are you sure you will be well in there?" he asked. I understood what he meant. I was a half crazed newborn and there were humans in there. But, the two or three humans I knew would be in there would either have their scent obliterated with all the smelly dogs or were humans I wouldn't dream of hurting. Either way, holding my breath probably was a good option. I nodded and went to open my door.

Gabriel was at my side in a instant. This earned some barking from Ginsie, which, in turn, earned an open door and a couple of wolves tumbling out. Ginsie's warning bark towards Gabriel for running around the car that fast turned into a growling, vicious bark, towards Quil and Seth. I glared at the latter wolf as I got out of the car. Seth immediately looked down.

Gabriel kissed me on the cheek as I got out, offering his arm to me as we walked up to Sue's house. Ginsie was out of the car a second behind me, leaving Gabriel to close the door. Of course, Ginsie had to make a b-line for Seth and snarl at him. I rolled my eyes. "Ginsie, inside," I muttered to the pup. She looked at me, ears pulling up, before deciding I was right and headed into Sue's house. It didn't take long for the familiar sounds of my family members exclaiming "Ginsie!" to reach my ears even out here.

"Hey Lizzie, hi Gabriel," Quil said to us as we approached. Seth was quiet, knowing I'd just glare at him if he dared to say anything. I was very unhappy about the imprinting and Seth knew it well.  
"Quil," Gabriel nodded in greeting before holding the door open for me. "Seth," Gabriel added on. I could see from the corner of my eye, Seth's eyes light up when Gabriel addressed him. It made me feel bad, on a level, for being so mean. But then again, I reminded myself, I'm a Mom now. I'm supposed to be mean when it comes to protecting my children.

Inside, you could barely move. The entire house was filled with werewolves, vampires, and humans. It was practically a Halloween party but without the whole Halloween scary aspect to it. The second I was inside, I looked for my babies. Claudia screamed a "Momma! Daddy!" which immediately turned my attention over to where she was in Esme's arms. I managed to get through, past Sam, Brady, and a few other people, to my sister and my daughter. I hugged them both.

"Thank you," I whispered to my sister. Esme smiled at me.

"I was going to call you when I saw Ginsie come in," Esme told me as she handed Claudia over. I could see out of the corner of my eye, Gabriel walking over to Leah who, of course, had Luca. I was going to talk to that bitch about that.

"Sorry," I whispered. I'd blush if I still could. Instead, I kissed the top of my daughter's head, happy to have her in my arms. Claudia rested her head against my shoulder, sighing happily. I squeezed her just a bit tighter, wanting her to know how terribly much I loved my baby girl.

Esme giggled at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek before taking my free arm. "Come! You have to meet my granddaughter," Esme told me excitedly. Grinning, I followed her to meet the last of the Cullen family.

When I arrived in this universe, I was just excited to see the Cullen family. I never imagined I'd actually be one of them –to think of myself as a sibling to Carlisle and Esme- but here I was. Not only did I get to met my favorite not-so-fictional characters, but I got to be apart of their lives. They wanted me here. They wanted me to be around them. That alone meant more to me than any of other vampires could know.

The fact that I was one of them now was well above and beyond my wildest imagination. I was married to a vampire. I had two hybrid children. I, myself, was a vampire now with a talent. It all seemed too much, like everything was too perfect. Of course, everything wasn't perfect.

Beyond the stupid imprinting wolves, there was still the issue of the Southerners. No word. We had no idea what was going on with Santiago. I tried to call Felix but I hadn't heard back from him in a couple of days. As far as we knew, Demetri was still tracking him.

Then there was the Volturi themselves. If Aro or Caius discovered about the children before we were ready, all Hell would break loose. Adding that to the Southern threat was like adding oil to a fire, it only made things worse.

But, I suppose, that given the grave, sobering threats, that's how I knew all this was real. That's how I knew Gabriel was my husband and Esme my sister. That's how I knew I had nieces and nephews. Because the personal aspect of my life was so terribly perfect that I had to have that balance of evil lurking on the horizon to know that I wasn't in Heaven –that I didn't die along side the road back in March- and I was firmly situated here on Earth, just a very different Earth from the one I knew. Because, every time I got what I wanted, it still had to be twisted, demented somehow.

Yes, I had my husband and my children but I had to have the stupid imprinting wolves too. I had my family, but I had to deal with the Southerners coming due to my choice and Bella's choice. Jane and Alec may be gone, but the replacement didn't seem all that much better. This was still very much my life only because my luck twisted the good until it was recognizable anymore.

Following my sister through the crowd of vampires and wolves, I could just barely smell the humans. Yes, I was supposed to not be breathing but it was so hard to remember not to do that. It was sort of like not biting down on the M&M's when I was human. You just did so out of instinct, not out of necessity.

My throat blazed almost instantly but I sucked in a breath through my daughter's hair and held it. I'd be okay if I used my poor baby girl as an air freshener. She smelt nice. Not as nice as the humans did but that was sort of the point.

In the dining room, playing the age old game of pass the baby, were Charlie, Billy, Emily, Sue, Sam, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jacob. In Charlie's arms was a tiny bundle of pink fleece which he was looking at adoringly. Unfortunately, so was Jacob. Damned wolves. Yes, yes, I knew that would happen. I sort of wanted it to happen in a sick way but at the same time, since it had happened to my children, I was also furious about the situation.

Esme wrapped an arm around me and grinned as she drew me closer to Charlie. She stopped once to make sure I was okay –there were a lot of humans in the room, a lot more than I was use to- but I nodded and she moved me forward. I leaned slightly to look over Charlie's shoulder, standing between him and Jacob, to see the dark haired baby girl in his arms. There, cradled in the Police Chief's arms was his grandbaby, Renesmee. She looked up at me with big brown eyes and then to Claudia and smiled.

Charlie, curious as to what his hours old granddaughter could be looking at, looked up to where I was with Esme. I could see Sue itching to move and giving me a bit of a sour face. Whether it was due to my close proximity to a human or if it was because of my treatment of her imbecilic children, I wasn't sure. Either way, it didn't matter. Charlie smiled up at me and Esme when he saw us.

"Want to hold her again?" he asked Esme as he moved ever so slightly to hold little Renesmee closer.

"Baby, momma," Claudia grinned, pointing down to her cousin. Renesmee looked up at my golden haired angel curiously. I kissed my baby on the head.

"Yes, precious," I told her. Claudia and Luca both knew better than to speak much in front of the humans. The few words they would say would be in any one year old's vocabulary. Still, I could see it fazed Charlie a bit to hear my daughter's tinkling voice. Not that I blamed him. It still bothered me on a level too.

Renesmee, of course, was beautiful. Her face was a perfect blend of Bella's and Edward's. She had Bella's big expressive brown eyes and Edward's cheekbones. Of course, you could say it was my cheekbones too since we got them from the same genetic line. The fun of being cousins is that you all have similar bone structures.

The small newborn looked up at me now, curious, I guess, as to who was holding her cousin. It was Esme who spoke next. "If you don't mind," my sister said as she moved to pick up her granddaughter from Charlie's arms. Charlie did let her go but I think that was only because it was Esme. If anyone else would have come over and asked, I don't think Charlie would have given the baby up without a fight.

"Any word?" he asked Esme as he handed Renesmee over. Esme shook her caramel locks.

"No, not yet. I'm sure everything is fine. These things take time, Charlie," Esme told him gently. I looked at my sister, my brow furrowed. What did she mean no word? Renesmee was here so Edward and Bella must be back at the house. Bella must be going through the change, right?

With my look, Esme whispered so only I could hear –well, myself, and every other super hearing creature within ten feet-, "I'll tell you later." I nodded to that and managed to remember to shift my weight a bit, and Claudia's, to look more human. Not moving at all, despite that Claudia was super light to me, would look odd to Charlie –and probably all the non-vampires in the group. It felt silly but it looked normal, I'm sure, to everyone.

I didn't even have to turn around five minutes later when my husband came up behind me. I could see his blue-violet aura encompass me as he drew near. I turned and noticed he didn't have our son although I still had our daughter. I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Luca is with Alice and Ginsie now," Gabriel told me with a smile. I had noticed the pixie run off earlier to the other room. As long as Alice or Jasper was with him, I'd be fine. If it was just the wolves though, I'd probably start a war in about two nanoseconds. First causality? My husband! Luckily for him though, he knew I was fine with our children having vampire supervision with the wolves.

I nodded before going back to join in the rather mindless babble in regards to baby clothes and baby rooms and other such things. Renesmee could easily fit into any of Claudia's already old clothing. Buying new stuff still seemed pointless to me when the old stuff was perfectly good. Alice and Rosalie had a different opinion on that apparently, given Renesmee was wearing an outfit I had never seen before.

"May I hold her?" Gabriel asked, not me, but Esme. He had snuck in-between myself and my sister and was looking over at the baby girl in Esme's arms. Jacob stepped forward like he was going to say something but the quick glares no only from me, but also from Esme and even Billy, forced the adolescent imbecile to reconsider his options. Esme nodded and smiled, handing Renesmee gently over to my husband.

Gabriel smiled as he held his niece for the first time. I wonder if his smile was like that when he held our own children like that for the very first time. I hadn't really seen it from my babies' perspectives, only Gabriel's. I'm sure it was, if not bigger. Once Charlie, Sue, and Emily started to discuss some local traffic issue, Renesmee reached up to touch Gabriel's cheek. He was startled, despite my warning him that Renesmee would be gifted. Luckily, the sudden shock went unnoticed by Charlie. We weren't overly cautious about anyone else.

After a few seconds, Gabriel chuckled and whispered. "Si, piccolina Bella. Che sono io," he told the young babe while Charlie wasn't looking. Not that Charlie would understand the Italian anyway. I guess Renesmee will be called "little Bella" by our family; not that it didn't fit!

Renesmee looked at me again and her cousin and then back to Gabriel. She lifted her hand up and touched the side of Gabriel's face as best she could, again. Gabriel's eyes drifted out of focus for a second before he smiled again. "Si, piccolina," he told her before looking up at me. "Do you wish to hold your cousin for a moment, cara mia?" Gabriel asked, glancing at Charlie before looking at me. It didn't take me long to figure out what Renesmee wanted. She wanted me to hold her for a second.

I nodded and traded Claudia for Renesmee. My daughter's Robin's egg blue aura moved towards her father's blue-violet before I even handed her over. I could even see Renesmee's aura now as I reached for her. It was a very clear green, but sort of faint or muted around the edges. Maybe it was because she was so new? The little thing was only hours old.

"Hello, little one," I whispered to her, smiling. Just like the twins, Renesmee smelt good; like the perfect blend of Bella and Edward that she was.

Renesmee reached up for my face and I brought her closer to me so she wouldn't have to stretch. When she touched me it was very odd. I expected something, but not at all what did happened. I heard Alice a millisecond before Renesmee's tiny fingers tapped against my chin. Then I saw everything.

Not only did I see what Renesmee wanted me to see, or rather, hear. It was dark and I could hear my voice. My voice always sounded so much higher to everyone else than it did to me in my head. In my head, I sounded like an alto. In reality, I was a high soprano. But still, I recognized me asking Bella a question. Renesmee was trying to ask me if that's who I was. If that voice was the one that belonged to me.

Of course, that's not all she showed me. It might have been all she meant to show me but my abilities trumpted hers and took over. I saw from the moment she could remember –darkness, pure darkness. I then heard sounds that got clearer with the passage of time. I tried to fast forward, knowing most of this anyway. However, I guess someone took Renesmee out of my arms because it all stopped. Instead, I suddenly was bombarded by a strawberry pink aura –Rosalie- in my eyes and a stupid pin light. I glared at her.

"She fine," Rosalie said as I swatted at her hand this time. Rosalie turned on her heel and walked away. Most everyone knew about my ability except for Charlie. I could just hear my husband tell the police chief, "Yes, unfortunately. She gets the migraines quite often." Ah, so that's the excuse we are going with.

"Sorry," I said as I smiled sheepishly. Charlie looked up at me concerned as he got up and offered his chair to me, again. He had offered it earlier when I was holding Claudia. This time, however, he wasn't taking no for an answer. I sat down and reached towards my husband for our daughter. I noticed Esme now had Renesmee again.

"You know what triggers them?" Charlie asked. I shook my head slightly and then pretended to be in pain from that.

"No, it can be anything," I admitted. That was true enough.

"Maybe you should go home and rest up, kid," Charlie told me before looking at Gabriel seriously. I looked at Esme. Was it safe to go home? They hadn't called, I bet, during the time of my mini vision.

"It's alright," Alice stated as she danced in, Luca on her hip. Charlie was looking at the little thing, wide eyed. After all, Luca did look big compared to the pixie. Alice smiled at me and then handed Luca over to Gabriel. "You should be fine at home," she told me. I looked up at Gabriel, really, it was up to him. However, we also still had to keep up appearances and if we were going with that I'm having a migraine….

"Come, amore," Gabriel whispered. Despite his stoic look on his face, I could see the laughter in his eyes. He was having way too much fun with this!

"Ciao," Gabriel began to say to everyone in general. We both began to say goodbye to everyone in that tiny house. A couple of the wolves seemed just as amused at my sudden illness as my husband was. That included Seth. However, I couldn't glare at him much right now since I remembered glaring would only aggravate my headaches. I think. Oh, who the heck cares? At least Ginsie was happy to be going home and followed us out to the Chrysler.

We made it out to the car and I held both babes in my lap. Charlie was safetly inside, holding his own grandbaby again so he didn't notice the lack of child safety seats for my children. We were totally going redneck by having the babies on the lap while driving home. About halfway out of the reservation, Gabriel lost it. I, of course, glared at him as he drove. Luca joined his Dad in laughing so I looked down at my son.

"You don't even know what you are laughing at!" I told my baby boy. Luca just grinned up at me.

"But Daddy is laughing!" he said as way of explanation. I sighed as Gabriel's chuckles died down.

"Mommy?" Claudia asked me, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Yes, precious?" I responded.

Her golden curls fell back as she tilted her head upwards. "Can we see Renesmee again tomorrow?" she asked me, hopeful. I smiled and kissed her, then Luca, on the head.

"Of course, darlin'. We are just going home now," I explained. Remembering Bella, I decided that it might be a good idea to have a talk with both my babies right now.

"You must be good for the next couple of days. Aunt Bella will be…" I started but what could I say? In a horrible amount of pain that made you wish you were dead just so you couldn't count every bone, every nerve in your body anymore? No, that wouldn't work. "sick for the next couple of days so you must be very nice to her and to uncle Edward, alright?" I asked.

Both twins nodded and snuggled up against me as we went home. I was just happy that I had my family with me. There was nothing more I needed in this world than my husband, my babies, my pup, and my family. I just hoped it wouldn't be destroyed by the Southerners or the Volturi, ever.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yea! Everyone is in the picture now! Renesmee is born. Bella is being turned. All and all, good. Now, if Demetri would just pick up a stupid phone and call!


	88. BIII Cxxviii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I have a new IPod and a new camera. Oh the fun... and both are bright pink so no evil boys will dare to steal them! Bwahahaha! Okay, so some boys might still want to steal it but, given that you must be mentally unstable to want to steal in the first place, stealing something pink only adds to the massive mental issues.

* * *

I sobered up from the excitement of seeing Renesmee to the reality of Bella's changing quickly. In a nanosecond, it hit me. As we drove up to the house, there, on the porch, was Carlisle looking absolutely wretched. He had his head in his hands as he sat there. For a split second, I wondered if something went wrong. But, if something had gone wrong, Alice wouldn't have been as jubilant as she was when we left. I was sure Alice would have been crying or at least looking depressed but she was neither. Knowing that, I cautiously got out of the car, handing the twins over to Gabriel before approaching Carlisle.

"Carlisle?" I asked him softly before placing a hand on his shoulder. He covered my hand with one of his own before slowly looking up at me and giving me a weak smile.

"It was harrowing there for a moment but Bella is under going the change," he told me. I gave him a weak smile back. She would be fine. My poor niece was in an indescribable amount of pain right now but she'd be fine in a couple of days. Two or three days of absolute pain for an eternity of love? Who wouldn't take that?

"She'll be fine, Carlisle," I told him sincerely. It might not have gone exactly by the book but, in many ways, that was a good thing. Thinking on why Bella was upstairs now changing, I smiled a bit more. "Did you get to hold your granddaughter much before she was whisked away over to Sue's?"

Carlisle's smile grew a bit and became a bit more genuine. "For a few seconds I was able to hold her. I hope to see her later this day again," he stated a bit more enthusiastically.

I glanced at my husband who came up behind me with the twins. In many ways, seeing the stronger handsome vampire who looked more at home as a leader of a biker gang than here holding two small children was so wrong. Even if they were both his. Maybe if we put Harley Davidson clothing on our children it would look more appropriate… I doubt it.

Turning back to my brother, I squeezed his shoulder again. "Gabriel and I will stay with Edward and Bella if you want to go see your granddaughter," I told him. It wasn't like there was much more Carlisle could do once the venom was pushed through Bella's system.

Carlisle looked conflicted for a moment until we all heard a soft "Go" from upstairs. It was Edward's voice and it sounded pained. I bit my lip and Carlisle stood up, facing the house. I wanted to go up and comfort my cousin. I had just been through everything Bella was going through but, at the same time, I still felt guilty for so much. Then again, I was also sure Edward would rather have his father here than his cousin and her recently turned vegetarian husband and two kids. The logical part of me still felt like an outsider although my family had never done anything in the slightest to make me feel that way. I suppose it was just an old habit that wouldn't die. It was the way I felt in my own family.

Carlisle turned to me and glanced at Gabriel before speaking again. "I'll go check on Edward before going over to Sue Clearwater's home," he stated. I nodded and watched as my big brother went into the house and up the stairs. Turning to my husband, I hugged him and the twins fiercely.

"Momma?" Luca asked. I backed up slightly. If I was human still, there would be tears in my eyes. However, given that I was a vampire now, there was little to betray my emotions outside of Jasper saying something and he was still at Sue's. Instead, I reached for my boy and hugged him tightly.

"Is Aunt Bella very sick?" Luca asked this time. I nodded and looked up at my husband's worried eyes.

"Si, but it will not last long," Gabriel answered for me. I gave him a weak smile back. Gently, my beloved husband wrapped his one free arm –the other arm still holding our daughter- around my shoulders as the four of us went into the house.

I wasn't sure how long Gabriel and I stayed in Esme's white family room but I know it was a while until Carlisle came slowly down the stairs. I had been thinking on how worried I was over both Edward and Bella as well as how pretty little Carlie was. I wasn't about to call her Nessie. I agreed with what Bella said in the book –that was the Lock Ness monster's name and Renesmee wasn't a monster…even if she had a silly name. I'm glad I at least went with normal names even if Claudia Louisa was a joke, no one outside the vampire world would get it. To all humans, it would be a perfectly normal name for any girl. Well, at least in this era. Who knows a couple hundred years from now?

I stood up the second I saw my big brother. I had been sitting on the floor, keeping my little angels entertained with puzzles and simple board games. They were at about your average three or four year olds level despite being only weeks old. It terrified me in some ways but I was also very happy about the not waking up in the middle of the night stage of parenting. That would just get odd since I never had any need to sleep anymore.

Carlisle's face was slightly pained and I wanted to hug him so badly but I also felt it wasn't my place yet. I had only been with the family for a few months, not years, despite what my heart felt. "I will be at Sue Clearwater's. Please call me if there are any developments," he told me as he grabbed his scarf. I nodded and bit my lip as I watched my big brother leave. My mood changed again when I saw the boy that Carlisle walked by as he walked out to his car. Seth was on the doorstep.

Seth Clearwater looked at me sheepishly from the porch step. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Come in you dumb mutt," I stated. Of course, at the word "mutt" Ginsie sat down at my feet and started to wag her tail. "Not you," I muttered to her as I gently bent over to pet the pup's head. She obediently followed me back into the heart of the living room.

"Seth," Gabriel said in greeting. He wasn't quite as harsh with him as I was. "I take it your sister is here as well?" my husband more stated than asked. Picking up my baby girl and holding her tight to me, I turned to the boy who was walking in, barefoot, to Esme's nice clean living room.

"Yessir," Seth said, giving a slight smile as he saw Claudia. My baby girl rested her head on my shoulder. "She doesn't want to come in right now. I told her I'd be in here," he said before quickly glancing at me. I was glaring. Seth looked down. "If that's alright?" he muttered, clearly unhappy about the situation. Good.

"For now, it is well," Gabriel told him gravely. Seth looked up and offered at small smile. I rolled my eyes again, not wanting to deal with that whole issue right now. My baby was just a baby for crying out loud! Seth was a teenage boy! I knew it wasn't like that logically but my heart got very much in the way of anything that concerned my children.

Knowing I'd just start chewing the kid out again, I put my daughter back down on the floor, kissing the top of her head, and muttered that I was going up to see Edward. The twins would be fine with their father present. However, before I could get to the stairs, Gabriel grabbed me. I looked up at him curiously only to see his eyes turn black for a split second before he kissed me. It wasn't exactly chaste but it wasn't highly embarrassing in front of the kids either. I looked up at him, curious as he ended the kiss rather abruptly. "Do not stay upstairs too long, tesorina," Gabriel whispered to me.

I shook my head, trying to get my own thoughts in order, before squeezing my husband's hand and heading up the stairs. It was nearly silent upstairs which bothered me a little. The only sounds I could make out where Bella and Edward breathing as well as Bella's heartbeat. It was a slow, steady, thump. Not sure what I was going to walk into, I made a mental note to hold my breath.

Taking a deep breath at the top of the stairs, I moved, uncomfortably since I wasn't breathing, to the office door and knocked. If Edward didn't want me up here, I'd retreat quickly back to my husband and children. However, before my fist even hit the door, I heard him. "Come in, Elizabeth," Edward said quietly.

I creaked the door open and peeked around the edge. I looked at my cousin and was slightly shocked by the sight before me. I wasn't sure what to expect but I wasn't really expecting what I saw.

Carlisle's office, once again, became a make-shift hospital room. However, this time, I was seeing it with vampire eyes and not with my human eyes. When I awoke, most of the equipment had been hidden away again. It looked strange now to me, alien almost.

There were tubes and gadgets everywhere and half the room was screened off, blocking the window with a thin white curtain. However, I didn't see any blood. I think someone must of cleaned up earlier. Slowly, I peeked further around until I was in the room and my back was to the door. Edward was sitting on a simple stool, holding Bella's hand in both of his. He wasn't looking at me but he was smirking slightly.

"I think it's alright for you to breathe, Elizabeth," my cousin informed me. Oh, right. I took a cursory breath and it did smell sweet but it also smelled horrible with the stench of bleach. I wrinkled my nose.

"What happened? Did someone just dumb a bottle of bleach on the floor?" I asked, thinking of the smell and not of the transformation.

"I suppose we did get a bit carried away," Edward told me. He smiled when he looked at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. Instead, his dark amber eyes looked tortured. Immediately, I went over next to him.

"She'll be fine, Edward," I whispered to him, unsure if he even wanted me here. I did sort of impose on the whole situation.

Edward sent me a half hearted glare. "You are not imposing. No matter what, you are my cousin, if nothing else," Edward told me. It did make me feel better even if he did sound angry. I deal with my family issues later. Right now, all I cared about was Edward and Bella. My own issues could wait for a very long time.

I watched as Edward's shoulders slumped and I immediately felt horrible for him. "She still wanted the morphine. Even though it won't work, she still wanted it," he whispered in a barely audible voice.

I took a seat nearby –Carlisle's chair- and scooched it near my cousin. "She doesn't want you to worry about her. No matter what, Bella knows this is temporary," I told him softly. Bella lied in the books about the pain to keep Edward from his guilt. She didn't want to cause him any emotional pain any more than Edward wished for the physical pain. Yet, both were necessary.

"But why?" Edward asked me in a tortured voice. His eyes were practical aflame when he looked me. I suddenly understood Jacob's "burning man" from the books and went against all logic in my head; I hugged my cousin tightly. My heart told me that that was what I needed to do. Edward hugged me back with one arm, the other hand was still holding Bella's.

"Because," I whispered before pulling away slightly. Edward looked so much like my brother sometimes it was hard to not think of him as Nickie. Right now, he was looking down, he was so conflicted, confused by all of this and I knew it. "We cannot appreciate the good without the bad," I told him. Edward was clearly not happy with that answer. I sighed as he went back to holding Bella's hand.

"Think for a second, Edward," I pleaded with him. I may not have been as old as Edward in terms of years on this Earth, but I was older physically and I had seen enough to let me know of the worst of the worst as well as the best of the best. "If we really got rid of all evil, could we appreciate the absence of it? How can you enjoy peace when that is all you know?" I told him outloud. In my thoughts, I was thinking on Estelle and her mental illness, on Sara and her thousands of issues, on all my friends from my universe. They all knew evil. We had all seen some version of it and had to suffer the consequences of it. Whether it was directly, as in Sara's case, or indirectly, we all knew what evil was – it was the absence of your own power and having it ripped you against your will. We all suffered from that in one way or another. Some far more than others and some would never fully recover from the evil that had witnessed or been apart of. I was lucky in that way, I got out.

Despite having witnessed evil, Estelle still had faith in the good. If anything, she became more optimistic after being diagnosed with all her various mental illnesses. She tried to take her power back through the help of medication. She wouldn't have needed that inner strength that she had in the books –the one I didn't get to see with my own eyes- unless she had gone through what she had gone through. Bad things don't only make you realize that the world you thought existed didn't but it can also make you realize how strong you really are. There is always hope for something better even in the darkness.

"You truly believe that?" Edward asked, curious. I shrugged.

"How can I not?" I answered aloud. If I didn't hold on to some hope, even when I said I didn't; if I didn't have some faith that there was something good for me, how could I have survived until I got here? If I thought all there was to life was a tiny townhome and my pup, well, without Ginsie, I probably wouldn't have lasted long at all. Yet, here I was. I had everything I could have wanted and more. I had a husband, a family, and two beautiful children.

"Renesmee is lovely," I told Edward quietly. I looked down at my hands. My wedding ring on my left always helped to remind me of where I was and my grandmother's ring on my right helped me to remember where I came from.

"Did you get to hold her?" Edward asked me quietly after a moment. I nodded and smirked slightly. I showed Edward what happened in my head. Charlie handing me the sweet little baby. Renesmee touching my cheek. Myself accidentally reading her aura. Explaining to Charlie that I blacked out from a migraine. Edward chuckled at the last part.

"I suppose that will become part of the story now," he teased. I looked up at him and shrugged.

"I don't think any other excuse would have worked. Besides, it's close enough to the truth that I think the wolves half bought it," I teased back lightly. When I was human, something like that probably would have given me a migraine! I got migraines for far lesser reasons than a baby trying to show me her memories.

"She remembers a lot from over the past few days," Edward whispered silently. I smiled a bit.

"It won't be too long until she'll get to play with her older cousins," I told him. Edward smirked at that. I could just imagine my twins teaching Renesmee all sorts of horrible things and then those idiotic wolves getting in the way. Stupid dogs…

Edward's jaw tensed up and I was worried for a second. I glanced at Bella's still form. She looked pale and she was sweating but she was mostly covered other than her shoulders, arms, and head. She looked like she was just undergoing the change…

"I take it Jacob has seen my daughter?" Edward asked. I half wanted to smile when he said his daughter and half wanted to glare at the mention of the wolf.

"Yes," I said in a monotone voice. Well, as monotone as my soprano voice could get. I think I heard Edward growl a bit. I sighed.

"There is nothing we can do about it," I told him, leaning back in Carlisle's chair. "Trust me, I tried," I added, grumbling.

"I suppose I should see what Bella wishes to do," Edward said with a sigh after a couple of minutes. I just quirked an eyebrow at him. Really? After the books, he still wanted to see Bella's reaction. She didn't seem to mind at all after she broke that idiotic sandy colored mongrel's shoulder. …I wouldn't mind if she did that. Edward chuckled at me.

"Still, it would be better to wait," he told me before his face turned far more solemn. "I can't leave her," he told me.

"No one expects you too," I told him softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. I hated seeing the emotional pain Edward was putting himself through. As I thought on why Bella was lying on the rather uncomfortable medical bed, I added, "We'll bring Renesmee up the second she comes home."

Edward kept his eyes locked on Bella's hand, holding it softly in his own. I briefly wondered if Gabriel's vigil over me looked anything like this. "Thank you," Edward whispered back. I shrugged. After all, Renesmee was his daughter. The baby should be with her parents. Not that being with her grandparents was a bad thing either. Of course, between all the various Aunts and Uncles, all three of the kids were going to be spoiled rotten.

"Not just for that," Edward said as he looked up at me. I looked back at him, confused. "But for reminding me that you survived it. Of what Bella thought in the books you brought us. It…helps to focus on those rather than on what she must be going through now," Edward told me. His voice sounded anguished towards the end. He glanced back down before I could respond. I think my poor cousin would be crying if he could and I didn't blame him in the least. There was very little that could compare to the pain of knowing someone you love so completely was in physical pain. I still want to dig up Victoria's ashes just to burn her again…

"It will end though, Edward," I told him. Leaning closer, I put my own hand in my lap and focused on them. "I know that doesn't help much right now, but it will end," I explained. As much as I didn't want to, I remembered what it had been like for me. How confusing it was since my only concern was for the babies. I had been so worried about the twins being born too early. I thought what a horrible mother I must be –something I still thought from time to time- and then I remembered the pain. Not the pain of the dead skin pulling apart across my swollen abdomen –although that had hurt- but the feeling of the burning.

I remembered, though, that it didn't take long to think around it. I knew it was a chemical burn and not a fire burn rather quickly. That had helped to explain the pain away to a point. Of course, once the visions started that was an entire other story. Rather than waking up, I fell deeper into a sleep.

I shook my head. All of that was over now. Well, except for the visions. Hopefully, I'd get some control over them and wouldn't have to wear gloves all the time. It was rather annoying to be wearing gloves in the early fall and those stupid contacts. At least the contacts would only be for a few more months. I could start a countdown on them.

Edward chuckled. "I thought you like the violet," he teased me. I gave him a mock glare.

"It's not the color that's irritating," I muttered, knowing full well that Edward knew exactly why I didn't like the contacts. It was supposed to be annoying to a normal vampire. To one that saw auras and other things that no one else could? It only added to the frustration.

Glancing down, I saw Bella's mint green aura move slightly to sort of encompass her and Edward's conjoined hands. Smiling, I stood up and went to the head of her bed, kissing my niece on the forehead. "It will be over soon," I whispered as quietly as I could to her. Hugging my cousin again, I left him alone in the room. I'd be back up in about an hour to check on him. I didn't want to leave Edward alone with his thoughts for too long at a time like this.

Coming back down the stairs, I found Gabriel waiting for me. I hugged him tight, glad to have him near me.

"She will be alright, cara mia," Gabriel told me, kissing me on the top of my head. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to glare at him this time. Not glaring at him made Gabriel hold me tighter. "She will be alright."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I think I might have a bit more fun with Carlisle next. After all, he's got to cross compare Elizabeth's DNA post-change yet...


	89. BIII Cxxix

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** So ummm…Elizabeth's been talking to be again. LOUDLY. She's getting over the whole "I have babies!" thing. Well, not over it as much as "I have babies and oh you should so do this and this and this!" It's sort of scary when your characters talk to you…even if they are loosely based on real people. Great. Now Gabriel's laughing at me.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 29

The atmosphere at home was far too oppressing. Between Edward's bedside vigil with Bella and the general waiting for Bella to wake up –which will happen in another twenty seven hours and forty three minutes according to Alice-, I couldn't take it anymore. So, Gabriel decided to take myself, the twins, and even the wolves, to the mall in Seattle.

Our little caravan ended up adding Rose and Emmett because they couldn't take it either, I think. Maybe Jasper was accidentally heightening the mood or something. I wasn't entirely sure but I did know that Carlisle wasn't about to leave his baby girl and his "youngest" son. Since Carlisle wasn't leaving, Esme wouldn't either. Alice wasn't about to leave for similar reasons to Carlisle, so Jasper stayed behind as well.

Renesmee, the pretty little baby, was staying with her parents and grandparents. It would be a couple more months before she was big enough to hold her own against her two "older" cousins. For the semblance of safety, we did have two carseats for the twins. I found out that Carlisle and Gabriel bought them to place in the Chrysler a few days ago. We only installed the silly things today. The twins didn't like it at all. Luca was far more vocal than Claudia –which seemed to be the case in general- and informed in no uncertain terms he much preferred to sit in "mommy's lap" rather than in that thing. I asked him if he wanted Mommy and Daddy to get in trouble with Uncle Charlie and that seemed to cause both twins to calm down about it. They loved Uncle Charlie and wouldn't want us to be on his bad side!

Emmett was driving Rosalie's car, the M3. Of course, the second Gabriel saw that, he reminded me that I still need a new car or truck and that I only had to tell him what I wanted.

"I've already told you what I would like," I informed him. I've told him many times that I would like a new truck to replace my old one. Gabriel would have none of that. He didn't seem to understand my concerns about being stuck in the snow in the Olympic Peninsula. He pointed out that, as a vampire, there was little reason to worry about such things. Maybe I was still too use to being human but he was way too use to being a nomad! What about if I have the kids with me?

"And you realize my conditions," Gabriel answered in the same tone as I slid into the passenger seat, crossing my arms. The twins were watching their parents with rapt attention. Thank goodness the idiot wolves had already taken off, following Emmett, in Leah's car. I did find it slightly amusing that Rosalie "upgraded" it. She was complaining about having something comparable only to Bella's very dead, may in rest in peace, truck in the garage.

"Seventy five thousand is ridiculous, Gabriel," I told him exasperatedly the second later he slid into the driver's seat. My handsome mahogany haired husband looked over at me. Since we were going out, he tied his hair back into a small pony tail. I hated seeing it back like that almost as much as seeing Gabriel with a shirt on. However, I didn't want other women to be drooling over him either…not that there was anyway to prevent that, really.

"You need not anything required for working conditions anymore, amore," Gabriel started to explain to me, again. I had already heard several variations on this speech. I sighed but didn't interrupt. "If any need arises so that we must tow an object or have other needs that require a truck, then we shall either borrow Emmett's or rent such a vehicle," he continued.

Pleading with him, I begged him to understand. I didn't want that type of waste! Yes, it would be nice to have any old car that I thought looked pretty but was it practical? Given that I was a mother now, I still had to look at needs rather than wants. I needed a dependable truck because there was no way in God's green Earth I was driving a mini van. Yes, the Chrysler did fine with the car seats but what if I wanted to go shopping? Had Gabriel not seen the amount of bags Alice would pull in with? The more space, the better. And, in my mind, four wheel drive was just a must. Yes, as a vampire, my reflexes were much better than as a human but why chance something like that with the children? It mattered little if I got in an accident but the babies could still be hurt. I think.

"Gabe, I need something that has space for the carseats, space for when Alice takes me shopping," I started to say. It didn't escape my notice that Gabriel cringed slightly when I mentioned Alice and shopping. I know he liked the little "fata" as he called her but I also knew he realized that was a decent enough point. "and I _want_ four wheel drive." Crossing my arms again, I looked out the window. Rather than the blur that I had become so accustomed to when I was human as Gabriel drove us through various states and countryside, I could make out each limb, almost every leaf or needle of the trees as they flew by. I was still adjusting to that.

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. The twins were bubbling about something in their odd pigeon language I've heard them speak before only a few times before. Carlisle and Jasper both found it interesting that my darling children developed their own language out of various Italian and English words they've heard. A few were even Quileute in origin, thanks to the wolves, no doubt. It was something they spoke to each other and, after reading through a few medical journals Carlisle had about, I found out it was common for twins, even fraternal twins, to have "twinspeak". Of course, it normally developed at two or three years, not at two or three weeks.

"Then, a compromise," Gabriel told me all a sudden. I narrowed my eyes at him, arms crossed, but I listened.

"What type of compromise?" I asked him, worried about what his idea of a compromise was. His ideas for compromises tended to come out rather unevenly. I got a whole bunch and he got incredibly little if anything. I wonder if that's a male vampire thing.

"You may get any truck you wish," Gabriel stated to which my eyes brightened. Really? He'd let me get a Ford Escape again? "But," Gabriel said, looking at me, rather than the road. My spirits immediately fell. This compromise was not going to be fun. "You must also get a car that is at least twice the value of the truck in which you purchase," Gabriel ended, his voice happy, my spirits crushed.

"Gabe," I sighed, frustrated at his inability to understand my point. Just because we had money to spend didn't mean we should waste it! Getting two cars for one person was beyond wasteful to me. "I don't need a car. All I want is a truck!"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me. "It is not about need, tesorina," he told me. I sighed. I knew this speech too. "It is about allowing you to overcome your old prejudices and helping you to come to the realization that such things as were needed in your previously life are no longer necessary."

Quickly, I pointed back to the kids. "Having space for more than me and a wallet is very necessary," I pointed out. I didn't want to get some sporty two seater as pretty as that would be.

"You need a pretty car, Mommy," Luca stated. I looked at my son and then half glared, half raised an eyebrow at my husband. Did he put the child up to this? Gabriel just smiled and said nothing, looking ahead as he drove. Great, he was ignoring me.

I turned and faced my little angels. "Cars are simply from getting to one place to another like normal people do," I explained to Luca.

"But Uncle Edward has a pretty car," Claudia answered. I forced myself not to narrow my eyes. Was it Edward that put my angels up to this? I knew perfectly well that my cousin was firmly on my husband's side in regards to the issue of cars and the necessity of getting a "nice" one.

I could just ask the twins if someone put them up to this or I could take it from them…or a mix of both. I suppose that would be a decent test for my abilities again. I could ask Luca and Claudia who put them up to it while trying to read their auras without touching them. It might work. If it didn't this really was a minor issue that I could talk a lot more to Gabriel about tonight after the twins were in bed.

"Did someone tell you Mommy needs a pretty car?" I asked them, watching each babe as they looked back at me. Claudia and Luca exchanged a glance before Claudia spoke up.

"Seth said you needed a special car. He said you needed one that was pretty because your old truck got very badly hurt and wasn't pretty anymore," Claudia told me. I didn't know whether to kill the wolf or just tell him that that was sweet but he was not allowed to go putting ideas in my children's heads. Both sounded nice.

I sighed. "Seth should not be telling you such things," I said. It didn't escape my notice that Gabriel's muscles flexed and his eyes turned hard at the mention of my old truck. My pretty blue Ford Escape was currently at an evidence lot somewhere outside of Seattle. It had been torched and the vids had been scratched out –every single one- thanks to the work of Jasper and Rosalie. My hairsticks and any other evidence had also become victims of an unfortunate fire that destroyed a lot of evidence in the case of the two dead people on the side of the road and the three mangled cars. The second werewolf, the one I thought I killed, was found a half hour away thanks to the work of Demetri and Felix.

I was worried about the two former members of the Guard. Felix, finally, called early this morning. He explained that Demetri had been too close to Santiago to call but did manage to catch the bastard. Santiago was now a lovely pile of ashes somewhere in Texas. That was far too close to comfort to me. It also bothered me that Santiago had managed to make one phone call before Demetri caught him. We still don't know to whom. The phone was partially destroyed in the fight.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Demetri was to come back up to Washington State and Felix expected him back in another day or so. It wouldn't be long before everything was as it should be, sort of. At least I hoped. For now, my niece, my nephew, those two idiot wolves, my babies, my husband, and I were all going shopping. I focused on that and on what to get at the mall.

When we parked the cars –all of us in the same row, of course- Leah was the first to speak. "Should she even be allowed in there?" Leah asked incredulously. Her thumb was point to me but her eyes were looking at Rosalie and Emmett. Gabriel growled slightly. He wrapped his free arm around me. The other arm was holding our son.

"Aunt Elizabeth has done fine. There are more than enough of us around to pull her out of the mall _if_ that is necessary," Rosalie stated, glaring the wolf down. Leah snarled lightly at Rose, shooting a glare to me. I narrowed my eyes at the idiotic bitch. Leah. Not Rose.

"C'mon, Lee Lee," Seth almost wined. He placed a hand on Leah's shoulder which was starting to shake. "Sissy's been doing great! She won't hurt anyone in there," he told his sister. Leah glared at him and he removed his hand but looked to the side in thought. "Well, except maybe you," he mumbled.

"Can we please just go inside?" I grumbled. Leah sighed –whether she calmed due to her brother or just giving up in general after looking at my baby boy's expression, I'm not sure- and followed the rest of us as we walked from almost the back of the parking lot to the concrete structure. What was the point of parking up front when you never got tired? It made far more sense to park in the back, away from everyone else, so no one would put dents in the two nice cars and so we could all park together. There was no separation from the very unlikely group.

Of course, once we got into the mall, the group did separate. Emmett and Rosalie went off to get Emmett new shirts. Rose explained that the bears had made too many into rags for Esme's cleaning. It had gotten to the point where Esme didn't even have to clean the rags anymore, she just threw them out and picked up another one of Emmett's ruined shirts. I think the poor boy was on his last one.

Seth and Leah stayed with us, despite my wishing they wouldn't. I suppose I wouldn't mind quite as much if it were just Seth –who I needed to yell at for the whole car thing- but with Leah, the package was very undesirable. Leah actually stayed close to us despite her clear physical dislike of us. The hair on her arms would stick up if Gabriel or I were too close but the second her jaw tightened, she'd look at Luca in Gabriel's arms, and relax again…which did NOT help me to relax at all. I hated this imprinting nonsense.

When it happened for the third time as we went by Bath and Body works –the lotions still smelled good to me although a bit waxy or maybe just too much like modeling clay- I growled lightly at her. That forced Leah to come face to face with as we growled. "If you don't like us so much, go away," I told her quietly enough not cause a scene. I held back on the word "bitch" given that I was holding Claudia. I'm pretty sure, by the look Leah gave my daughter as my little girl buried her curly haired head into my shoulder, that the only reason I wasn't in a fight in a pretty decently populated mall was because I was holding Claudia. It was Seth that came over and gently pushed his sister back.

"She's fine, Leah," Seth whispered to her. I didn't understand why Seth was saying that. Physically, yeah, I was fine; so was Claudia, but emotionally, I was infuriated at the stupid wolf.

"She was going to go after that woman. You saw her sniff and start to turn too," Leah muttered. I exchanged a glance with Gabriel, totally confused. Gabriel looked like he was putting together the pieces a bit quicker than I was and coughed to cover a chuckle I heard erupt from him. All of us looked at him and then I quickly looked back at Leah.

"Mommy wasn't going after the lady," Claudia whispered as she looked up at Leah. Oh. Is that what this was all still about? The wolves were following us around because Gabriel and I were holding the twins but because Leah honestly thought I was going to attack someone? I guess that explains the horrified look on her face when Emmett and Rosalie went off. She thought they were abandoning their responsibilities over a newborn vampire. I managed not to smile only because I was so mad at Leah.

"You stupid little…" I stopped when I saw my babies again and closed my eyes. Think on my children, my husband, my family, my puppy dog; those things that help to keep me calm. I took a deep breath to help release some of my anger. Yes, it smelled like I had walked into the greatest banquet ever in here, but I also was firmly in the "see, do not touch" when it came to munching on humans. I was pretty sure something bad would happen if I did drain someone die so I just decided that drinking human blood was overall a bad idea for me –that I was allergic to it. It made resisting rather easy, honestly.

When I opened my eyes, I looked directly at Leah. "I could smell the lotions and hand soaps, you idiot," I grumbled at her. That got a chuckle out of both Seth and Gabriel. Leah glared down her brother who took a step away from his sister. I looked at Seth and sighed. Time to separate the siblings. I motioned, slightly, with my head, for him to step back behind me. He was probably safer there than next to Leah right now. The worst I'd do to him –really- is scream at him. He must have realized that because he quickly scrambled to be behind me. Claudia twisted in my arms to face him and giggled at whatever face he was making.

"Now quit it, Leah or I'll make a far better smelling soap out of you if I can," I muttered at her so no one around us could hear. Leah glared right back at me but didn't say anything more. Gabriel, taking my shoulders, kissed the top of my head –earning a glare himself- and led us all for a bit more shopping.

It was about an hour later when both wolves had gone into two different stores to look for different things. Leah was looking for a discount sundress, I think, at one store, and Seth wanted knew shoes at another. Gabriel and I promised we'd wait for them near the escalator in front of Nordstrom's. Well, we might wait for Seth. Leah was an entirely other matter.

Gabriel was looking intently at a display in one of the jewelry store windows. It was one of those expensive ones that I rarely got the nerve to go into when I was human. I was fine with my cheap costume jewelry and the very few fine pieces I did have. I wasn't sure what he found so fascinating about the place. Yes, it was pretty but that was it.

"Cara mia?" Gabriel asked me, adjusting Luca in his arms. We had gotten the twins finger puppets to play with at one toy store here in the mall. Luca was amused by the pieces of felt on his fingers. Claudia was much more content with the doll I had gotten her.

"Yes?" I answered back.

"Are you much grieved at not receiving a proper engagement ring?" he asked me curiously. That took me by surprised. Immediately, my free hand went to the pearl necklace I still almost always wore. I hated taking it off only because it was the token Gabriel gave me for his intent to marry me.

"I have a proper engagement ring, Gabriel," I said, looking down at my grandmother's ring that I still wore upon my right hand. Gabriel looked at it too. "I also have a proper engagement gift and," I started to say when I saw my husband about to protest. "I have a perfect wedding ring. I don't need any more than that," I told him with a whisper. Gabriel smirked but didn't stay anything. He just grabbed my hand again. I guess it was because the wolves were coming back towards us. I think, by their expressions, Leah went hunting for her brother before coming back over but I wasn't sure.

As we continued to walk around, Gabriel leaned over and whispered, "What you think you need and what you truly deserve are very different concepts, amore." I rolled my eyes as he kissed me upon the cheek. I think Leah gagged slightly but I didn't bother to turn around to check.

We stopped again, in front of JC Penny's this time, for the wolves. Being slightly evil while we waited, I slipped my thumb in-between my and Gabriel's conjoined hands, gently drawing circles against his palm. Holding hands in the 21 st century was nothing. Children were expected to hold hands when they crossed a street. Any couple was expected to hold hands as they walked with each other. It wasn't considered anything, really, other than to show that the two people were together in some way, shape, or form. In the 15th and 16th centuries though, it meant something very different and I knew it.

When Juliet chastises Romeo for basically saying his hand was unworthy of her, and she adds in her response, "For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,/  
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss," she was making a very glaring innuendo. To be palm to palm was an intimate act. Gentlemen only touched the top of a lady's hand and normally, even then, there was a handkerchief to separate the hands. To hold hands like we were now was almost lewd. And for me to draw a circle on my husband's hand with my thumb like I was doing now? In public? I'd probably have been sent to the stocks or something like that.

Gabriel looked at me but didn't stop me. His eyes went black for a second before he regained himself. I smiled innocently at him. After all, in my century, this was nothing. In fact, if we weren't holding hands –being a newly married couple- people would probably suspect that something was wrong! Gabriel growled lightly at me before breathing in my ear. "_Too coy are you to play such games. You know what you doth do,_" he told me in his 15th century Italian. He knew I'd understand. I just tried not to giggle too much while waiting on the wolves.

I could just see Seth, smiling a bit, coming towards us. I probably would have been giggling if it weren't for the sound I heard next. It was a sound that I had known my entire life. The very sound of it brought so many emotions up in me that I didn't know what to do. I stood there, perfectly frozen –which was quite easy for a vampire- the second this sound hit my ears. I didn't even wait for it to be over with.

I saw Seth's face fall first and he hurried -normal human quick pace- over to us. Part of me knew that Gabriel was saying something to me too but even my beloved lover's voice couldn't override this sound that I was so terribly intone with. This sound was one I hadn't heard since I got here. It was one I didn't really think I'd ever hear again. It instilled fear in me at the same time I wanted to run to the source of it and never let that sound escape again. I wanted that sound to be a constant, to be near me, as much as I wanted it to also be silenced.

The tone. The inflection. That very key in which that sound had started in. All I would have needed was to hear the clearing of that throat to place it. Ever since I was little, my Mom use to tell me that I hushed up right after I was born the second I heard that sound. That same sound could make me cry, make me hide in fear in my room, be terrified for days. It was also the sound that made me know, every so often, that I was safe where I was. I couldn't be protected from that sound but the source of that sound would protect me from all else. That sound was my father's voice and he was somewhere behind me.

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**Author's Note:** So. This is the latest in my evil scheming. Ummm…ya know? I think the bunker needs some dusting. Just a bit…. I'll be down there for a while.


	90. BIII Cxxx

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** In this chapter, Elizabeth completely and totally freaks out. Multiple times. I can only imagine what a vampire freaking out completely must look like. Especially a newborn? Hehehe…poor Cullens, wolves, and Gabriel. It's a good thing they all knew her as a human and know that she has the same temper as Edward does! Otherwise, that'd be bad.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 30

Although I knew what was going on, I didn't understand it. My vampire brain could see so much more, realize so much more than my human brain could have ever done, but still, the shock of hearing my father's voice overpowered anything else. I knew that Gabriel said something but I wasn't sure to whom. I knew Seth took Claudia, my precious curly haired angel, from my arms and for some reason I let him. I didn't understand it until Gabriel wrapped me, quickly, in his arms and I heard another sound; a strangled sob. Oh. I was crying, in public. That couldn't be good.

I buried my head into Gabriel's shirt, partly out of embarrassment, and partly out of preservation. Vampires didn't have tears so crying would look odd to a human. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that if I was still human, Gabriel's poor shirt would already be soaked through. I could hear my husband speaking but I wasn't pay attention; I was too lost in my own thoughts.

For a while, I wistfully thought about how wonderful if I could combine the best of both worlds. I wanted my Mom, my brothers, and even my Dad here in this universe with me. I wanted them at my wedding. I wanted them to know I was happy here, that I was loved here, and that nothing else mattered anymore. Of course, that was nothing more than a dream and something I never thought would even come close to coming true. But I had heard my Dad's voice.

I tired to explain in to myself that it wasn't _my_ Dad. That the man I knew as my biological father couldn't possibly be here…could he? I'm here so what is to say…stop it! I hated chastising myself but I had to stop those thoughts in their tracks before I went rushing down that escalator as fast as would seem normal and hug a perfect stranger. Because that's all he was, a perfect stranger.

How badly I had wanted that when I was a teenager and even a good deal of my twenties. Heck, from the time I was seven years old I would pray for my parents to get a divorce so I could live with my Mom and never see my Dad again. I don't even remember the reasons why I just remember the pain, the heartache, and thinking about crossing my father out of my heart forever.

Gabriel whispered something low in my ear and started to move me to the exit. My body obeyed, trusting Gabriel completely. I heard him bark an order to Seth too. Seth, who had our children. I think he said something about Seth calling up Emmett and Rosalie. I heard the teenager I had been so hard on lately respond with a "right away!" before being pulled into a store and through the throngs of towels and shower curtains rather than go back through the mall. Walking completely around the mall, I suppose, would be easier for us than to go through it right now.

My father was here! He was alive! He existed! Every piece of me felt it was wrong to be moving away from that escalator, moving away from the man that ruined so many of my dreams but also helped a lot of them to come true. The only reason I did so was because my true dream, the one thing I've wanted, was holding me tightly to his side and moving me towards the exit doors. Our children, the other part of my beautiful waking dream, were in safe hands –even if they were Seth's and Leah's- I knew the were safe. Would I be so willing to leave them in my father's hands?

With the crashing no echoing in my head, I realized how badly I missed my mother. Long ago, I swore if I ever had kids, they would never be left unsupervised in my father's presence. That was how little I trusted that man. My mother would be there to help take care of them. I saw how my father was with my nephew, how caring and happy he was with the little creature, but I knew that wouldn't last. I remembered the first time my father spanked me for something I didn't even do. He was angry and when the cat tipped a bowl over, I was the one that got the brunt of that punishment. I was three. I thought it was a one time thing until it became more common, particularly as I got older. No, I wouldn't be so willing to leave my precious babies in my father's hands. With Seth and even Leah, they would at least be taken care of and not harmed.

It was hard to admit but I did love my father. I was never sure if he loved me –he said he did- and I think he did when he realized I was his daughter and not a sailor. He would help me to get what I wanted to done as long as I had a well thought out plan. That seemed reasonable enough. He would offer to pay partly for trips I wanted to go on and I heard him more than once brag about his daughter's latest sewing achievement. Of course, that was after my great aunt yelled at him. That was after most of the heartache. That was after the depression and suicidal thoughts, the marks on the wrists, and the massive amounts of aspirin in the hopes that I could leave a pretty corpse if nothing else.

When we got outside, Gabriel moved me to a secluded little alleyway and placed both hands on my shoulders. His eyes gazed deeply into mine. I could see the worry there, the silently pleading, but rather than answer with a "I'm fine" all that came out was a hushed sob again. I couldn't control myself and I hated it. The only reason I wasn't running back into the mall of people to go to the one person who I so wished to see again, to see that walk, and to hear his voice once more, was because of the person in front of me's worried eyes.

"Gioia mia, prego, tell me," he pleaded with me. I think this was the second time but I wasn't sure. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts.

"My Dad," I managed to mutter out. Gabriel's golden eyes turned cold, hard, for a moment and I felt his hands grasp my shoulders tighter before pulling me into an embrace. I cried more into his shoulder even though no tears would come. I thought I had gotten over my other life but I guess I hadn't.

Damn. I wanted my mother so badly! It was ridiculous to be an immortal, physically 31 years of age, and still want my mommy but that was the truth. I wanted to see her reddish brown hair, spotted with gray. I wanted to see the creases of her eyes behind her glasses when she smiled at me. I wanted to hear the absolute joy in her voice when I surprised her by coming over to her house; it was as if there was no better gift than my very presence. Esme would act the same way but she was more of my sister than a mother figure. I only now understood completely why my mother acted like that now that I had two babies of my own.

And what would she say of that? What would my father say of that? That their daughter finally got married, that she had twins –had given them grandchildren? Before my wedding, I dreamed of my Mom being there to help me with my hair and with my dress. She would have shaken her head at the idea of having a wedding on the sixth but approved of the blue dress. She'd've understood. My tiny mother would only be three inches taller than Alice and would have laughed along side of Esme as they helped me get ready –while glaring at Tanya and Katie.

I wanted her there so badly but she didn't exist here just like I didn't. I was still curious if my grandmother had existed or not and how far back the whole "doesn't exist" line goes. I never bothered to check it out because it was far too painful of a subject for me.

"So. L'ho visto," Gabriel whispered into my hair. I immediately pulled back from my husband, surprised. Gabriel saw him? That he recognized my father wasn't all that surprising, I suppose. I had video clips and photographs of him up on my computer. I'm sure they flashed on the computer screen more than once.

"You know?" I asked incredulously as I looked up into my husband's eyes? "You saw him?!" I more stated even more loudly. There were a couple of people walking by on the sidewalk who stopped to look and see what the confrontation was about. Gabriel didn't bother to look back. Instead, he lowered his gaze from mine.

"He will not hurt you, amore. He will never lay a finger upon you nor say any untoward words to your ears again," Gabriel whispered to me fiercely. I would have been okay with that, I suppose, if it were for the huge emotional rollercoaster I was on and that I recognized the tone of his voice. We had had this fight before. Once, it was over this very subject –although hypothetical then. Another time, it was over the idiot at the club that apparently tried to grab me. Gabriel wanted to kill my father.

Panicked, I grabbed the upper part of Gabriel's arms and forced him to look at me. His eyes went from sad to extremely worried. "He won't, Gabriel! You can't go after him! Please, promise me, you won't go after him," I pleaded with him, almost hysterical.

Emmett and Rosalie pulled up right about then. Gabriel looked back to them and wrapped me back in his arms. I started to cry into his shoulder again, noticing he didn't say anything. I also noticed, prior to being pulled around, Emmett's confused look and Rosalie's serious one.

"What happened?" Rose asked. They probably thought I almost slipped up or something. Not exactly. Or, at least, I didn't try to eat anyone today. I probably won't tomorrow either.

"Her father is within the shopping area," Gabriel stated, venom dripping in his tone as he said "father". A whole new set of worries started to be placed over the whole "do I want to see my father or not" ones. Beyond the "would he want to see the daughter he never had?" issue, there was now the "my husband wants to kill the man that never actually hurt me" issue. I refused to believe the voice I heard was _actually_ my father. This was simply the Nicholas French of this universe, not of mine. Although, genetically, he would still be related to me, he would have no knowledge of me otherwise. He never met my mother. He never married her. He never had me or my brothers. None of that existed here as much as I willed it to be so.

I didn't even hear anyone breathing. I wasn't looking at my niece or nephew, too embarrassed by my own reaction. I shouldn't be breaking down like this. I shouldn't be acting like this. Not in front of so many people over something that was completely trivial. I lost my human family the second I ended up here. All that was left of that world was my pup and a pile of fabric in the basement. Everything else was gone and would be gone forever. I had come to terms with that, I thought, months ago. So why now, did a simple sound that only sounded like something I once loved –he couldn't really be my father, the one who raised me- cause me to be a blubbering wreck? At least my eyes wouldn't get all puffy anymore.

"The twins?" I heard Rosalie ask in her angry tone. I wasn't sure if that was the whole question or if I missed the first half.

"Seth and Leah have them. They are to bring the car around and retrieve us," Gabriel explained. I didn't have to see Rosalie to know the expression she most likely wore.

"I'll go," she began, venom coating her own tone as yet another sound interrupted her speech. It was the sound of Leah's car.

"Where?" Leah's voice sounded through the air. What caught my attention more were the sounds of my babies. I could hear Claudia's cries the second Leah opened her door. Immediately, my maternal instinct must have taken over because all those silly thoughts about my father left my head. All I cared about was making sure my babies were safe.

Breaking from Gabriel's arms, my eyes zoomed in on the older model Honda and I could see Seth in the back with the twins. I didn't pay the slightest attention to Emmett's worried but confused face or Rosalie's fierce one. I didn't even really see Leah's stoic look as she stood on the other side of her car. Rather, all I saw were my babies and I once again thought of how horrible a mother I must be.

I brushed by Emmett and Rosalie, heading to the car. Leah shivered a bit but she quickly regained her control. I wasn't sure if it was because I was so close or for some other reason. Seth, seeing me head in his direction, managed to open the door from in-between Claudia and Luca. In a single motion I swept Claudia into my arms and reached for Luca. Seth helped to hand him over.

I hugged my babies tightly. "What's wrong, Mommy? Why did we have to leave?" Luca asked. Claudia buried her head into my shoulder just like I had been with Gabriel seconds before.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," I whispered to Luca, kissing him on his head. I wasn't paying attention to the various conversations going on around me. Instead, I just held my precious babies and worried about what a bad mother I must be for freaking out like that in front of them. There had been no excuse for that, no matter what I might have heard.

I felt a hand on my back after a few minutes, Gabriel's. Luca looked up at his father with his big blue eyes and Claudia slowly lifted her head. I supposed, if I was still human, holding the two babies would have tired me out by now but it really didn't feel any different than not holding them –at least physically. Mentally, I'd probably still be a mess without my precious babies to help calm me. I couldn't break down with them right there. I really would be a horrible mother then.

"Come now, amore. Rosalie and Emmett shall take the children home in our vehicle. We shall take theirs," he told me softly. I think I heard Leah growl about that, followed by Seth trying to calm her down but I wasn't paying much attention to that.

Despite the fact that the twins were the only thing keeping me from freaking out at the moment, I numbly handed them over to my niece and nephew. Rose took Claudia gently and gave me a genuine but weak smile. Emmett looked at me, worried, when he took Luca and then back up to Gabriel with a hint of fierceness in his eyes.

After that, I somewhat recall getting into the passenger seat of Rosalie's red car but what I was most focused on was seeing my babies in the arms of my niece and nephew as we drove away. The wolves were still there too, talking with Rose and Emmett. I only hoped they didn't argue too much in front of my babies.

That simple thought triggered another memory. My mother and my father fighting. I was lying in my bed, begging God to have my parents split. Tears fell down my then very human, very young face. I must have been about seven and I had gotten in trouble earlier that day. That wasn't unusual then. Now that I had re-seen my past, I could recall a number of times in which I hadn't gotten into trouble but, my own human memories marked that time differently. It seemed every day was another day I would get grounded, end up in time out, or be spanked for something I didn't understand. I didn't get what I had done wrong or why I was being told to do things like various chores. If I questioned, I was in trouble.

Dad yelling. Mom screaming back. Then to see the twins in between Rose and Leah. I panicked. "Gabriel! We have to go back! We have to get the twins!" I shouted as my fears returned to me.

"Shh, amore. They are well in the hands of Emmett and Rosalie," he tried to calm me, placing his hand on top of mine, squeezing it. I still was freaking out. I'm pretty sure I would be crying –again- if I was human.

"Nonono!" I shook my head much too quick. It was a good thing we had the top up and there weren't many people outside right now. "We have to go back! They can't argue in front of them like that. They can't," I cried.

Gabriel looked at me and his lips became a thin line. My own lips were trembling and I was shaking. Focusing on breathing wouldn't help this time. Even though I knew I was freaking out, nothing could stop it. The physical limitations from being over stressed when I was human didn't exist as a vampire. It didn't mean, as I was slowly discovering though, that the same symptoms wouldn't appear. They were too much a part of my human life.

"Do you not trust Emmett and Rosalie with the children?" he asked softly as he slowed the car down in the parking lot. That forced me to think. Did I trust them with the twins? Implicitly was the first thing that came to mind. Realizing that, I looked down. No, they wouldn't cause the emotional trauma to the twins like my father did to me. People argue in front of children all the time; it's only when the children see it all the time –when it because more common than laughter in a house- that it's problematic. Or if it turns violent. As much as I wanted to hate Leah and dislike Seth for the imprinting, I knew that, because of that very thing, they would never do anything that would jeopardize the twins well being. My babies were safe.

I looked down at my hands, having pulled the one away from Gabriel and folding them neatly in my lap. "Yes," I whispered, barely audible even to a vampire. Gabriel didn't say anything back. He just wrapped an arm around my shoulders in the tiny car as best he could as he drove.

I was quiet the way home. I had too much to think about. Not only was my Dad, in some way, here, but the implications of that were also on my mind. I had thought of the possibility before but now it seemed even more…there. My Dad's side of the family existed. My Papa's –my Mom's Dad's- side of the family existed as evidence via Edward. So what about my Grandma? The same grandma whose ring I was wearing? What happened to her? Did her parents never meet? How far back does the "not exist" thing go? What happened to that branch of the family that caused me and my Mom not to exist here?

I had no answers and a ton of speculation. Maybe my great-grandfather never came across the ocean. I suppose I could look up manifests regarding the crew of the first ships to respond to the Titanic to even see if he existed at all. If he didn't exist, what then? How could I find out what happened to make this universe so different from my own?

And then there were other implications beyond that. Since so much of my family did exist here, did that mean vampires and werewolves existed in my universe? I remember reading the stories of the shapeshifters in anthropology classes years ago. The ones that stood out most in my mind were the ones that changed into panthers in Persia. Was that real? I suppose I could go and investigate to find out but that didn't necessarily mean that –if they existed here- they must exist there.

And then there were the questions I so didn't want to ask myself. What if that voice really was my Dad. What if he somehow traveled here too? After all, I'm here. I use to think I didn't belong here but well, after marrying a vampire, having hybrid twins, and turning into a vampire, it was hard to think of myself as belonging anywhere else.

I suppose that thought was the one that really helped me. I belonged here. I had my husband, my children, my family, and my friends. Even though they weren't the same family I left behind or the same friends, I could honestly say I was happy here. Could I have said that in my universe?

In my universe, I was hoping for the future and felt "stuck" in the present. I always knew something better would happen but I also always felt it wasn't coming quick enough. Now I had that future I wanted so badly plus more than I thought possible. I didn't feel stuck anymore. I was frozen, unable to change physically, but mentally and just socially I wasn't stuck. Whatever I wanted, it was there for me to do. The only limitation was the sunlight and that seemed a small price to pay for everything I ever wanted.

As I had calmed myself, I noticed Gabriel taking a turn into the park rather than head straight towards the house. I looked over at him curiously but he refused to meet my gaze. "Where are we going?" I finally asked aloud after a couple of minutes. Rosalie's poor car wasn't really built for this.

No sooner had I spoken that Gabriel pulled over and turned off the car. He let go of the steering wheel and clenched his fits. "You should not have to carry this for the rest of your existence, amore," Gabriel stated quietly. His tone though was strong.

I looked back down. "What choice do I have?" I asked rhetorically. I couldn't help what I remembered and what I knew through my visions. That was simply the way things were. And it wasn't always bad. I remember good times as well. I remember how surprised I was on my 13th birthday to get a big white teddy bear, a box of mint chocolate, and a rose from my Dad while he was at sea. I didn't even realize, at the time, that he knew mint chocolate was my favorite.

"You need never hear his voice again," Gabriel answered me, taking my hands into his own. I looked up and saw his pleading eyes. He wanted to kill the man I heard. The one who, although genetically my Dad, probably didn't even know me from Eve.

"No!" I shouted at him quickly.

"Amore," Gabriel started, trying to argue with me.

"No, you can't, Gabriel!" I pleaded back. "He's my father!"

Gabriel just looked at me like that was the point. I suppose it was. Shaking my head, I continued, "You can't kill him. He's not the one that hurt me." I didn't think. Even if it was my Dad …well… then I'd still want him around. I still did love him. He learned to love me. It might have been twenty years too late, but he did. You can't hurt the ones you truly love or allow them to be hurt.

"It does not matter. He may be hurting another," Gabriel stated almost haughtily.

My bottom lip began to tremble again. I needed Gabriel to understand this so badly. "You promised," I whispered. Gabriel's confused golden eyes met my own sad but still red ones. "You promised you would not kill another human," I explained. He grimaced before looking away.

"The one that has hurt you thusly is not human. He is more monster than all else," Gabriel stated, not looking at me. I could only hope that that meant I was winning this argument.

"And what then? Will you kill all the monsters of the world, Gabriel?" I asked him. He grimaced further. We had had a similar discussion before; right after the incident in New Orleans. "You can't do that. You know that would be a holocaust," I pointed out.

"Only him," Gabriel grunted.

Softly, I placed my hand on the side of Gabriel's face to turn his eyes back my way. It worked. "He isn't the one that hurt me. My Dad, my real one, is back in my universe probably worried over his wife and daughter," I stated. Just thinking about what was most likely going on in my universe regarding my disappearance made me upset again. I looked down. "My poor Mom. She's probably on sleeping pills and looking for every update she can about me," I whispered. At my next thought, I smiled a little. "Dad is probably yelling at the poor FBI agents to do their job and find me." I could just see Special Agent Miller getting chewed out by Dad. Now that would be a sight I would so pay to see.

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. "The FBI would look for you?" he asked me. I shrugged and pointed to myself.

"Intel Analyst, remember?" I more told him than asked. Gabriel smirked slightly but started the car. It didn't fail my notice that nothing had been resolved.

"Jus'…" I started as we drove back down the mountain and towards home. Gabriel turned his head to look at me while I was looking down at my hands again. "Jus' promise muh ya won' kill him," I pleaded.

Gabriel sighed but stopped the car before heading back on to the main road. He took one of my hands and squeezed it before, with his free hand, placing a single finger beneath my chin and making me look at him. "If your joy is to allow him to live, than so shall it be," he whispered to me. I could see the sacrifice in his eyes though in saying that.

"Thank you," I whispered. With that, we took off towards home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, hopefully that explained a few threads that I've been playing with through out the story. I know it leaves a lot of questions in its wake. Next time, on As the Vampire Bites, I think I'll finally have a bit of either Carlisle or Alice. I can't decide which.


	91. BIII Cxxxi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note:** I know. I'm horrible and evil for not updating regularly anymore. I'm sorry. Forgive me?

* * *

I had been so embarrassed by my behavior at the mall. Luckily, Bella's waking up quickly turned the focus on her. Jasper was trying his hardest to give me instruction on what would happen with the other newborn in the house. He really was acting "as nervous as a house cat in a room full of rockin' chairs" as the saying goes. As far as he was concerned, he had me, the only three week old newborn to deal with –despite not being your average newborn-, the twins –who were something he didn't understand-, Carlie –who fell into the exact same category as the twins-, and now Bella. Bella was going to be waking up and, according to Jasper, be completely unpredictable. I just laughed at him.

Okay, so I tried my hardest not to. Really, but it was just pointless to try and not laugh when Jasper was standing there, quirking a double scarred eyebrow at me, and his clear aura reached out to touch my bubble like one. He knew I was in a jovial mood and just getting more giggly by the second. Why try and hide it?

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I stated in-between laughs. Gabriel, my dearly beloved, over protective husband was sitting next to me reading the newspaper until I started laughing. He then put the paper down, looked at me, smirked, and went back to reading. As long as I was laughing and happy, Gabriel didn't really care about much else. Well, the twins, but they were currently playing with the wolves and Aunt Alice. Alice seemed to think that if she was around the wolves more, she might be able to see them.

"What do you find funny, Elizabeth?" Jasper asked, genuinely perplexed by my mood…again. My poor nephew had been perplexed by my mood since I was turned and woke up from watching Gabriel's movie. I thought he was getting the hang of the whole "not a normal newborn" thing but if he was still lecturing me on "Bella will be volatile, unpredictable", I guess he really hadn't gotten it yet. Oh well.

"You really think _Bella _will be _dangerous_?" I laughed. The idea was completely hilarious to me. Sweet clumsy Bella being anything other than a shy stubborn little thing was just…wrong. Even in the books, she had to be taught to fight. She didn't have anything close to formal training and she wasn't that much of a physical threat to other humans when she was human. Well, unless you count gym class. Then Edward was right; Bella's bad luck was totally a weapon of mass destruction.

Jasper looked at me, completely frustrated. "I know you don't understand. You haven't seen it in person and you aren't a normal newborn either," Jasper started.

Promptly, I sat up a bit straighter. I was working on moving more like I did when I was human. It was just…weird. Sitting with perfect posture was no more or less comfortable than slouching over. "And neither will Bella be," I told him matter of factly.

Jasper sighed at that one and even facepalmed a bit. I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing again. "You can't know that," he told me, frustrated. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him.

"What does Alice say?" I asked him point blank. I heard a tinkling laugh from outside. That was my indication she heard me. Jasper just grumbled about having past, present, and future all together in the same house. I stuck my tongue out at him. That got a chuckle out of Gabriel.

"Do not antagonize Jasper, amore. What he is attempting to say to you is important," Gabriel told me. I just cocked an eyebrow at him. Gabriel pretended not to notice but shifted restlessly while looking at the newspaper. That caused Jasper to smirk. I shot my half hearted glare right at my nephew. That caused him to clear his throat as he shifted uncomfortably under my gaze.

"Please, Elizabeth, listen to me," Jasper slowly pleaded with me when he looked back up. I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms, and slunk back into the couch. Seeing my mood from the corner of his eye, Gabriel wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him.  
"Fine," I muttered. I didn't see what good it would do. I got the whole do not touch to find out thing. There were two very good reasons; one being that it was simply rude to know everything about everyone and two, Jasper had seen things that probably were too horrible to imagine –and I'd much rather imagine than know.

"She may react violently to any action she doesn't understand," Jasper started.

"So when she doesn't trip she'll go into a rage?" I asked, trying not to giggle. I could just picture it. Pretty little Bella, walking across a straight surface and not falling down, only to start glaring and yelling at the floor for not rising up to make her stumble. It was hilarious in my head.

"Elizabeth," Jasper groaned, frustrated at me. I just smiled right back at him. He muttered something about this being a hopeless. I simply sighed in response.

"It's not hopeless, Jasper," I stated softly, looking at my nephew. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's just not like the situations you are familiar with," I tried to explain…again.

"Bella will be a newborn, Elizabeth," Jasper stated right back. I collapsed against the sofa again. Gabriel's arm immediately found its way around my shoulders.

"And, besides me, how many other newborns have you known that were in anyway prepared for the transformation prior to its actual happening?" I pointed out. Jasper gritted his teeth a bit.

"That shouldn't matter," he stated definitely.

"But it does," I pointed right back out. I could see my husband trying to hide his smile behind the newspaper. A lot of good that will do, Gabe; Jasper can already sense your amusement.

I could tell Jasper was about to try and explain –again- when I stopped him. Gently, I got up and pulled on his chin to make him look at me. "Bella and I both knew the risks. We both understood to a great degree than anyone else before us what would happen. It's in that knowledge that I found what I needed to help me understand what was going on –what is going on- while I'm experiencing it. It will be the same for Bella," I explained. I only hoped he understood.

Knowledge was all I ever had in this universe. I had knowledge of the books that gave me the courage to greet the Cullen clan in the first place in Ithaca. I had knowledge of this world, of how things were to be, how things should have been, but I also had knowledge of my world. I couldn't help but think that maybe, somewhere, in that knowledge of my own world, I might find some answers in this one regarding my mother and her family. What happened to them?

"Just, please," Jasper started to plead with me. "Don't do anything that might startle her. Listen to me when she wakes up?"

I kissed my nephew on the cheek before rejoining my husband on the sofa. That seemed to satisfy Jasper enough that he went outside to join the twins, Rene- I mean Carlie, the wolves, and his wife. I snuggled up against Gabriel, hugging his arm as he read the paper. I glanced over the articles. It was all the same. Iraq, Afghanistan, and violent crime. Was that all there was to the human world? I suppose so, in many ways. Oh well, I'll stop reliving the current events in a couple more years, at least! Then I can be just as clueless as everyone else –well, except for Alice. She'll still be a step ahead of the game.

I sat with Gabriel on the sofa for maybe a few minutes before Alice and Jasper came in –with the children and the furballs. I looked up at them questioningly. Alice just smiled. "It's time," she said happily, holding Jasper's hand as she danced across the floor to the stairs.

"Aunt Bella is going to wake up, Mommy?" Claudia asked me. I kissed my angel girl on the head.

"Yes, sweetheart. Aunt Bella will be awake soon but she'll want to hunt first and probably see Carlie," I explained.

"Hopefully in the opposite order," Gabriel muttered. I elbowed him before reaching to hug my son too.

"Now, you two must be very good, alright?" I asked them both. My sweet little cherubs nodded as I gazed back over at the collection of three wolves. Jacob has Carlie, of course, and Seth was standing only a few feet from me. Leah was over in the corner, grumpy as usual. Stupid bitch.

Rosalie came in from the garage and picked up Luca. Claudia reached for Seth and bit my bottom lip. I couldn't be too mean in front of the babies. "We'll watch them," Rose said, indicating she and Emmett would watch the kids…and the wolves.

"Thank you, Rose," I whispered before continuing with Gabriel up the stairs. Gabriel would play the other point man for Jasper. They were to "stand guard" for the family. I wasn't entirely sure, but I think Gabriel was just happy to play the part because it meant that the rest of the family accepted him. Of course, I figured they accepted him once we got married. I couldn't quite see Carlisle letting any human or vampire marry Gabriel if he thought Gabriel was violent or otherwise untrustworthy. It just didn't strike me as his way.

I stood with the others in the tiny doorway; ignoring my instincts that that was completely wrong and rude. Nothing seemed to rattle me more quickly than to see a bunch of people stop right at a door way or right when they get off an escalator. Then they dare to look at me like I'm the rude one when I have to push them out of the way? They are the idiots that stopped!

"Elizabeth, not helping," Jasper muttered to me. Oh, right. Calm. I can do calm, I think.

I stood behind Gabriel, Esme was right behind me. We all squeezed as best we could into that doorway with Gabriel and Jasper acting as the guards. I really couldn't see Gabriel tackling Bella but, then again, I couldn't see Bella deciding that we were a threat once she saw us so it wasn't an issue.

Everyone was very quite as Bella opened her eyes. Edward, of course, was by her side. He wasn't about to go anywhere nor did any one really expect him to suddenly get up and leave her. I could just see him squeeze her hand. That caused her to jump.

It was sort of funny to watch. Bella, in one fluid motion, which looked totally like she was moving through liquid thanks to the pretty blue dress that Alice placed her in, jumped off the table and glared at Edward. She immediately saw Gabriel –who was trying his hardest not to laugh- and Jasper –who was glaring right back- and relaxed. You could practically see the "oh, right" written all over her face. Immortal or not, Bella still wore her emotions on her sleeve.

She looked around the room, trying to take everything in I guess. I watched her aura carefully. As a human, Bella's aura was always a soft minty green. It went nicely with Edward's copper in a way that you really wouldn't expect. Her aura hadn't changed. I suppose that the physical change didn't affect the soul and maybe that's what I saw? I wasn't entirely sure and I doubt it was something I'd ever get an answer for, but I could see that she was still the same minty green as ever.

She took a breath and looked confused before looking back over at everyone. Edward slowly approached her while Alice jostled behind Jasper for a better view of Bella. Alice, of course, was grinning ear to ear. That made Bella take a second look. I suppose it would to anyone with the new eyes. The colors that were emitted by the light as it bounced off any vampire's teeth were spectacular within themselves. It reminded me of those glasses I use to wear around Christmas in a strange way. I had these special glasses that, if you looked at the holiday lights through them, you could see Angels "dancing" around the bulbs or smiling faces. I think I even had a pair that had "ringing" bells. The pretty rainbows seemed to exist in much the same way; not really coming from any one place as much as they just "danced" around the light that was so plain for anyone to see.

As Edward took another step forward, Bella looked at him. Her eyes got big for a second, causing Edward to pause, before she smiled at him. "Bella?" Edward called out to her. She just smiled a bit more. It was terribly cute.

"Bella, Love? I'm sorry, I realize this may be terribly disorienting. But you're all right," he told her. He deviated ever so slightly from the book. Of course, my being here was a huge deviation. Gabriel's presence didn't help that matter either. Not that anyone seemed to care anymore about that.

Bella bit her bottom lip slightly and took Edward's out stretched hand. She looked down at her dress, gave a brief glare to Alice –who only grinned back- before looking over at Carlisle and the rest of us. She took it all in and faced Edward again. "Renesmee?" was her only question.

"She's downstairs, love. She is fine and healthy," Edward told her. We all knew the morphine did nothing but make the body immobile while the person burned in their own silent prison. Bella had asked for it anyway. There was little reason to question her about it.

"Can I see her?" Bella pleaded, her voice sounding smooth, like she had been in stereo before and now we were hearing her live for the first time. It was odd. I suppose my voice had changed too but it wasn't something I thought much on.

"Your thirst must be very uncomfortable," Carlisle told her, stating it more as a question as he approached his son and daughter-in-law. Not that anyone thought of Bella as an in law, I don't think. She was just my niece, the childrens' latest sister, and Esme & Carlisle's latest daughter. Of course, she also happened to be Edward's wife but that was a small matter.

Biting her lip again, Bella's hand went to her throat like she was in a bit of distress. I knew that burn as we all did. It was like that itchy feeling I got when I was human when I was about to have a bad food allergy attack but mixed with having just eaten something spicy…except you were still hungry. It was something I don't think any human could fully understand simply because it was a mix of being both thirsty and hungry and it wasn't something you could separate into those two separate categories.

Edward tugged gently at her hand. "Let's hunt, Bella," he said to her lowly although everyone heard him. We all started to move out of the way of the doorway to allow Edward and Bella passage. Gabriel moved me behind him into the room, in his typical protective stance. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Really? Bella? Attack me? Or anyone else in this room? Short of Ginsie –who was playing nursemaid to the twins and Carlie downstairs- I don't' think anyone in this house would attack Bella or Bella them. This was all to give Jasper piece of mind, not for any real security.

Bella's eyes got wider for a second, in complete alarm. Edward was about to calm her when Bella shook her head. "I want to see her," Bella began. She tacked on the "Renesmee" as if she wasn't entirely sure what to call the child she had given birth too. Not that I could blame her too much on that account. I still though of the twins as my perfect little angels. It was hard to believe I actually had children since, normally, they take about 40 weeks, not 40 days to get here. My little bundles of perfection didn't even take that long. I still wish I had been able to hold on longer but I had been weak, human, and unable to deal with carrying two immortal children. At least the twins were okay now. That's all I could wish for.

"Bella, it would be better if you hunted first," Carlisle told her. Bella scrunched up her eyes, obviously thinking about the situation and saw all of us again. She nodded once to Carlisle, defeated. It probably didn't help that I happened to see a clear aura extend over her and seem to manipulate her own mint green one. Subtle, Jasper.

Edward flashed her a grin while Alice giggled lightly from next to me. Just as Edward was about to take off, Alice shouted, "Wait! Wait! Wait." That earned her a few looks but I was already gone to get the mirror from Emmett and Rosalie's room. I knew what came next. Since I was only a door down, I could still hear the conversation perfectly.

"You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?" Alice asked. I could hear the slight "humph" in her voice.

"Alice --," Edward grumbled. I smiled slightly as I went to bring the mirror back into the Carlisle's office. Edward just wanted time alone with Bella.

"Aunt Sissy is already bringing the mirror," Alice stated triumphantly.

The mirror was quite large. I managed to angle it into the room, missing everyone, and not drop it. It was a feat I wouldn't have accomplished as a human. As I walked in the room, Jasper moved closer to Alice which almost caused me to roll my eyes. Bella was no greater threat than I was. Luckily, Alice knew this without the privilege of reading the books so she darted near me to get a good view of Bella as she gazed at the mirror for the first time with her new eyes.

The first time I had gazed into the mirror I was struck with how pretty I now was. I had never been ugly, I knew that, but to wake up from that long sleep and not have my hair in total disarray and to not have my face swollen up from lying down too long… To not have scars on my face or arms and to not have my green eyes… I looked like some porcelain statue without the soft rumbles of fat that weren't all that huge to begin with. I knew what Bella was thinking. I'm sure everyone did. She could finally see herself as beautiful.

It took a few minutes but Bella looked away from the mirror to Carlisle. "The eyes, only a few months, right?" she asked, casting a side ways glance to me. My eyes were only starting to darken. It would take a long while yet before they even got to amber. And yes, contacts were a huge pain to the point I gave up and preferred to either not look people in the eye or wear sunglasses indoors. They were just…annoying.

"It won't be long, Bella," Carlisle assured her quietly, placing a hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder. Bella nodded again and bit her bottom lip. She knew how long it would be. She had read about it and was prepared for all of this just like I was.

"What do you think?" Alice asked, point to the mirror.

"I'm not sure," Bella answered truthfully.

"Even with reading about all this?" Edward asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Bella frowned up at him. Jasper leaned forward a bit, as if he was getting ready to restrain Bella but I simply leaned against the mirror I was holding up and rolled my blood red eyes.

"Its different reading and hearing about it and actually living it," Bella said, slightly miffed. I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling.

"Edward," Jasper warned. Edward, of course, completely ignored him. He wrapped his arms around Bella and kissed her gently on the cheek.

"I was still holding out hope that the books were wrong somehow and I would be able to hear your thoughts immediately. I suppose it will just take practice," Edward teased. The way Edward said "practice" made me want to groan but it did earn a chuckle from Emmett downstairs. Maybe I should scare that boy again…

Bella was about to say something else when Edward rolled his eyes. "All right, all right," he muttered before looking over at Jasper. Gabriel had snuck up behind me and had one arm holding up the mirror, one arm draped over my shoulder.

"What?" Bella asked and looked to Jasper before answering her own question. "Oh, right. Hunt," she said simply. Gabriel chuckled in my ear.

It was only a few nanoseconds later that Edward lead Bella to the window for her to jump down from the second story to the ground. It would be their first hunt as equals. "Do we really need to use the window?" Bella asked, looking towards the ground, unsure.

All of us that had been in the doorway had slowly moved into the room, much to Jasper's apparent disappointment. Gabriel and I moved the mirror to lean it up against the bookcases before going back to the center of Carlisle's study to watch Bella jump out the window. Rather than worrying about her and breaking bones, I was more worried about the ground. Esme had just planted some nice flowers out back…

"It's the most convenient exit with the children and wolves downstairs," Edward explained quietly.

"Oh," was Bella's response before looking down at the ground and then back up to Edward, worried. She then smoothed out her dress. I did try to argue with Alice despite the futility inherent in any argument against the pixie. She won. Bella was wearing the blue cocktail dress that reminded me of the dress Ariel wore once she became human at the end of the Little Mermaid. I was pretty sure that was supposed to be the idea. Bella had transformed from a mermaid into a princess…well, from a human into a vampire.

"Watch me," Edward said before giving Bella a kiss and walking out the window. I didn't understand the whole window thing either, to be honest. Doors were meant to be walked through. Windows were meant to be looked through. Yet, the rest of the family did not seem to have the same qualms with such ideas as I did.

Bella watched. She then sucked in a breath and did just as Edward had. "Right, easy," she told him once she was on the ground.

"Hmm," Edward said skeptically.

"What?" Bella asked, wearing the worry on her sleeve. Jasper was about to chastise Edward again when Edward spoke.

"That really was quite graceful," he said, furrowing his brow. Bella smiled and then looked at her shoes with utter disgust. She untied the silver bows and slipped the four inch heels off, throwing them a bit too hard through the window. Alice, of course, caught them.

"Her fashion sense hasn't improved as much as her balance," Alice grumbled.

We all watched as Edward took Bella's hand and guided her to the river that ran through the backyard. As the others became more rapt in their attention, I turned to Gabriel and mouthed the single word "Twins". He nodded and we headed down stairs, quickly, to find our babies looking outside at Aunt Bella and Uncle Edward. I took Luca from Leah quickly, kissing my baby boy even if he did smell of wolf. I didn't like to be away from them for long.

Luca smiled up at me –even if Leah didn't- and his father. Gabriel had Claudia in his arms while Rosalie and Emmett were trying to show Renesmee her Mom and Dad. Carlie placed one finger against the back window as Bella jumped over the river and then placed a hand on Rosalie's cheek. Rose laughed. "Yes, that's your Mom. She'll be back soon," Rose told the little girl in her arms.

"She wanted to see you before she went out but Uncle Jasper insisted on her hunting," I whispered to the baby girl. Emmett chuckled at that. He ended up laughing when Bella swang from the tree branches and seemed to float out of sight as Edward took her on their first hunt.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yeah! Bella's a vampire now! Sorry this took so long, again. Sewing, work, and Christmas have really ruined my ability to write a lot. Luckily, I think the work stuff has been cleared up!


	92. BIII Cxxxii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **WARNING!!! This will contain spoilers to my other story Origins: Alice. Okay, so anyone that hasn't figured out that James comes and Alice's creator dies hasn't read Twilight and probably won't be reading the story anyway…but I figure I should give some heads up.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 32

I was annoyed. Not that that was different from any other day really but well, yeah, annoyed. Very annoyed. I narrowed my eyes at Carlisle. "What do you mean you 'lost' the first sample?" I asked him. He was busy preparing some sort of solution. I recognized it from one too many hours at the National Institute of Health back when I was an intern there. It was to extract the DNA I was going to give –again- to Carlisle. He knows perfectly well how much that stings!

"There was a slight accident here in my study," he stated. His back was too me so I couldn't read his facial expression. Instead, I watched as he carefully but quickly prepared the solution .

"What kind of accident?" I asked as I crossed my arms and sat in the big chair in his office. It had been cleaned up nicely since Bella woke up two weeks ago. Actually, that had taken only a few hours. Still, the room looked odd to be going back and forth from a study into a medical lab.

"Luca was curious," Carlisle stated after unnecessarily clearing his throat.

My eyes went wide for a second before I sunk back into the chair and groaned. My son had hit the "terrible twos" at a month old. It had started a couple of days ago with the "Momma, what's this?" type questions. Claudia hardly ever questioned anything aloud. Carlie was only starting to talk…of course she had a full vocabulary. It was my son that had to be the troublemaker. Wonderful.

"What did he," I started before stopping myself. I saw Carlisle turn and smile at me before I shut my eyes and put my head in my hands. "I don't even want to know," I mumbled. Hearing Carlisle chuckle lightly, I peeked through my fingers at my older brother. He stood there, patiently, waiting me for to spit out the small skin sample that he wanted.

I sighed and clamped down on the inside of my cheek. Damn! It hurt like a paper cut with rubbing alcohol poured on it! Of course, unlike when I was human, it would heal in a matter of minutes rather than days. Eating with a large sore like that in your mouth wasn't fun, human or vampire!

I easily spit the stupid piece of crystalline flesh out on to a slide for Carlisle to examine. Only a doctor interested in genetics could get giddy over someone's spit! Well, of course, said spit had a nice chuck of my flesh in it.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Carlisle said before turning back around to start extracting the DNA. I got up and looked over his shoulder slightly. He had already cross compared my DNA to Edward's, gaining insight into what human traits we retain. He also had managed to gain Gabriel's DNA so he could cross reference that and see if the venom passes on any genetic markers as well. Well, not exactly, since he had already done that in cross referencing his own DNA with those of various family members but Carlisle wanted a greater sampling.

"Don't let Luca near any experiments," I warned Carlisle. My brother turned to me and gave me a wary smile. I just looked right back at him. "And don't let Claudia into anything either. She may not be the troublemaker but I don't want her to start!" Carlisle only laughed at me.

I huffed and he kissed me on my forehead. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he smiled. "I promise, I will not allow either of your children to play with the various instruments again," he swore. I sighed and rolled my eyes before giving Carlisle a brief hug.

I started to head for the door, only turning around briefly. "Don't stay up here all day either," I warned him. Carlisle chuckled some more as I headed towards the staircase. I was right at the top of the stairs, about to take a step, when I heard a familiar soft soprano voice behind me call my name.

"Elizabeth?" Alice said.

Curious, I turned to see the little doll like vampire standing there, her hands clasped before her, her spiky head of hair looking down. I let go of the railing and took a step closer, worried what could possibly make my little niece sad like that. "Alice?" I answered back, reaching out towards her with my gloved hand.

I still wore my gloves almost all the time. If I was down in the apartment, I didn't bother with it. I was getting a lot better at touching the twins or Gabriel and not getting their ever move they had ever made going through my head. I could touch them and stop everything right as it started. I could break out of the vision. Still, I wasn't up to testing that with anyone else quite yet. I _knew_ Gabriel's life because I had already seen it –quite a few times now- and I _knew_ the lives of my own children very well, but to start with something new? I just wasn't sure about that.

Her eyes snapped up and met mine. I knew that look. Alice wanted something but I wasn't entirely sure what she wanted. "Can you come with me for a minute?" Alice asked sweetly and took my out-stretched hand.

"O..kay?" I more asked than stated. I followed the little pixie into her room. I'd been in Alice's room many times before. It was done in what could best be described as a transitional style from the Edwardian into the Roaring 20's. There were the familiar Edwardian fabrics such as yards of velvet and lace but done in 20's colors like light heather gray and petal pinks. It was very pretty but also very Alice. Jasper's study was more his room.

The only change in Alice's room I could notice from every single other time I had been in was a tea table set up with two cushioned chairs…and Edward sitting in one of them. "You were supposed to set up three chairs, Edward," Alice stated, chastising her brother as she moved towards the tiny set up.

"You haven't even asked her, have you?" Edward said, looking disapproving to Alice.

"Ask what?" I stated, now curious and wary. Alice stuck her tongue out at Edward before moving to the closet to get a third folding chair, also cushioned. After placing it around the table, Alice came back up to me and gave me that super cute face. "Alice," I groaned before she even said anything. Human or vampire, that face made you feel like, if you said no, it was saying no to stopping the death of thousands of furry kittens. She made you feel like you were the only person that could stop such a horrendous act and, by saying no, you were the purest form of evil. No human or vampire could say no to her and get away without feeling insanely guilty.

"Please, Elizabeth?" Alice pleaded with me as she led me over to the tea table. I sighed and followed, taking my seat while Alice took hers. Edward, being a gentleman, took his seat last.

"Unless we are playing tea party, Alice, I don't think I want a part of it," I muttered, folding my arms. Edward chuckled darkly until Alice shot him a look. She then turned her pretty golden orbs to me and did that whole super cute sad face that made me want to go bury my head in a pillow. Stupid deathray of cuteness…

"I want to know," was all Alice said but, instantly, I knew what she meant. I shot a look at Edward who shrugged. So that's what she wanted. She wanted to know about her human life. Edward was here so he could see it in my mind while I saw it all from a single touch.

I wasn't sure if I could. Well, yes, I _could_ but what if I didn't come out of it? What if I got stuck for another three or four days just sitting here? Would I be able to break out of it or not? Did I want those memories in my own head? Could I stop the movie, the vision, before it got to be too much? I wasn't sure and I wasn't sure if this was the way I wanted to test it.

Alice looked down at her hands, folded neatly in her lap. "I need to know, Aunt Sissy," she whispered. "Please?" she asked me. I furrowed my brow. It would be a way to get Alice her answers to what her life was like prior to being changed but was, and that was something I wanted to help with in any way I could, but I wasn't sure if I was ready for that. As I bit my lip, Edward spoke.

"She thinks you will be able to come out of the vision more quickly than before," Edward stated. Thinks was a keyword. Alice wasn't even sure. Three days, possibly four, with a blank look on my face. I'd miss half a week of my babies' lives. What if something happened in those days? Something I'd miss? It's not like most people had the ability to exert any sort of control over their extra senses for many years in most cases. But then again…

"Yes," Edward said softly. "Everyone here is an exception," he told me. Bella had well beyond full control over her shield in a matter of months. It was really only at the battle –in the books- that she could exert the ability well above what she had been able too. Edward had some control over his ability in a matter of months as well. Alice was born into this world with control over her foresight. Jasper had been much the same.

But I had only been a vampire for weeks, not months. I was still getting use to the idea that I didn't like chocolate cake for breakfast anymore! "I…" I started with a stuttered. "I don't know," I whispered truthfully. It wasn't that I didn't want to help Alice get her answers, I did! I just wasn't sure if I was ready for that. Beyond my children and my husband, I had yet to test my ability at all.

"You need to, at some time," Edward whispered to me. It was true. I did need to test my limits. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, nodding. Yes, I'd try to find the answers Alice needed.

When I looked back up, Jasper had joined us. He was sitting on the chest Alice had at the foot of the bed, next to the table. All four of us gathered around a table that couldn't have been meant for anymore than two people looked amusing, I'm sure, to someone on the outside. It probably looked like we were about to conduct a séance. In a way, I guess we were. I was about to dig up the old ghosts of Alice's human life.

I slipped off my black glove and grabbed Alice's hand. I didn't even get a chance to see her reaction; it came to me in a rush. Darkness but warmth. Muted sounds. I knew this part well already. This was the human awakening-the life inside the womb.

Alice was born. I saw her mother and her father. Her mother had light colored hair and gorgeous gray eyes. Alice inherited her mother's eyes and her father's hair. Her father held her tenderly as he smiled down at his baby daughter. It seemed in that moment hard to believe that these would be the very people to give her up and declare her dead.

Alice grew and she seemed to have a rather normal childhood until she was about six or seven. She started to scream for what looked like no reason. Everyone turned to look at her, ignoring a runaway horse and cart. The horse trampled a small boy Alice had been playing with. Based on her father's looks, that was the start. It got worse from then on.

Every night Alice would scream. Every night her parents would check on her. Every night Alice would say something different, only to be proven right the next day. Her mother believed her to be possessed. Her father thought her to be insane. He was of a more scientific mind. Their family doctor blamed it on regular childhood nightmares and thought it would go away. It never did.

Her mother miscarried a son only to have a daughter two years later. Alice was nine when Cynthia was born. Cynthia had her mother's hair and her father's eyes. She was the opposite of Alice in every way.

Alice stopped eating much. She would hide in the corners of the home and refuse to come out. Her parents tried punishments and treats to try and get their eldest daughter to stop screaming in the night. They had to stop sending her to school because she scared the other students. She would known when someone was to fall or to become a victim of a joke. She knew too much and say things that terrified the other children.

It wasn't until she woke up screaming about the murder of a policeman that her parents gave up. The next day, it was in all the papers. Her mother, by that point, was too consumed with taking care of Cynthia to even do more than cast an eye to her other daughter. It was clear in her eyes, Alice's mother thought Alice to be dead already.

It was Alice's father that took her to the asylum. He borrowed a car and drove her the entire way up. He didn't speak most of the way and didn't stop, except at a service station or two, despite it being a two day drive. Little Alice wasn't any older than ten when she arrived on the asylum's front steps. This is where her father left her. She never saw him again.

At first, it looked as if they were at least attempting to take care of her. They would give her various forms of medication and she was moved in with children her own age. She seemed to be getting better until one night when Alice awoke suddenly. She ran up the stairs and screamed. An orderly –I think- was attacking one of the other ladies in the hospital. He heard Alice and went after her. But Alice was quick and small. She dove between some broken railings and jumped down the stairs. The orderly tried to follow when the railing caught him. He died, pegged to the staircase with one of the pieces of the railing jabbed through his lung. It was a slow and painful death.

The next morning, they found Alice on the staircase, curled up in a ball. The man speared not too far from her, and the lady still bloodied and bruised at the top of the stairs, barely conscious. The lady wouldn't speak. They assumed Alice had some how beat her and killed the man despite one doctor –who was clearly a vampire- arguing that it was impossible.

So, Alice was locked up in a tiny room in the furthest wing. There was a mattress and nothing else in the four walled cell. Every night she heard the screams of the other women in the cells near her and every morning the doctors would try to get Alice to submit to various testing. There were a few bright spots in this monotony –the vampire doctor that would visit her and the head of the hospital. They both would speak to her as if she had some rational thought left inside her.

The head of the asylum would tell her stories of the Civil War which Alice would listen in with rapt attention. She would question him and loved to hear as much as she could. He would visit her at least once a week. The vampire doctor visited her every night to ensure his little "vercula" or little springtime, was alright. Only twice, she wasn't. The other doctor –the one Alice saw in the day- came by and decided to experiment on Alice. He shaved her head and conducted brain surgery to try and "cure" her of her nightmares. It didn't work, of course. He only succeeded in taking out a tumor that was near her pituitary gland. The doctor on the day shift also insisted she wear a blindfold at all times. He seemed to think that if Alice complained about "seeing things" then taking away her sight would work. All it did is make Alice that much more upset.

The vampire doctor would take the blindfold off each night and went into a rage when he saw his springtime's shaved head. He demanded to know who did that too her. When Alice told him, he managed to become the only doctor for her. That didn't last very long.

Part of me was aware of Edward's smooth voice while I watched the events play forth before my eyes. Every so often I could hear Alice or even Jasper speak as well, but never anyone else. I wasn't sure how fast I was going through the vision or if I could even stop it. I just knew what I was seeing and I was seeing the moment Alice was about to be changed.

It happened quickly. James entered the property and found Doctor Pulcher there. The hunter didn't understand the fascination the doctor had with the now spiky haired girl. I realized the moment I saw Alice's spiky black hair that the time was close. Doctor Pulcher grabbed her before James' eyes and threw James into Alice's cell. Taking Alice out of the pitiful place. He had locked the steel door so that even James would have to take his time to get out.

The doctor ran to the river in the middle of the night, bundling his little girl –because, from all that he said, Alice was very much his little girl in his eyes- and carrying her as best he could through the river to confuse the scent. Once in a small log cabin, he laid the confused Alice on a bed. Doctor Pulcher hypnotized her. He told her that every burn was to feel like nothing more than the Sun's warm rays, that every bit of pain was to feel like a stretch. He warned her that, if he was not there when she awoke, to forget her painful human life and to search for two things: One was for the person that would love her most in her new life and the other was for Doctor Cullen, who would take care of her when Doctor Pulcher could no longer.

It made sense now in my head. That's why Alice couldn't remember the pain. She was hypnotized not to feel the pain. It would probably only work on a very small amount of individuals –maybe five percent of the population- but it could work. And it did work in Alice's case. It also explained why she awoke and had her two visions. Doctor Pulcher had been a friend of Carlisle's many years ago. I would need to ask my brother more about that or, at least, Alice would need ask, but this is where she was meant to be. This is what her creator wanted for her.

Alice's vampire life started and I could just hear the voices of my nephew and my niece. "Aunt Sissy?" Edward said as the vision continued. "Please, Elizabeth, you can break out of it now," Alice whispered in my ear. I could? Even Alice didn't sound terribly convinced.

It was the third voice that broke my concentration. I kept trying to break out of the vision. I got to the point where I could see the vision but also see my niece and nephews. I could see them trying to pull me out of the vision, coax me out of it, but I couldn't push myself out of it. It was Gabriel's voice that brought me about.

"Elizabetta?" he called to me from somewhere behind me. I blinked as the vision immediately went to the back of my head rather than being before my eyes. It was still playing but it was like background music rather than the actual movie. I could easily ignore it.

"I'm here," I stated, looking for a clock. I could feel Gabriel come up behind me, his purplish blue aura surround me before his hand was placed on my shoulder. I smiled up at him slightly and then looked around the room a bit more. It didn't look like that much time had passed. "How long was I out this time?" I asked.

Edward looked a bit confused and shocked. Jasper looked like he was thinking on something and it was Alice that answered, rather cheerfully given everything Edward must have told her. "Only an hour!" she told me.

I quirked an eyebrow at that. Only an hour? I had gone through nearly twenty years of memories in about sixty minutes of time? That was a lot better than what I had been doing. I could deal with loosing an hour of time.

"Thank You, Elizabeth," Alice told me, ignoring my husband and hugging me despite Gabriel being slightly in the way. I smiled and hugged her back.

"Of course," I told her. I wanted to help her in any way I can. She now had some answers even if she couldn't remember it.

"Did it bring back any memories at all?" I asked carefully. Alice shook her spiky haired head and shrugged.

"I guess since I didn't see him again that I might never really remember," she said, furrowing her brow. I wondered if she could see Doctor Pulcher again, if that would jog her memory a bit. Granted, human memories were supposed to fade –mine haven't yet- but there might be something she could remember in there. Assuming, Alice even wanted to remember knowing what she did now.

"Do you want to remember?" I asked her curiously. Alice seemed to think on that. If she did, I could draw a picture of him. I had been a decent enough artist as a human that, as a vampire, I could do a likeness. It wouldn't be too difficult since I had Doctor Pulcher's face forever imprinted into my memory.

Alice went from tapping her chin to smiling. "Yes! Let's try that," she said excitedly.

"Try what?" Jasper asked as the same time as Gabriel.

I turned around to my husband while I was still seated. I gazed up into that perfect marble face, framed with the soft mahogany waves. "I can draw him. The reason Alice doesn't remember is because he hypnotized her to forget if she didn't see him again after she awoke," I explained to him.

"A picture could trigger it," Jasper whispered in thought. I turned and nodded to him. Jasper had been studying psychology so I was sure he knew about various means of hypnotism. What I knew was from what I learned in school ages ago. Luckily, with my ability, I would also never forget.

Rather than the entire group of us get up and move downstairs to my apartment where I had my own drawing supplies, Alice quickly handed me a pencil and sketchbook. I looked at her and offered a small smile. "Thank you," I whispered as I opened the sketchbook. In it were various fashion designs. Alice sat next to me again in her folding chair at the table.

She reached across and pulled the book that was in my lap open to a blank page. "Here," she said. "The rest are just my design ideas," she told me truthfully. I nodded and placed the book on the table, taking the pencils she offered to draw out what I could.

I would close my eyes, to picture him more clearly, and then draw it out on the piece of paper. Gabriel's hand never wavered from my shoulder as he peeked over me at the drawing. Both Edward and Jasper were also curious about the various lines I was making on the paper. When Alice peeked over I covered the drawing up, however.

"No peeking!" I told her. I didn't want her to see the drawing before it was ready. It might not work otherwise! Okay, so the chances of it working this way were pretty low too but I didn't want to have anything influence those chances at all. Alice sighed and slumped back into her chair as I drew.

It wasn't more than another ten minutes –ten minutes in which I learned the twins were having fun playing with Uncle Charlie, Uncle Carlisle, and Aunt Esme- when I was done. I had smudged and shaded it to the point where it was a reasonable likeness. I only hoped it worked.

"Alice?" I called to her. She immediately sat up and looked at me.

"Now," she stated simply. Jasper moved behind her and placed his own hand on her before I revealed the picture. When Alice saw it, her eyes went wide and I heard Edward suck in a breath. It was clear between the two of them; Alice finally remembered.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So ummm…bunker time! It needs to be restocked.


	93. BIII Cxxxiii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This one will…uhh…get twisted. And it's long! Yay!

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 33

I decided to take my little angels out for the day. It was almost October and every single part of me was yearning for the Renaissance Festival. I needed those smells of autumn leaves and apple cider. I don't care if it wouldn't smell "yummy" to me anymore, I just needed the feel of the crisp air, the smell of fall, and to wear something that, although I was fully covered, would raise eyebrows.

Unfortunately for me, the only Renaissance Festivals within a days drive –even for a vampire- were in June and July. There had been one in September, but it had been the weekend before Carlie was born –not exactly a great time for me to be away. So, Gabriel promised me that next weekend we'd fly out to DC to go play at the Maryland Renaissance Festival for one weekend. I had been so grumpy about it the past couple of days, he didn't even bring up the whole "what if you see someone you know" issue.

But, for now, I was just going up into the park. I wasn't even more than ten miles from home. It was sort of distressing to me that the trees don't actually change color. I'm so use to the flame orange reds and vibrate yellows of home that to only see green and brown seemed so terribly wrong.

What was fascinating though, to me at least, was to watch the auras of the trees. The trees themselves only had a hint of an aura to begin with and, although it wasn't going away, it was fading to look more like of any object I might see. It was less of a "living" aura, and more like the aura I see around inanimate objects, but not quite. Of course, even the aura around trees was nothing like the aura around animals, people, vampires, or werewolves. Each aura was so different and I was still trying to get use to them all.

Seth was with me. The pup couldn't stay away from Claudia –or really even Luca for that matter- for very long. Yes, it irked me but I'd rather have Seth around than Leah. Leah at least seemed okay with Seth being near Luca rather than "just his Mom" which really truly drove me up the wall. The last time she said something like that, Jasper had to intervene as well as Carlisle. If Gabriel had been there, he probably would have helped me make Leah the first three legged werewolf in the tribe.

Gabriel wanted to come but Carlisle wanted to talk to him. I think, this time, it was about what happened at the mall a while back. My brother never had the chance to talk to my husband much about it, for which I was grateful, and they knew better to talk about it around me. It was something I did not want to talk about. At all. Ever.

I heard a muffled, "I don't know," come from Seth. He was carrying Claudia right now and I had Luca tucked in my arms. I kissed my baby boy on the head before I heard Seth's voice again.

"Hey, Sissy?" Seth asked with that tone he now always used for me. He stayed very reserved, almost defensive, around me and he kept his distance. Neither was a bad thing since I was still very mad at him. Okay, so maybe not very mad, but I wasn't ever going to be happy about the situation. Luca and Claudia were my and Gabriel's babies. They didn't _belong_ to anyone else.

"Yes?" I answered holding my sweet little boy closer. Luca grinned up at me and nuzzled his forehead against my neck.

"Where are we going?" Seth asked me timidly. I sighed. I just needed to get to the small waterfall I had seen during a hunting trip that looked pretty. I liked the way the water sounded as it hit the rocks and turned into the tiny creek bed and skipped along down the slight hillside. Gabriel had promised we could come back but there was a yummy bear at the time that was older and about to die anyway. We shouldn't waste such precious blood….

"To a nice spot I found a couple of weeks ago," I told him. I figured it was actually Claudia's question so I slipped back, matching my pace with the smelly wolf. Ginsie smelt better even when she was wet but I was getting used to the smell. Gag.

I turned and smiled as my little angel girl with her still quite blond ringlets. Her eyes were mine though and no one could doubt she was my daughter anymore than anyone could doubt that Luca was Gabriel's son. Our babies looked too much like us to cause any questions of if they were really ours or not.

"There's a pretty waterfall there, sweetheart," I told my little girl. "You'll be able to play in it a little bit but don't get soaked, okay?" I told her. Claudia smiled at me and nodded.

"Yes, momma," she said in her soft little voice. She looked at Seth and then to me and reached for me. Seth handed her over without complaint but I could see that he didn't like his arms being empty of her which only renewed my anger…again.

I had Luca on my right and Claudia to my left. I kissed both my babies as I continued my pace. I suppose that I should be warn out or my muscles should be tired for having two babies in my arms and going at a decent enough pace. Okay, so maybe I was going something like thirty miles per an hour but that wasn't fast. According to Emmett, Jasper clocked Edward one day at a 125 miles per an hour; but, then again, Edward is supposed to be the fastest. I don't have the slightest idea how fast I could go but my maternal instincts, I guess, made it so I didn't want to go any faster than I was now. Then again, maybe it was also because –as mad as I was at him- I didn't like the idea of Seth being alone in these woods even if we were only a few miles out from the house. Seth could go fast but it wore him out. He was still sort of human.

I smiled as I heard the small creek up ahead through the trees. The children both looked in the direction of the sounds of falling water as I got closer. I only slowed so Seth could keep up a bit before I pushed through the last of the trees to the small waterfall. Both babes squealed with delight which only made me smile more. I kissed them both again before putting them down. Luca was the one that ran over to the water to play while Claudia more or less danced towards it.

"No splashing or getting soaked. You understand me, Luca?" I asked my son, sternly. It felt so wrong to speak that way to someone who was just a month old but he turned and nodded solemnly.

"Yes, Momma," he told me before I went to sit down on one of the rocks where I could have a decent vantage point of everything. Seth was playing the part of a nanny right now as Claudia happily sat herself on the ground and started to pick up random rocks. Luca was picking up something out of the creek that I think were tadpoles. It was something small and wiggling that he seemed to find delight in. I guess as his Mom I should be worried but I wasn't. If he got bit…well, he was half vampire. I doubt it would do a thing to him. If he fell in, I could run quick enough that it wouldn't even be an issue.

I relaxed on the rock and watched as my babies played. Claudia and Luca would both bring me their finds –small creatures that did NOT like being brought to a vampire and various colored rocks- to which I'd tell them to either put it back or that they could only bring so many rocks closed. Thanks to my years of college geology, I knew what each rock was and tried to encourage my daughter to bring home different ones. She seemed to think different colored ones was enough.

I wasn't sure what I noticed first. Maybe it was that suddenly everything seemed so still. Yes, normally all the creatures ran and hid when they knew I was around. I was a vampire –the most dangerous predator on Earth- so of course they'd try to hide. But it seemed that even the auras of the trees went still. I heard the wind and lifted my head to see if I could catch the scent of something –a bear perhaps- but what I smelled was something that took me back.

It was the smell of old copper pipes and pure ionized water. It was the smell of old things, antique things, those things like you'd find in a basement. That chemical anime smell mixed in with the smell of brine. I knew that smell better than almost any other than the world. It was the smell of a submarine.

My Dad use to smell like that when I was little and he'd come home. His uniform always smelled like old copper pipes and anime – an organic compound containing nitrogen- even after he had been home for months. I could still remember walking through the basement of the engineering building at college and thinking "Dad?" when I first went down there. There had been a leaky pipe on the drinking fountain and the mix of that with all the other "engineering" smells made the basement smell like him. I remember passing through just to get a whiff of that smell –it smelt like home to me.

But now, every sense I had was on alert. I jumped up, in a pouncing position on the rock. I didn't even realize I was growling –although softly, until Seth grabbed both kids and came up behind me. "Elizabeth?" he whispered lightly.

I didn't have to answer. He could smell it too on the wind. His nostrils flared and I swore I saw him starting to shake. He better not with my babies in his arms! I looked down at a confused Luca and a teary eyes Claudia. "Get them back to the house," I half said, half growled. It seemed to snap Seth out of changing right then and there. He nodded to me.

"Whoever it is, be careful," Seth whispered to me. I nodded back. We both knew by the smell that, whoever it was, was one of my kind. A stray vampire would not take kindly to werewolf and a couple of children that look like the immortal ones of old. They'd probably think I was completely insane and try to get rid of me as well. Whoever he was, maybe I could head him off? He was a Navy guy if the smell was correct. I would know how to deal with him.

Seth took off towards the house with my angels hugging him tight. I think I heard Luca say "Momma" but I couldn't look back right now. I'd have to talk to this vampire and see if they might want to meet the rest of the clan. If I was cordial and acted like I had been hunting, then I doubt the vampire would have much reason for tracking a stray wolf –which he wouldn't recognize that scent- or try to figure out what that sweet but not yummy scent was either.

I ran towards the intruder and really, truly wished my husband or really any one in my family was with me. Come to think of it, I hadn't actually been alone since Ithaca. There had always been someone nearby, someone close. If it wasn't one of my nieces or nephews, it was my brother or my sister. Even then, Gabriel had almost always been near since I entered this universe. Or, at least, he had been with me since he kidnapped me all those months ago. This was the first time I had been left alone and to my own devices in a very long time.

I slowed as I heard my fellow vampire coming closer. I decided to wait for him to meet me about a mile away from the creek. We were downwind the creek and he wouldn't be able to smell anything more than the crisp air of fall through out the forest. Well, that, and me –the tangerines, roses, and ginger smelling vampire. I don't think I smell that citrusy but Gabriel seems to think so.

I thought looking casual would be best. I didn't want to scare the poor guy; especially when he finds out that there happen to be nine more vampires right down the road, three Halflings, and a nice large pack of werewolves. Yeah, he'll have enough to worry over rather just some silly newborn.

I sat down on yet another rock –being that these were mountains, there were rocks everywhere- and waited for this other vampire. I didn't have to wait long.

The first thing I noticed was the aura. I could see his aura through the fir trees before I actually saw him. The color was an odd one and I wasn't sure if that was due to him specifically or because he was, most likely, a human drinking vampire. Of course, I had seen Felix and his aura only had that weird yellow tinge to it that I didn't like. This aura, the one I saw coming, was the color of the dark with the yellow tinge in it. It was pitch black, more like the darkest purplish brown you could imagine with yellow in it. It disgusted me but I tried not to let that show. Instead, I slowly got up, hoping to show that I meant no harm, before I actually looked up at him.

I saw his barefeet first. I looked at them questioningly. His feet looked familiar and I began to wonder if it was just Demetri –although the Volturi guard all wore shoes. Maybe he needed a new pair. Thinking this could possibly be someone who was more friend than foe, I looked up the rest of the way quickly, smiling. I stopped at his face.

I knew that face. The smell, the face…the eyes had changed to a meaning red to match my own from their steely blue but I knew the vampire –no, person- standing before me. Right before me, not three feet from me, was my father.

He looked younger. I suppose he must have been changed around twenty seven or twenty eight but I still recognized him. I remember what he looked like when he was that age even though I was quite small. He still had all his dark brown hair –it had yet to recede- and he didn't have a scar on him that I could see. But I could see his nose, his chin, everything about him was still my father despite the change.

I almost let out a small "Daddy?" but managed to stop myself. I somehow managed to suck in a breath, plaster a smile on my face, and not run up and hug him. He'd probably see that as an attack anyways because, despite it all, in this universe, I was a complete stranger to him.

"Hello," I said softly. He furrowed his brow in a way that was completely familiar to me. I knew that confused look. Normally when I gave him something that confused him, I was grounded. Well, until I turned 27. Then he just demanded I explain and that normally worked out well.

"Where is your creator?" he asked me quickly. There was that tone in his voice that I knew well. I bit my lip and looked down; he was angry.

"He's not far," I whispered and tried to remember my goal. I wanted to take the vampire before me to go see the rest of the clan. Once I was with the rest of my family, I'd be fine. …I had to take my Dad to see his son-in-law.

"Who would be irresponsible enough to leave a newborn like you," he stated in that superior tone, "alone?"

"I…perhaps if we go to see my husband and my brother, then it might," I started to say.

"You will tell me where they are, now," he ordered. I tried my hardest not to shake. He saw me as a newborn and nothing else. I was an out of control newborn in his mind. I needed to be watched and be told who was in charge.

"They are in a house, just ten miles west of here," I whispered again. I was repeating the same mantra in my head over and over again. Not my Dad. Not my Dad.

"You will take me there," he said sternly but not as angry. I nodded but I refused to meet his gaze. I know if I looked at him, I probably still would hug him and start to tell him everything that had happened just if he were my real Dad. But he wasn't. This wasn't my Dad from my universe. This was Nicholas French of this universe.

I moved to lead him back to the house where Gabriel and Carlisle were. Where I could curl up in Esme's arms down in the basement and cry my eyes out, again. Not that I'd produce any tears or anything.

I felt him jerk me back and a flash of my grandmother filtered through my thoughts. I hadn't thought on her in years. I looked up at him, startled, and then down at his hand grasping my arm.

"You better not run from me, little newborn," he told me.

"I…I wasn't going to," I told him, scared of myself and scared of him. He didn't realize I wasn't a normal newborn or that I was, on a genetic level, his daughter.

He yanked me forward and, although it didn't hurt, it felt odd. "Dad!" I yelled at him, turning my head to glare at him. This only seemed to confuse him more.

I covered my mouth the second I uttered the word. He looked around as the birds all flew away from their silent perches, his hand still on my upper arm. The entire woods went completely silent again.

"This is a trap!" he shouted at me, thrusting me towards a tree as he backed up. I shook my head.

"No, no, Nicholas. My clan is just ten miles away. We didn't know anyone else," I started when I saw that narrowed eyed look. His face looked strange without it turning that blood red color it had always turned when he was angry. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Do not lie to me little newborn!" he shouted. He looked up and around at the trees. Turning once again, he seemed even more confused as he moved towards me again. "How did you know my name?" he asked me, quietly. I don't think he was angry, just confused.

I'm not sure what happened next. I know I heard a growl to my left and I could see the familiar patch of sandy colored fur. My heart dropped while my Dad was just inches from me. Seth should not be here. He was supposed to take the babies back to the house. Where are my angels? Why is Seth here?

My Dad looked over at the sandy colored wolf and immediately went into a full crouch. Vampires and werewolves were not supposed to get along as far as either side knew up until recently. Seth bared his teeth and growled right back at my father before looking at me. Amazingly, my Dad pushed me behind him!

"No, no!" I shouted at the two of them. Seth stopped growling, willing to listen to me, but my Dad didn't lighten his stance.

"Stay behind me!" my Dad ordered.

"He's a friend!" I shouted right back. That confused him enough that I was able to go stand next to Seth and put my hand on the tuff at fur around his neck. Seth nuzzled my hand, showing that he was in fact a "friend", before going back to lightly growling at my father.

"Friend?" Nicholas repeated, looking at me like I lost my mind. I nodded.

"My creator has sent me out with him. Seth won't attack unless he thinks I'm in danger," I said, more hopeful than truth. Well, it probably was true in Seth's case. He wouldn't go off and kill a vampire just because they happen to be a vampire.

"O…kay," Nicholas repeated, straightening but keeping his eye on Seth. I kept my hand on him to show that I wasn't afraid of him and that Seth had no fear nor any will to fight me. Well, at least not right now. When we get back to the house and I find out where my children are, Seth is going to get an earful but we would never fight just because he happens to be a werewolf and I happen to be a vampire!

Seth cocked his head to indicate for me to follow him. I held him by the ruff of his neck and followed, my Dad –Nicholas- not too far behind. He seemed to be watching Seth curiously, almost like he thought this was the trap. Of course, there wasn't any trap, just a lot of very odd creatures at the Cullen home…and maybe one human. I hope Charlie was at the house right now.

The rest of the way was silent. Seth let me stay next to him. If I dropped my hold on him, he would nuzzle my hand and seem to demand I hold on to him again. I didn't argue after the second time. Nicholas seemed to be more at ease if I held on to the wolf and the wolf stayed right next to me. Maybe he figured a werewolf was a decent enough nursemaid for a newborn vampire? Or maybe he thought the newborn could control her pup? Who knows? I never did figure out how my Dad's brain works.

As we approached the house, I could smell the familiar scents of my family. Cinnamon, pear, pine, vanilla, seawater, patchouli…I almost went into a full run, wanting to get into Gabriel's arms but Seth managed to bring me back to our current situation. I started to run when Seth jumped in front of me.

The sandy colored wolf turned towards me and growled. It wasn't his menacing growl but more of a "listen to me!" type growl. I looked at him curiously and then realized that my Dad was still behind us. Oh, yeah, right. No running away from him or from Seth. Got it.

"Sorry," I mumbled before looking down. Seth nuzzled my hand again and slowly lead me to where Gabriel, Carlisle, and Jasper were. I saw Carlisle place a hand on Gabriel to keep him back.

The second I was close enough, I hugged my husband tightly. He hugged me back, kissed my head –I didn't even scowl this time- and gently but quickly pushed me behind him. Really, what is it with male vampires thinking _I'm_ the weak one? I'm a newborn! Not only that, I've killed two vampires and two werewolves while I was still human. I'd like to see any man with that kind of track record!

I sighed and moved to be right next to my husband. It was Carlisle and Jasper that stepped forward. I noticed the sideways glance Carlisle gave me and I looked down. "Greetings," Carlisle said warmly to my father. I could only imagine what poor Jasper was going through. I knew my own emotions were all over the place even though I could see Jasper was trying to help.

My father nodded to Carlisle. "You let this young one out with only a dog to watch her?" Nicholas asked. I looked down at said dog who was standing next to me.

"Where are my children?" I seethed through my teeth as quietly as I could. Seth whined slightly and then looked to Gabriel. I turned to my husband, wondering if he knew the answer.

"Leah brought them home," Gabriel whispered. Ah, a trade off. As long as they were in the house, I was fine. I'd still yell at Seth but the twins were safe and that was all that mattered. For now, I'd settle for glaring down at the sandy haired pup.

"If you would come inside," Carlisle stated in his typical friendly but authoritative voice. My Dad wouldn't let my brother finish. Figures. I got in trouble all the time for that growing up.

"I have already seen enough! I don't need to know anymore," my Dad spat. I knew this reaction and just rolled my eyes. Of course he didn't want to know anymore. He had seen a bunch of veggie vampires who had a newborn on their hands that consorted with the likes of werewolves. What else was there to know?

"I am sorry to hear that," Carlisle told him. My father's nostrils flared slightly. It was still so odd not to see him turning bright red that I really couldn't comprehend his reactions.

"You, of course, are welcome to stay or go as you please," Carlisle started. Seth whined a bit and I could just see the hint of a smile upon Carlisle's lips as he turned ever so slightly to acknowledge Seth. What happened next was rather interesting.

I supposed Carlisle was going to warn my Dad not to hunt in the immediate area and to stay away from the coastline where the werewolves' side of the treaty line was. Not that there was really much a treaty line. We all tended to come and go as we pleased but then again we always had werewolf escort and we were all vegetarian. We weren't scary.

I guess my Dad saw something in the window. I'm not sure what but maybe he thought this was still a trap. He growled and crouched immediately. Jasper went into war mode first and growled right back. I could almost hear Alice hiss from here and I knew Seth would have to get out of the way for her to see anything.

"Seth, back up," I told him as calmly as I could. Calm was everything I wasn't right now. My father was growling at my nephew and my brother. My husband was trying to push me behind him again so he could crouch too and make sure I was safe.

Of course, I wasn't safe. My emotions were all over the place. I couldn't have my new family try to defend against my old…even if my old family wasn't really my family. My Dad wasn't really my Dad but he looked like him; genetically, it was him, but he had no knowledge of me.

I started to move, even though Gabriel wouldn't let me. Seth had backed up, as per my request. I hoped that Alice could see now even though all she'd be able to do is scream out the front door really. It would make her feel better for now, I think.

It was my Dad that didn't follow the rules. He didn't come at the front –though Jasper and Carlisle- but from _under_ the ground. It was his ability –something we couldn't see. He seemed to melt into the ground and stand right in front of me. I stood there shocked.

"What are you?" he demanded, putting his hands on my shoulders as he shouted. I didn't know what to do but I knew that he had made a mistake. Gabriel whisked me away from my Dad immediately; twirling me so I was right behind Gabe as he growled at my Dad. But it was Seth that jumped at him. I suppose you really didn't mess with me unless you wanted a lot of angry mythological creatures on your back.

I had noticed that both Edward and Emmett appeared out of the woodwork. Edward's eyes looked black, like he was thirsty. Emmett just pumped his fist into his hand, ready for a fight.

Seth had knocked my Dad to the ground and I screamed, "No!" but even I wasn't sure if that was for my Dad or for Seth. My Dad quickly gained the upper hand and pushed Seth back. Unfortunately, that was right back into a tree. I heard pretty much everyone suck in a breath.

Gabriel pushed my back further, Carlisle ran to Seth's side, Seth laid on the ground, limp but alive as far as I could tell from here, and it was Edward this time that jumped at my Dad. No, please don't. Please don't kill him. Please don't.

I repeated that a few hundred times as I saw my Dad melt into the ground again and again. He would manage to grab my nephews or my husband. When I saw he was getting close to Seth again, I ran out and pushed him pack to the ground. He looked surprised.

"You do not hurt him!" I screamed. All I could see was that one memory that popped back into my head while Gabriel and I were staying at a hotel and on the run. My middle brother teasing my oldest little brother. Me taking my middle brother to the side. My Dad getting angry with him and yanking him by the arm for daring to upset our other brother. Me trying to stop him. My Dad pushing me against the sink as he yanked Alex down the stairs to the basement….

I didn't see Seth anymore. I saw Alex lying there. I knew Carlisle was there, ready to pounce my Dad if he dared to get up again. My Dad just looked confused. "You will not hurt him again!" I screamed.

Gabriel placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled me back. I think my husband was about to take a wack at my Dad when he jumped up but it was Edward that pushed my father back into the ground. "No!" I screamed again. I was fighting off sobbing right then and there. This was not the way this was supposed to be!

Edward turned and looked at me but that was long enough for my Dad to use his ability again and melt into the ground. This time, he didn't resurface only a few feet away –he resurfaced a few dozen yards away and took off running. Edward looked like he was about to chase after him when he suddenly stopped and looked at Jasper. Jasper nodded over to me. I simply turned and cried into Gabriel's arms.

This wasn't supposed to be like this. My Dad wasn't supposed to be one of our kind. He shouldn't be an immortal. He shouldn't be fighting with my new family. He shouldn't be like this. He should love me.

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**Author's Note:** ummm….yeah, can we say issues? Elizabeth has them. Review?


	94. BIII Cxxxiv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry! I had a major bout of writer's block and a lovely three foot snow storm…and decided it was a great idea to hand sew a full 1780's ball gown. I think the writer's block is better now….

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 34

I knew from years of experience that if I acted like nothing had happened and just ignored whatever my Dad had just done, that everyone else around me would take the cue and continue on with their lives. Nothing to see here. Nothing other than Seth being badly injured. Carlisle was terrified to move him in his wolf form, not knowing exactly how the skeleton would react given the broke bones. Seth was whimpering from the ground.

I remembered throwing my coat over him. It would look odd in September in Forks to be hiking without a jacket or a coat. I hoped that that would encourage him to change back if any part of him not changing into human form was nothing more than simple modesty. It still took a few minutes and I doubt it was just modesty that prevented it. He was in pain and he was scared. Luckily, with Jasper and Edward there; Jasper could calm him –help Seth change back- and Edward could answer all his questions he had running through his head. Still, that didn't change the fact that Leah was furious. Not that I blamed her.

Her little brother had been injured by one of us in her eyes. When she came up and started to yell at me, I guess I shouldn't have slapped her. I think I might have broken her cheekbone but, even if I did, she'd heal quick. She did last time. At the very least, it shut her up. Well, okay, maybe calling her a stupid bitch and pointing out that it was "one of our kind" that was trying to help her brother if he would just change back and that if she dared to say one more word to me I swore I'd make sure she'd never lay eyes on either of the twins again that shut her up. I was angry.

I was angry, hurt, confused, curious….I didn't even know what I was. My Daddy, here, in this universe, was a vampire. Boy, would that make my Dad in my universe grumble. He had been born on Halloween and use to tease me when I was little that he was really Count Dracula…or Zed from Planet X. Whatever he was in the mood for to chase his children around the house and then rub his gruff face up against ours. But for him to really be a vampire would probably just make him angry.

Was that what he was in this universe; just angry? I wasn't sure. I mean, it's not like every day you see an unsupervised newborn walking around the forest, paling around with a werewolf, and said newborn actually belongs to a clan of veggie vampires. It would be like seeing a three year old running around with her pet dog only for her to bring you back to the commune of vegan hippies. And you hate dogs. Especially big ones. Yeah, you'd want to get as far away from those people as you could too…if you were my Dad. Although, he always liked dogs –it had been cats he just endured. Well, except the mountain lion.

The entire incident had been a week ago now but everyone was still walking on eggshells around me. I had stayed outside Carlisle's office the entire time he operated on Seth. Even Leah's yelling at me couldn't get me to move from there. It was my fault he was hurt. It was my fault for having gone out there with just the babies and the werewolf. Why hadn't Gabriel told me that my father was a vampire in the universe?

I guess I knew the answer to that question, really. Gabriel hadn't told me because he knew how I'd react. It was better to keep stuff like that from me when it dealt with my own family. If it was about Edward, okay, but any of my family that I remember from my universe? I guess I got so upset because I missed them so terribly and this was all so completely messed up.

If there was a way to combine this universe with the one I came from, I'd gladly take it. I'd have my husband, my children, my vampire family, and my human one all in one little bundle. But I couldn't have that and I knew it. Pretty much everyone in this house -except for Bella- had to give up their human lives completely. I just had to give up mine a bit more prematurely than most. My family disappeared before I was changed.

Or, rather, I disappeared. While I sat there on the floor in the hall outside of Carlisle's office, listening to the sounds of my brother working and the smelling the wolf's blood, I thought about my family -a lot. I wanted to know what they were doing, what they were feeling...and that always caused me to just get more upset because I knew. I knew exactly what they were feeling and I didn't want to know about that. I didn't want to think about my actual parents getting angry, getting into fights, crying all because I dropped off the face of the Earth -literally. How does one deal with that?

Once I was allowed in, I made sure to help take care of Seth. I was angry at the wolf for imprinting on my Claudia but I was far more upset about his being injured by my father -well, sort of. Genetically speaking, of course.

No one complained about my helping out. Well, Leah, but she shut her trap after the first couple of days. I think Seth grumbled at her or maybe Sue. Leah still listens to her mother even if she won't listen to anyone else.

So, a week, and no word. I was beginning to get worried about what had become of my Dad. I knew the boys -and girls- hadn't gone after him. Seeing the werewolf and the sheer amount of vampires seemed to scare him off. Demetri had stopped by -being back in town- and had promised to keep an eye open for him. He also offered to track him if I wanted but I shut that idea down immediately. There was no need for that. I wouldn't have my former enemy/current ally go after my in-another-universe-father.

Right now, I was in the study made hospital room with Seth. He had broken his back when he ended up against that tree. Well, he didn't break his back; my father did when he threw the poor wolf up against a tree. Luckily, werewolves heal quickly and this werewolf had a team of medically knowledge vampires to tend to him. Both Carlisle and Edward were monitoring his progress and making sure Seth didn't over exert himself. I was helping with the last part.

I watched as Seth, once again, struggled to sit up. His back had repaired itself but it would still be a few more days before he'd be allowed to get up and try to walk. It would probably be a month before he would be allowed to run again. Still, that was far better than the average human who broke their back!

"Seth, let me help you," I said with a sigh as I got up from my chair, again. Seth was getting grouchy from being inside and gave me a half hearted glare before it melted quickly.

"I can do it, Sis. Thanks," he managed to say before he started to push himself up again.

I crossed my arms and looked down at him. "You know you aren't supposed to be exerting yourself," I reminded the wolf boy.

Seth sighed and looked almost defeated. "Come on, Sis. Please let me try?" he pleaded with me. I couldn't take it when he looked up at me with those big brown eyes under that mob of hair. I guess I should give him a haircut even though he won't be allowed to phase for a couple more weeks. It might ruin the bones as they are still healing.

"Fine," I muttered and tried to distract myself while I saw Seth, out of the corner of my eye, push and pull himself into a seated position. After a couple of minutes, he got it and moved his legs to be more comfortable. He turned and grinned at me. I just sighed again and moved to adjust his pillows. "You really shouldn't be doing that, you know," I reminded him again.

"Yeah, I know," he told me as he batted my hands away. He had been doing that when he got annoyed with my hovering. I looked at him and could see the look of cabin fever in his eyes. There was little I could do about that. I wasn't about to take him outside and I knew he was bored with reading and the TV.

"Cards?" I offered. We had had a wild poker game a couple of nights ago. Everyone except the babes played; even Leah. We decided on pennies as the currency since money really wasn't the object at all. Of course, playing against a telepath, a psychic, an empathy, and me –the aura reader-…well, the game got interesting quickly. Edward couldn't read Bella so that was okay but he could read everyone else. However, the second he looked like he might even consider cheating and checking someone's thoughts, Alice would look to Jasper who would guilt trip Edward non-stop. Of course, that made Bella mad. I just got dizzy from watching Jasper play with the auras. Not really dizzy I guess but that's about the best way I can describe it. And then there was the whole can't help but to count cards thing that all vampires can do…. It became more of a game of keeping everyone from cheating than something to actually play!

"No," Seth said as a grin played across his lips. "I need to forget the last game first, if I can," he told me, smiling. Apparently he did enjoy the nonsense.

"Monopoly?" I asked, trying to run a list of all the various board games we had in the house. There were several but quite a few were vintage if not down right antique! I refused to play with the antique ones after touching one with my bare skin at one point. I only got flashes, but I could see various games that had been played in the past. I learned two lessons from that; one was to always wear my gloves and the other was that I could get impressions or visions from inanimate objects as well. They just weren't anywhere near as strong and they tended to be more of impressions. It was like someone recorded a memory onto the object rather than seeing everything that object had ever been involved in.

"You need to go hunt," Seth said, looking directly at my eyes. I sighed. I suppose he was right. I hadn't hunted in well over a week –two weeks almost. For a little newborn like me, that was a ridiculously long time.

I hadn't hunted because just thinking of the woods reminded me of my father. Thinking on Dad reminded me of the last time I saw him, which made me think of Seth. I looked at the boy who was attempting to swing his legs over the edge of the bed despite my glares and quick motion to stop him.

"Come on, Sis," Seth pleaded with me. "I'll go downstairs with everyone else and you go hunt," he more asked than stated. I knew I needed to hunt and it wasn't like it would be hard to get someone to go with me, but I didn't want to leave Seth.

"I should carry you downstairs," I told him. Rather than looking dismayed, he grinned. I guess, in his mind, at least he got to go downstairs! Who cared if the entire pack and coven saw the wolf being carried by the sabbatianoi turned vampire? Seth would get what he wanted.

"So I get to go down?" he asked. It didn't take long for me to realize what he really wanted –to see Claudia. If I wasn't upstairs with Seth, I had been downstairs with my husband and children. Poor Gabriel and I hadn't had any time to ourselves since the incident. I hated that but making sure Seth was okay was important –Gabriel and I had forever.

I sighed and nodded. Wrapping my arms around the over sized boy, I swung him up and took him down the stairs. His bones may have healed but nerves were a far more tricky thing. His injuries should have killed him. Even if they hadn't, a normal human would never be able to walk again. The spinal column was a mess but, between Seth's werewolf genes and Carlisle's talents, Seth would walk in a few more days probably. A week at most.

Carrying him down the steps, I heard my babies first. They both giggled and were grinning when I looked over at my angels. Claudia was sitting in Gabriel's lap while Luca played next to his daddy. Someone had bought them legos and they have been constructing things ever since!

Placing Seth down on the sofa, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I didn't have to look up as I saw my husband's blue violet aura encompass me but I did so anyway.

"Come," Gabriel said gently, offering his hand to me. I nodded and looked at the family in the room and the twins.

"Don't let Seth get up or move much, okay?" I told my babies. "And if he does, you tell me or any of your Aunts and Uncles," I informed them. Luca grinned.

"Yes, Momma," they both answered. I kissed each of my children on their foreheads and looked over at Alice. I knew she'd watch them while I went out to hunt for a bit. I wouldn't go far –just some icky deer or something like that before we headed back. I didn't want to be out for too long.

Gabriel guided me out of the house. It was the first time I had set foot outside since seeing my Dad almost kill Seth. Squeezing my husband's hand, I followed him off the back deck and over the river to find whatever we could.

We stopped about a mile and a half from the house. Gabriel seemed to have heard or smelt something but I couldn't hear anything bigger than a rabbit scared to death under some brush to our left. "Gabe?" I asked quietly, looking up at him.

Our eyes met and I realized exactly how long it had been since we had any time alone. I had been so worried about Seth that I spent my nights either watching over him or our children. We hadn't had time to be just Gabriel and Elizabeth in the past week. And it had been a week too long.

I wasn't entirely sure what happened but I knew my lips attacked his and the my arms wrapped themselves around his neck, my fingers playing with those gorgeous long mahogany locks. Gabriel growled low in his chest, attacking back with equal fierceness. He quickly picked me up and carried me a bit further out –where we wouldn't be bothered for the next few hours or so, I guess.

Or, rather, I thought so until his kisses became less fierce and slowed. As Gabriel drew away form me, I pouted and started to pull him back towards me. "Hunt," he managed to grunt out.

My eyes connected with his again. "I am hunting," I said with a hint of a sly smile before pulling his lips back down on to mine. Gabriel growled again and pushed me up against a rock. I had already discarded his shirt since he didn't really need it anyway. I'll buy him a new shirt if we ever go out in public again. I can't have every other woman drooling over my perfect husband.

"You need to hunt for food, amore," Gabriel whispered as he kissed me beneath my ear.

"Later," I answered.

Pulling back again, Gabriel smiled at me but I could tell he wasn't going to give up. "This we may do later, tesorina," he started I growled angrily at him. I knew my eyes were darker than they should be but I kind of sort of had my priorities in order. Gabriel first, food second. It wasn't like I could die of starvation as a vampire!

Chuckling, Gabriel placed a soft kiss upon my lips and helped me up off the rock. "There is a herd of elk not too far away," he offered very unhelpfully. I narrowed my eyes at him.

Gabriel cupped my face in response and softly pressed his lips against mine. This kiss lasted so long, I thought he had changed his mind. Of course, my darling husband was being evil and he knew it. He pulled away the second I tried to press myself against him. "Later, gioia mia," he whispered, his own eyes dark. I knew it wouldn't take very much at all to push him over the edge but I could also smell food.

Elk was not appetizing but it was sort of like smelling a salad after not eating anything for two weeks to a human. Yes, not appetizing, but it was food. My mind immediately switched and I took off after the salad –er- elk and took the first one I saw down. After I was halfway done with draining the beast, I realized why everyone had gotten a bit nervous about me not hunting for a while. I was starved and we all knew humans would be coming over. Charlie had been over as had Sue. Yes, I had been okay around them but my mind had been on many other matters. It was just a matter of time –really- before my mind went to food instead.

"Done, tesorina?" Gabriel said from the sidelines. He was leaning against the a tree looking like he was posing for the "Men of the Pacific Northwest" calendar. Damn, he was gorgeous. I'm still not sure what I did to deserve him but I'm glad he's mine.

I dropped the elk carcass and looked down, nodding. Now that I was full and had a bit of time to reflect away from the house, I knew I hadn't been fair to him or to anyone really. I sort of had been in a state of shock over the past week –simply trying to figure out this entire situation.

Gabriel came over and tilted my chin up. I looked at him and noticed his eyes were still black despite having seen him hunt too. "You missed a spot," he said as he licked a non-existant drop of blood from the corner of my mouth. Now that I was full, Gabriel had no excuse. His aura wrapped around my own and I held tight to him as he kissed me.

It was dark by the time we got back to the house. Gabriel was very shirtless, but that wasn't a big deal. I was just glad that t-shirts were stretchy or else I don't think my shirt would have survived either.

We walked up to the back door and heard a gasp. It sounded like Alice but I wasn't sure. All I could think was that my appearance was awful but I checked my reflection in the glass and –just like Gabriel told me- it really looked like we had just been hunting and nothing more.

Curiously, I waited while Gabriel opened the door and followed in behind him. Alice was sitting with Luca in her arms fast asleep. There was nothing strange there. Claudia and Carlie were both asleep on a blanket next to Edward; which was also pretty normal except that Edward, Bella, and Carlie were normally at their house by this time. The odd thing was the expressions upon both Alice's and Edward's faces. It made my heart turn cold.

It didn't matter that I was a vampire now and didn't have a beating heart anymore; every part of me went numb. I knew just by their expressions what was happening. Alice didn't have to speak, even though she did.

"Alice!" Jasper shouted as he went over to his wife. Carlisle looked at his children, concerned.

"Alice? Edward? What is it?" he asked them both and looked at me as well. I just whispered a soft "No". This couldn't be happening. We prevented it! Irina was under house arrest and wouldn't go at all anyway at this point. She knew about the babies and that they weren't immortal children. There was no reason to come.

Santiago was dead. Demetri made sure of that and both Demetri and Felix wouldn't betray us. They had no motive to do so at this point. Demetri actually seemed to like to play with the kids and Felix was amused by them. Felix thought we were crazy but he was adamant about not letting Aro know about the children. They wouldn't call the Volturi.

So what then? Who would betray us? I knew without Alice's answer.

"Nicholas," both Alice and Edward answered.

Carlisle furrowed his brow while I clung to Gabriel. This couldn't be happening. This can't happen. We stopped it!

"What about him?" Carlisle asked as he moved to be closer to his son and daughter.

"He will tell them. He will bring them," they both said together, perfectly synchronized. No one breathed other than the children. Even the wolves were silent. Everyone understood.

I supposed it was just a matter of time. Maybe you can't escape destiny no matter how hard you try. You can try to change the future all you like but there are some threads in the tapestry of life that must be woven. Maybe the confrontation with the Volturi was one of them. If not Irina or Santiago to go and tattle to Aro, then my own Dad –my own felsh and blood- to tell Aro of what he had seen. But had my Dad even seen them?

I replayed the entire disastrous day in my head. He seemed to only turn and run after looking at the house. Maybe he caught sight of one of the children in the window or maybe he heard the heartbeats and put two and two together. I wasn't sure and I didn't really care. Maybe it wasn't about the children at all and the Volturi would just use the werewolves against us. It didn't matter; it was about acquisition and not about enforcement of the rules.

I went to take my place between Alice and Edward. Alice had my Luca and, before Edward, was my Claudia. Gabriel moved with me and sat on the floor as well. All the babies were still asleep. Bella picked up Renesmee –er- Carlie and hugged her tight, waking the child. I did the same to Claudia. I wanted to hide my babies, make them safe, but what if it wasn't about the babies at all? Had my Dad seen his grandchildren? Did he know they exist?

What I did know he had seen was a werewolf that I was highly protective of. Was that what caused him to run to the Volturi?

"The Volturi," Alice whispered.

"We stopped this. They aren't supposed to come," Edward whispered at the same time. I looked at him. We both knew the books. Aro was coming for acquisition; my father had just given the Volturi their excuse to wipe out the Cullen clan.

"When?" Jasper asked in a severe voice that sounded like he was interrogating a witness.

Alice's eyes were unmoving, unblinking. The only sign of life was in the movement of her lips and her fingers as she held her husband's hand tighter. "Not long," she said at the same time as Edward. "There are Christmas decorations up around the town," Alice said in an almost disembodied voice.

"But why would they?" Carlisle began to ask. He stopped and looked at myself, Edward, and Bella. We all already knew. We had told the rest of the family about the content of the books. Carlisle hadn't wanted to believe that his old friends would attack over such a simple misunderstanding but now he realized the truth; it wasn't just over a simple misunderstanding. Carlisle had what Aro wanted –a very powerful coven.

"So we fight," Emmett said calmly.

"We can't win," Jasper answered with a growl while he held on to Alice. My Luca was still fast asleep in her lap. He was completely oblivious to the drastic change that was taking place, as was my Claudia. Only Carlie was awake and she looked confused.

"We'll help," Jacob offered, getting a grin and a fist pump from Emmett.

"Idiots," Alice muttered.

"You'll end up dead too," Jasper groweled.

Edward shook his head. "We'll call on all our friends," he said softly.

"Is this how it occurred in the books?" Carlisle asked curiously. Bella, Edward, and I all nodded.

"Then we shall gather a show of witnesses. If we find enough, then perhaps the Volturi will pause and we may end this peacefully," Carlisle stated, slightly relieved.

"I shall call upon my friends as well, if you will have them," Gabriel offered to Carlisle. My brother smiled a bit.

"Yes, whomever you believe would be of help in this matter," Carlisle stated.

"We'll have to ask them just right," Alice muttered from her side of the room. She was still in a trance. "They'll have to be shown very carefully."

"Shown?" Jasper asked.

"Those that don't already know of the twins and Carlie or the werewolves," she stated. "Siobhan's coven. Amun's. Some of the nomads, " Alice continued.

"I know where most of those that stay in the Northeast are at this time of year," Gabriel stated. "I shall find them." Our eyes locked again. I couldn't leave the twins but I couldn't let Gabriel go off alone either. There was no way the twins could be carried across America just to find some old friends.

Everyone started to suggest various other vampires they could find. Edward explained what happened in the book and looked at Alice. He told her how she found the other hybrids in the rainforest. Alice seemed pleased with the idea and quickly went back to looking into the future. At least this time, everyone would know Alice and Jasper didn't just split! They would go look for the other hybrids and bring them to witness for us, hopefully.

Of course, this was earlier. In the books, the confrontation didn't happen until the end of January. According to Alice, there would be Christmas decorations up –an entire month earlier. Would that complicate matters? Would it make it harder?

Of course, there were other issues too. Aro didn't have his tracker. He didn't have his witch twins. Most of the vampires he had to surround himself with had purely defensive talents. Would that also help or hinder the outcome of this confrontation? What if he found someone new to replace Jane and Alec? Although, I seriously doubt that and Demetri and Felix had been in contact with the Volturi recently. They would know.

Blindly, I got up with Claudia still in one arm. Gabriel followed right behind me, giving me a curiously worried look as I went to the kitchen. Dialing the phone numbly, I waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Pronto?" I heard the familiar voice ask as Gabriel wrapped his arms around me.

"Felix, we have a problem."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So…forgiven? I've already started on the next chapter.


	95. BIII Cxxxv

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **See? Much better! I actually finished a chapter in two days! Woohoo! I hope ya'll like this one. Its back to Elizabeth and Gabriel fighting because…well, they are Elizabeth and Gabriel! They are most stubborn, hard headed individuals and neither will back down easily once they made up their mind. Don't forget to tell me what you think of this chapter!

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 35

I sat on the edge of the bed, wringing my hands loosely as I looked at the twisted edge of the blanket I was holding between them. Gabriel was looking through the closet to see what he should bring with him on his week long trip. It would be the longest we had been apart.

I wanted so badly to go with him but I couldn't leave our children. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't choose between my babies and my husband. I knew it wasn't exactly an easy choice for him either which is why I stayed quite on the issue. If I told him not to leave…

I shook that thought from my head. He knew better than the others were the nomads might be. He was a nomad up until a few months ago; until he found me. Or I found him. That entire issue was still confusing. I guess, technically, Jane found him and I saw Jane. Great. So the mind witch brought the love of my life and I together.

The gathering of witnesses was critical to our success –to letting us live- and I couldn't let Gabriel not go. He had to go and find other vampires and I had to stay with our babies. It was simply the way this was.

I hated it but I couldn't think up another way. I couldn't leave my babies and I knew Gabriel had to go. I kept picturing the final confrontation with the Volturi in my mind. I had seen the painting of them in Carlisle's office countless times and knew what they each looked like. I could see us all out there with other blank faces of other vampires surrounding my family, guarding the children. Would they stop this time given their defenses were severely diminished? As far as I knew, they had yet to find another tracker.

The conversation with Felix had been an interesting one. Both Demetri and Felix had known that someone would come sooner or later; they had been planning on it, I found out. But neither of the former guardsman believed that all of them would come; including the wives leaving the towers. I explained that Alice had seen it and that was enough for Demerti but Felix still didn't buy it. Both of them would be here to help in anyway they could in an hour. Demetri was already offering to track down anyone that could help although he admitted he had a very short list. After all, to most, he still was a member of the Guard; he was something to be feared.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel called to me. Weakly, I smiled up at him as his fingers fell feather-light against my chin. I watched as Gabriel's face fell, his leather trench coat hung over his arm.

"Amore, I cannot stay here. Not when I am needed to bring back as many as we may find," he whispered before kneeling before me. He placed each hand on top of my thighs and looked up at me. "A week, no more," he informed me. I only nodded in response. What else could I say? If I dared to say any of the things running through my head right now, like "Don't go", it would only serve to hurt him. So, instead, I fell silent.

Gabriel sighed and stood up. He looked to our bedroom door and then back at me. "I should go," he said quickly. I shot up at that and clutched his upper arm.

"Not yet, please, Gabriel. Not tonight," I pleaded with him before really thinking about the words coming out of my mouth. I lowered my eyes and rested my head against his neck. "I can't bare it if you left right now," I whispered. Actually, I wasn't sure if I could bare him leaving me at all. I mean I knew he wasn't going to leave me leave me –this was a temporary measure- but still.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around me like a protective cocoon. "I need to go, amore," he whispered hoarsely. I could hear in his voice how much those words hurt him to say.

A simple thought started to run through my head. That thought became an idea. I knew it was evil of me. I knew I was being selfish, but I could not have my husband leave me right now. Gabriel had to stay here until the morning light. Right now, our babies were asleep in their crib on the other side of the apartment. I nuzzled up against his neck more.

"Please, Gabriel," I whispered, feeling so horribly guilty for even thinking this was the right thing to do. I hated myself for that. "Don't leave me," I finished. I meant to add "tonight" but that got lost in a half choked sob.

I felt both of Gabriel's hands on either side of my face. I recognized, immediately, the look on his face. It was the same look he had right before we made love for the first time during our honeymoon. His eyes were frantic, trying to figure out if he was doing the right thing. I gazed back into his golden orbs, hoping to alleviate some of his fears with a small smile.

"Elizabetta," he groaned as he stroked the side of my face.

"Just tonight," I answered him. "Please, just don't ….leave tonight," I managed to get out. It was easier to say if I whispered it.

Gabriel nodded at me. He understood. I couldn't take seeing him leave like this, right now. We had to wait until the morning when I'd be too busy minding the children to worry much over the fact my husband was going back out into the nomadic world by himself.

What would the other nomads think of him now? The once red-eyed vampire had gone soft; gotten married and turned vegetarian. The first of those two probably wouldn't be much of a big deal for anyone other than my Gabriel; it was the second part, the vegetarian part that would prove problematic. Or so I thought. But then again, Carlisle wasn't really a fighter and he had survived for years on just animal blood and everyone knew it. Would the nomads be more accepting of this than I gave them credit for? Or was too much of the human almost instinct to ridicule still so embodied in the vampire psyche that they'd just laugh at my beloved mosquito?

I hugged Gabriel tight and started to cry against his chest. I knew no tears would come but I didn't mind. I was far more worried about the vampire I was holding in my arms than my own predicament. Staying here, I had Bella, Edward, the wolves, and soon the entire Denali clan to help me while the various friends and family trickled in from all across the globe. Who would Gabriel have with him to help him?

Yes, I know. Gabriel survived perfectly fine for over five hundred years without me. But then again, Jane probably would have killed him, or, at least, injure him if it hadn't been for me that day in New York. All it took was one day to change everything. I had my beloved forever and I wasn't about to let anything come between me and my family, especially something that would destroy them.

I felt Gabriel's soft kisses against my forehead and I really didn't even have the energy to scowl at him. Still, I looked up at him and saw the pain in his eyes. I hated the idea that I had placed even the smallest ounce of that pain there. I loved Gabriel so much. Just as I was about to look away, Gabriel's hand brushed against my chin, keeping my eyes on his as his lips touched mine.

His lips were gentle, caressing as first until, I guess, we both realized it might not be just week that he would be gone. I wasn't sure when I would get to see my husband again, to touch his lips, to hold him. All I wanted to do was hear his voice despite that I could recall in perfectly at any second. My beloved Gabriel was going to leave me.

When the morning came, I had made my decision. It wasn't an easy one but I knew what I had to do. I couldn't let Gabriel go it alone; the very idea hurt me far too much. We couldn't take the twins, I knew; but I also knew that the twins could stay here. Edward and Bella would be here to greet everyone. Edward knew everyone that would be coming for the most part and he could tend to Seth medically. He had stayed in the books as well so it only made sense for him to stay again.

The wolves would stay and the Denali clan would be here soon. My babies would have plenty of people around them that loved them, that cared for them…they would be safe. I couldn't say the same for my husband. As much as it hurt me to tear myself away from my babies, I knew they would be okay here. Nothing would hurt them and nothing could hurt them with the sheer amount of protection they had here.

Gabriel would be out there alone. He was a vegetarian vampire now. A married vegetarian vampire who had left behind his nomadic lifestyle with his bachelorhood. Actually, he left the nomadic lifestyle the second I saved him, really. I couldn't let him go it alone. I had to go with him.

I snuggled up against my husband closer. I had yet to tell him of my plans. I had played with various scenarios earlier in the morning during my shower. I came to the conclusion that it really wouldn't matter what he said to me since I was fairly decided on this issue. I was going with Gabriel to seek out as many nomads as possible. It should be amusing if nothing else. The last time we went across country, I was still human and half the time, we were trying to run from the Volturi guards. Now, I'm a vampire and we'd be running with the former guards –sort of. We found out that Demetri was going to call on some in Asia and possible Africa. Felix was going to check on South America –the parts were the Southerners hadn't laid claim. It was were Alice and Jasper were heading too.

Gabriel squeezed my shoulders tightly and kissed the top of my head. This time, I looked up and scowled at him. Gabriel just smirked down at me. It wasn't too long before his face fell though. "I need to leave, amore," he whispered to me.

"I know," I whispered back. I could hear the babies waking up in their room. Luca and Claudia were already talking to each other. It would only be another minute or two before they called for me or Gabriel.

Gabriel shifted and stood to get up. I watched as he went about getting dressed to go on this trek. I'd probably just wear my hiking boots, jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a flannel shirt over that. It wouldn't be anything stylish but it wouldn't stick out in a crowd either. Add my coat with that ensemble and I'd be fine.

"I will be back in a week," Gabriel told me as I sat up, thinking on what to wear, exactly.

"We will," I quickly corrected him, figuring now was the time to break the news of my idea. I think my red thermal top with my favorite blue, white, and red flannel shirt would look fine…

"We?" Gabriel asked, startled. I glanced over at my husband as I began to dress.

"I'm not letting you go out there alone, Gabriel," I stated as I snapped my thermal shirt on over my head. Yanking out my hair from the neck of the shirt, I watched as Gabriel moved closer to me.

"Amore," he smiled, reaching for my face. "I will be fine. I survived for many centuries traveling on my own," he told me softly. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes, traveling, not on a mission," I pointed out. "I will not let my husband go back out there by himself while I stay home and tend to the babies. The twins will be quite fine with Edward, Bella, the wolves, and the Denali clan all here," I said partly to convince myself but also to point out to him what I had already worked out in my head. Who says he has to go into the world and avoid the bad guys while looking for the good? We did far better as a team than we did apart.

Gabriel's face became serious as he looked at me, his hand dropping to his side. "You will not know whom to look for," Gabriel told me as if that was the excuse he had settled on using. It wasn't like I was a weak human anymore so the dangerous excuse was inadmissible.

I shrugged as I went to the dresser to pull out my blue plaid flannel shirt. It was worn in areas and I had rescued it from the rag pile where Alice had put it. I loved the shirt way too much. It had been Giselle's many years ago and she had gotten it from her father. I think I must have had it for fifteen years now. That's probably why Alice gave me glares when I rescued it.

"Yes, but you will," I told him. When I stood back up, shirt in hand, Gabriel had his arms crossed while he looked at me. "I will not have you go out there alone," I told him. There was no arguing with that point.

"Amore," Gabriel started. I had been heading to the mirror to see if my hair was in place. It looked fine despite still being slightly damp from the shower this morning. I spun around quickly.  
"Don't you 'amore' me," I said, shaking my finger at him. "I'm going with you. The twins are staying here and that's final," I informed him, daring for him to argue.

Gabriel opened his mouth to speak again when we both heard a small voice from the door way. "Momma? Are you and Daddy fighting?" Claudia asked, still in her PJ's. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she waddled in. Luca wasn't exactly that far behind her with his smiling face as he saw both his parents. Immediately, I bent down to pick my angels up.

"We were having a discussion, miei piccolo," Gabriel told them as he came up behind me, reaching for Claudia. I swept up Luca in my arms and covered him with kisses already, much to my little boy's delight.

"About what, Daddy?" Claudia asked her father. Gabriel and I looked each other. He quirked an eyebrow and I sighed but it was Gabriel that spoke first.

"If your mother came with me, you would stay here with your Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella, awaiting the cousins' arrival. However, your mother may also stay here with you, to watch over you," he told our daughter. I narrowed my eyes at him. He could just as easily stay here to watch the children.

"But who will watch over you, Daddy?" Claudia asked, snuggling close to her father. I smiled triumphantly. My darling husband might be able to argue with me for all eternity but he couldn't take telling his children they were doing something wrong let alone argue with them!

"Momma should watch over you, Daddy," Luca agreed. "We'll stay here to help Uncle Edward!"

Gabriel's shocked look made me smile. "From the mouths of babes," I whispered to my husband before giving him a quick kiss. Of course, being away from our children would tear me apart but not know if Gabriel was really hurt? Not knowing where he was? Who he was looking for? With the twins, it was a quick call home and plenty of people to back up whatever my children would tell me. With Gabriel, well, my husband would lie just to make me feel better.

After changing the twins into their day outfits –well, morning outfits, their Aunt Alice or Aunt Rosalie might just change them into something else later- Gabriel and I went upstairs. It felt so odd to not need anything more than a duffle bag with a simple change of clothing and my wallet. I didn't need pajamas or my toothbrush. I didn't need my robe, my favorite pillow, or anything else I was so use to taking on any overnight venture. It felt wrong to just be packing a change of clothing for a week! But what else did I really need?

At the top of the stairs, Edward greeted me. I bit my lip, about to ask him right then and there if he wouldn't mind watching the twins when my cousin smiled and reached to take Luca from me. "We'll watch over them, Aunt Sissy," he said to me softly.

I smiled in return and hugged my cousin tightly before heading to the living room. Bella met me with Carlie on her hip. Rather than reaching for me or for her father, Carlie reached towards Gabriel. My husband smiled and leaned over slightly so that Carliel could "speak" to him. Her tiny hand touched his cheek briefly and Gabriel chuckled at her. "Si, Bellisima," he told. "Your cousins shall stay here to play with you." Carlie seemed to like that answer and snuggled against her Mom again.

We all moved to the center of the living room where Gabriel placed Claudia on the play blanket. I kissed my baby boy and baby girl again before looking to Edward and Bella. "Please, call me if anything happens," I asked them. I hated to leave my angels but I knew they were in the best care I could ask for. They would be watched over and loved.

Edward nodded at me but Bella answered. "We promise," she told me before giving me a hug. I hugged her back tight and tried not to look back at my angels as Gabriel and I left the house.

I could still hear my babies playing until we got to the garage. Gabriel opened my door to the car and I slid in mechanically. I knew I was doing the right thing. All I had to do is take one look at Gabriel and know I was doing the right thing, but it didn't matter. I also knew I was leaving my most precious babies for an entire week. I had hardly gone an hour without having them near since I had awakened into this life. To know that there were miles between us, more miles than simply them being over at Sue's, was devastating to me.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Tesorina?" Gabriel asked while he stood at my door. I looked up at him and nodded. Yes, this was what I wanted. I reached for his face and he smiled as my hand slid across his jaw. Quickly, he gave me a kiss before closing my door. Yes, this is what I wanted. My babies were safe and I could watch over my mate. That's what I needed to do. Any other way would only leave me a nervous wreck.

I listened as Gabriel started up the car and backed out of the garage, swinging his arm behind my seat. I watched the front window and saw Leah, Edward, Bella, Carlie, and my two sweet babies all watching us leave. I saw Bella say to them to wave and Luca immediately obliged while Claudia looked up at her aunt and then waved goodbye.

I tried my hardest to keep my emotions in check. We had been on the 101 for a good ten minutes before a sob broke through. Automatically, I covered my face even though no tears would come. I was doing what I wanted but it didn't mean that it wasn't without a huge emotional sacrifice. My children were back at the house without me or my husband with them. What kind of mother am I to leave my babies at such a critical time?

I could feel the car slow and knew Gabriel had pulled over. I heard the unclicking of a seatbelt and felt myself being lifted. I curled up tightly in Gabriel's arms –which I had to do anyway given that the steering wheel was in the way- and cried as softly as I could into his shoulder. I realized that it was just me that was upset about this when I heard Gabriel speak. "Gioia mia," he choked out. I looked up at him, feeling very odd without the tears in my eyes that I know should be there. "They are safe. Our children are safe," he murmured to me, kissing my head lightly and he held me against him.

"We should go. We need to find others to witness for us," I whispered after what seemed forever. Gabriel said nothing but helped me back to my seat and started the car again. Neither of spoke until we were in Oregon and heading back east; back home in my mind.

My family might reside in Washington state, but the East Coast will always be my home. I was born in Florida, grew up in Virginia, and live almost 28 of my 31 years on the east side of the Mississippi. Washington state still looked completely foreign to my eyes. Despite how upset I was about leaving my babies, a part of me was excited at the prospect of seeing the familiar magnolias and having trees that weren't taller than skyscrapers around me. I wanted to see home.

Realizing I didn't know where exactly we were going other than to the northeast, which was fine by me, I looked over to my stone faced husband curiously. "Gabriel?" I asked him.

"Si, tesorina?" he answered, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

"Where are we going?" I asked. Gabriel's mouth twitched into a small smile.

"To the northeast of the United States," he told me plainly. I glared.

"What part of the northeast?" I clarified.

"New York," Gabriel answered. Oh.

"The city or the state?" I asked this time. In my head, New York was split up into two sections, well, three sort of. There was the city, and then there was Buffalo. Albany sort of existed between those two points but really, it was NYC versus Buffalo in my mind. We were heading to either one or the other.

"The state," Gabriel told me. He reached over for my hand and pressed it against his lips.

"Oh," I said rather curiously. "Are we looking for anyone in particular?" I asked.

"The first we shall seek is named Elijah. After that, we shall attempt to track down one called Garrett, if we can," Gabriel informed. Immediately, I smiled. Elijah was an old acquaintance of Gabriel's that I knew of through my husband's aura. However, Garrett I knew through the books as well and I knew that he'd end up with my dear cousin Kate. That should be fun.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me as he looked at me from the corner of his eye. I knew he was wondering why I suddenly looked happy upon learning the names of the vampires we were going after to ask for help. I couldn't help but grin a bit more when I started to speak.

"Garrett was in the books," I explained, knowing that would tell Gabriel enough.

"Ah," my husband said before he furrowed his brow. "What is it that Garrett did in the books that would cause you such amusement, amore?"

I giggled a bit, feeling much better now that I knew our mission. "He confesses his love for Kate," I said simply.

Well, not simply enough because the car stopped at a screeching halt. I was about to yell at Gabriel –yeah, we may be indestructible but the car isn't!- when I heard him start to laugh. It was one of those great big deep laughs that I loved to hear. "That will be entertaining to see then," Gabriel told me. He kissed me quickly, again, before starting back on the road. Oh yes, this will be entertaining. Very entertaining. I couldn't wait.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Squee! We get to see Garrett soon! Elizabeth and Garrett have been talking so much in my head over the past THREE months. I've been trying to trudge through to this part for a while. Now it's finally here! I hope y'all will like the next few chapters as much as I will. :-) Review, please?


	96. BIII Cxxxvi

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This chapter is rather long. Garrett isn't in it, yet, but he'll be in the next one.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 36

It felt so odd to be back in the car with Gabriel on a long road trip. The last time we had done this, we were heading to the Cullen home and Gabriel proposed to me three quarters of the way there. Ginsie was with us and growled anytime Gabriel made a move towards me. We had just started a truce with the still then Volturi guards and I was allowed to live as a human, for a while.

Now, I was a vampire and married. Ginsie was at the house "guarding" our children. At least there was someone there to let Leah know she was not welcome to just get up and walk off with Luca.

In a way, we still did have the Volturi guards to worry about –just not the same ones. I mean, I suppose I should worry about Felix doing something stupid or Demetri deciding to go after someone just because he can but those were very different issues from the whole worrying-about-my-own-life issue I had before. Gabriel didn't need to protect me; however, I still needed to protect him.

We kept to the northern routes, taking many of the same roads we had taken previously back. We were heading to New York, where all of this started. It was in New York –or maybe Pennsylvania- I ended up in this universe. It was to New York we were heading back. Just thinking on the day I first saw Gabriel, I squeezed my husband's hand. He smiled and brought are joined hands to his lips, kissing the top of mine.

"We shall find witnesses, tesorina. There is no need for worry. Did it not end peacefully in the books of which you read?" Gabriel asked me, his voice a bit cheerful. I smiled slightly ruefully. He was happy to be out of the house and back out on the road. I half thought we were really doing this just to get his motorcycle back! I'm sure that would endear my husband to Charlie even more…

"Yes," I said with a half exasperated sigh. "But Jane and Alec were still alive in the books. Demetri and Felix were firmly with the Volturi guards still, and I most certainly wasn't there," I informed him. Just because it ended peacefully then didn't mean it would do so now. I had changed everything and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Then it is better now," Gabriel stated with a smirk. I just crossed my arms and glared at him. It wasn't better because it was unpredictable. Okay, so we did have Alice and could ask her but she couldn't see what was going to happen until someone made a decision. Granted, it gave us a bit of a heads up but not much of one when you are dealing with a battleground. We needed a plan or else we really were screwed.

"In the books, it was your ex girlfriend that went to the Volturi, not my Dad," I started to explain angrily. This entire situation made me angry. I didn't want the Volturi to come down on my family and destroy them or even think of tearing us apart. I wanted my family to just be left alone!

"In the books, Jane and Alec were right there at the front lines of the guard, attempting to attack everyone to no avail," I stated, my voice rising as I spoke.

"Attempting?" Gabriel asked, his eyebrow raised. I could see his hands were somewhat tight on the steering wheel.

"Yes, attempting and watch the steering wheel!" I told my husband, arms still crossed. I huffed back into my seat when he loosened his grip.

"This is not your car," Gabriel stated with a hint of a smile. I rolled my eyes. It didn't matter if it wasn't my car. What did matter that was I was a passenger in his car and he better not break the only car we have to drive around. "And by what do you mean, 'attempting'?" he asked me.

I blinked. Oh, yeah. Might have skipped that part. "Bella is a shield," I started to explain, my voice much softer now.

"Yes?" Gabriel asked, confused.

"She can extend her shield over us. It's a mental block but it holds out against those that try to use their mental abilities against her or any she's protecting," I tried to explain as I relaxed a bit. "In the books, she manages to figure out how to extend it over everyone on the Cullen clan side, witnesses included. It protects everyone from Jane, Alec, and Chelsea," I further stated. "She could also protect people against Aro but she can't protect from physical attacks which is why Jasper can mess with her."

It was only a few days ago, when the twins turned one month old, that Jasper decided to tease Bella a bit. He was getting better about the whole "not normal newborns" thing when it came to both myself and Bella. He still was shocked by how easy it seemed to be for us to be around humans –not that it didn't burn like hell- and was trying hard to learn from us.

During the party that Alice insisted on having –she claimed it was for the photo album- Jasper decided that Bella had been worrying too much. Charlie had a call down at the bank and, despite Alice's reassurances, Bella didn't like the idea of her Dad having to pull his gun out on the job. So, to have a bit of fun, Jasper started to alleviate her worries and replace her mood with a giggle fit. Bella wasn't all that pleased with Jasper after that… Not that she was very good at holding grudges at all or anything.

"Hmm," Gabriel mused as we drove past yet another corn field. I'm always shocked by how many farms there really are between the two coasts. It's almost as if the entire United States goes from ocean to city to forest to mountains to a corn farm to a potato farm to another corn farm and another and another and another and then a cow followed by a few hundred miles of more wheat or corn farms with some cows interspersed to break up the scenery until you hit the mountains on the other coast again. It was completely dull after the first hour of farms. And the smell was a thousand times worse when it came to cows than I remember it being. And they no longer taste like hamburger, which sucks.

"If it is just the physical attack that we have worry of, then this shall be that much simpler," Gabriel stated easily. I groaned.

"Yes, because there are still how many of them and only how many of us?" I pointed out. The Volturi guard wasn't small, I knew. Even with the help of the wolves, we couldn't count on the Volturi witnesses not joining in the fight if it came to that.

Reaching for my hand again, Gabriel squeezed it gently. "There will be no fight, tesorina, so there shall be nothing to worry over. It will end peacefully," he whispered to me.

"Uh huh," I answered, getting a grin out of Gabriel. "I know you, Gabriel. You want a fight," I told him.

Gabriel shrugged as he drove past a wheat farm this time. "Not if it means that you and our children are endangered by it. I shall have nothing of a war in which my own family is at stake unless it is to protect them," he told me. I squeezed his hand back.

"We'll find witness. We'll make sure this doesn't end in a fight," I whispered. Gabriel smiled at me again as he drove through the state.

When we finally hit Pennsylvania a good day and a half later –we had been going all day and night, only stopping for gas- I was ecstatic at first. It was someplace I knew! We were on the right coast! Okay, so we were on the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line but who cares? To me, it was better than the point that we crossed the mighty Mississippi because this part of the road was familiar to me in my human memories.

Of course, that joy was short lived. Reading the signs for Erie, Pennsylvania brought back a flood of other memories. This is where I was supposed to be all those many months ago in my universe. We were so close to my Great Aunt's home –again- that it also brought back what happened the last time we were here. Gabriel had just kidnapped me and I had to see Dunkirk and know that I really wasn't in my time or space anymore. I still remember the looks of disjointed columns where my Great Aunt's house should have been in my murky human memories. It was the first time Gabriel really saw me break down.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel called to me, breaking me from my memories of my own childhood in a very different place from this one. He squeezed my hand again and looked around, trying to figure out what had upset me. When he saw the signs for Erie and Buffalo, I think he figured it out.

"Mi dispiace, amore," he said softly. "I should have not come this way. We shall take a different route," he stated as he quickly looked for the next exit. I shook my head and placed my hand on the wheel so he couldn't get over into the next lane.

"This is fine," I told him, trying to convince myself as well as Gabriel. I smiled at my doubting husband. "Just remembering, that's all," I stated.

"If you are sure?" he asked me, clearly not convinced. I nodded.  
"I'm sure," I whispered back softly but with conviction in my voice this time. Gabriel nodded once and turned his eyes back on to the road –not that he really had to. He raised our still conjoined hands again and kissed mine to comfort me.

It was hard going up I-90. This was the same road my parents would drive almost every year of my childhood to go see my Great Aunts and Uncles. I could recall every bit of every road trip taking this route thanks to my own abilities. I had been this way in snow and rain, in the winter and in the summer. It felt like I was looking at an old movie in a way, seeing something fantastical interfere with the reality I had in my hand. My husband was real. My children were real. Being a vampire was quite real, especially when I got a whiff of the toll booth operator. That whole human world was becoming more and more dream like every day despite my knowing every detail of it.

As we got closer to the exit, a part of me wanted to stop and just double check again. It was a nagging feeling sort of like when you can't recall if you left the garage open or not. But I knew that they weren't there. I didn't have cousins or Aunts or Uncles here; all of those that I did have and I meant anything to were in Washington state. They weren't here.

"Do you wish to stop?" Gabriel asked me softly. I thought about it. I really did. But I knew better.

Shaking my head, I answered, "No. There's nothing for me there anymore."

Gabriel nodded and continued to drive by until the familiar road retreated into less familiar territory and we continued are way towards Albany. We took I-90 the entire way. I had never been to Albany before so it was a completely new experience for me. Seeing the city lights was nice but, once Gabriel parked the car at some sort of park, I was far happier. At least now we could get out and walk! Even though I didn't get uncomfortable –physically- as a vampire, I did still get antsy. Sitting in a car for two days and only getting out to fill up with gas would make anyone antsy.

Once out of the confines of said vehicle, I stretched happily and sniffed the fall air. It smelled of leaves, earth, asphalt, and humans among many things. It was different than the stale air of the car from the past few hours. I noticed Gabriel watching me as I stretched and I was thankful I could no longer blush. "What?" I asked him.

My husband just smirked and wrapped me in his arms, placing a kiss against my neck. "It does not feel right to allow you to come with me into the more dangerous neighborhood where Elijah will most likely be hunting," Gabriel stated. "Assuming we find him at all."

Hunting. It was slowly dawning on me that we wouldn't be finding vegetarian vampires but human drinkers. It was still something hard to imagine for me despite having seen my own Gabriel drain a boy right before me when I was still human. That had been an accident –no different than a car accident in my mind- and not a purposeful, premeditated murder. It made me wary of the people we would meet.

"We'll find him," I whispered, placing my arms over my husband's; his arms wrapped around my waist. "I'll help," I told him. It was something I had been thinking about trying; sort of using my ability to track someone. I couldn't see where they were now but I could see where they had been –which could be just as useful. After all, I had done that while I was still human to find my family, right? It should work even better now that I was a vampire, or so I hoped.

I tried to recall how I had found Gabriel that day when he fought with Irina. It seemed like I just followed a path through the woods that I knew was there –left my nephews. I would get snippets of images in my head of one of the boys or Gabriel and follow the way I saw them go. It worked until I came across Leah. Stupid Bitch. Ruins everything.

"He is most likely within the heart of the city," Gabriel told me, loosening his arms as we prepared to walk towards the lights of Albany. It was hard to see anything from where we were thanks to the walls preventing anyone from dropping on to the interstate nearby. Taking my arm, Gabriel lead me over the bride and to what was a lovely palisade on the other side of the interstate.

The walkway was lined on either side by building but it also had five lamp lights that glistened above us. Across the street looked like closed stores and another small park. Most of the trees were starting to turn colors that I'm sure were rich and vivid in the day. Right now, the oranges and reds took on a more violet tone which was also lovely in it's own way. Despite Gabriel's words, this hardly looked like a dangerous neighborhood. It was much too clean and much to well kept up by the city.

"This looks rather pretty," I said as I looked around. Gabriel chuckled and took his arm from mine only to wrap it around my shoulders and kiss my head. I glared at him. He knows I hate that!

"I suppose this would be pretty to your eyes, amore," he stated with a smile. "You have been too far out from the city for too long," he teased.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "Oh, and you haven't?" I asked. After all, didn't Gabriel use to live –well, hunt- inside New York City? You couldn't really get more urban than that!  
Gazing down at me, I looked back at my husband's butterscotch eyes. "I have found other things that are far more beautiful," he whispered before giving me a light kiss. Instead of letting me get carried away, Gabriel broke the kiss quickly and gently tugged at my arm. "Come!" he said, smiling. "We have but a few blocks in which to go."

I sighed but kept my pace next to him. We went through the little park with all the benches and up past a building. We kept walking, in the middle of the night, up the street with hardly even an alley cat around to make a sound. When we finally got near what looked to me to be some interesting architecture, Gabriel pulled my hand and took off down a side street. I was greatly disappointed.

My husband looked back at me curiously and saw me looking at the –was it Georgian? Maybe Federalist- building. "We shall look at it later, tesorina," he whispered. As soon as he did, I realized why he ducked back. I could smell it too now that I thought about it.

The trail was old and faint but I could just make out the scent of another vampire. Realizing that it might be the person we were looking for, I reached out for one of the bricks on the side of the building we were near. "What are you?" I heard Gabriel say before I touched the wall.

I could see a man, around my height, dark hair and skin, walking quickly along the sidewalk. He turned slightly as a car went by, its headlights illuminating him. His skin had that odd pearl like look that I had come accustomed to for those that weren't already pale as a bone when they were human. Vampire. I'm just hoping that it's Elijah.

"This way," I whispered as I came out of the vision. It took me a moment to realize that Gabriel had grabbed both my shoulders and I looked up into his worried eyes.

"Do not do that, Tesorina," he scolded me. I looked up at him confused. Why not? We had to find the Elijah, why not use my abilities to help find him? "There is no need to burden yourself when we can find him in other ways," Gabriel told him.

"But we'll find him quicker my way," I explained. Wasn't that the entire point? We had to find as many vampires as we could as quickly as we could. The Volturi were only a couple of months out!

"We will find him," Gabriel told me, emphasis on "we". Maybe my darling husband was just on one of his macho power trips again? He was quiet for a moment and then tilted my chin slightly so he could look into my eyes, I suppose. "If you happen to go into one of your visions and have trouble coming out of it, it is only I here to help you," he whispered. Oh.

"At home, there are several others that love you and will protect you at least half as much as I would wish to myself," Gabriel continued. "We have no such place here." So it wasn't just a power trip. Gabriel was worried that I might end up paying more attention to my visions than what was going on around me. I suppose that was legitimate except I tend to be okay with inanimate objects –things that weren't alive.

"It's just a brick, Gabriel," I stated softly. I smiled to try and ease some of his worries away.

"It does not matter, amata mia," he told me as he cupped my face. "I cannot loose you," he whispered painfully. Uh? What? Damn it! He was dazzling me again! Ugh! I hated it when he did that!

I glared down my husband. "And this isn't just about your need to prove that you are a big strong male rather than let your wife lead you?" I asked as I pulled away from him angrily. I crossed my arms in a huff.

Gabriel tried to turn me back to him but I just glared up at the bothersome mosquito. "Amore," he started.

"Don't you amore me, Gabriel," I immediately interrupted. I could see the pained look on my lover's face and sighed. "This isn't a time to fight," I muttered. There was little point in fighting with Gabriel right now when we had to go catch one of his friends. "He went that way," I mumbled, pointing down the street to where I saw the vampire in my vision run.

Rather than try to argue back or even start running in the direction I pointed, Gabriel grabbed me and locked his lips with mine. I felt my arms slink their way up and around his neck while his arms pulled against my waist. "We shall find him," Gabriel whispered again as he broke the kiss. I nodded, my forehead brushing my husband's nose. We'd find him.

The further we walked away from what was probably the city center, the more and more gritty the neighborhood became. It went from pristine streets to just okay ones to someone needing to weed the sidewalks. Building went from architectural masterpieces to being boarded up and looking like they were half a step from being condemned. From the noise and the look of the few humans I could see, this was what Gabriel meant when he talked about a dangerous neighborhood.

Luckily, most of the rather fearsome looking humans knew enough to stay way from the very pale looking out of place pair. They probably thought we were crazy. Forgetting our minor fight, I practically hugged my husband's arm. Vampire or not, this place was not one I wanted to be in.

As we passed down by even more boarded up late Victorian buildings that were probably beautiful back in the day, I caught the scent again. It was stronger this time and I could tell Gabriel had been following it. I looked up at him, curious to know why his nose seemed to be able to pick up the scents better than I could. I was a freaking newborn for crying out loud! Wasn't I supposed to be able to smell anything, hear everything, and break everything until all my human blood had been used up in my system?

"This way," Gabriel stated. We turned towards an empty lot, overgrown and covered with weeds and old car parts. Behind the building next to the lot there was a noise and another smell. The second it hit my nostrils, I felt my throat burn like never before. It was the smell of blood –and lots of it- and it smelt delicious.

The only thing stopping me –at first- from going after this delectable wet, sticky, scent, was Gabriel's arm. I tried to move past him but Gabriel got a grip around my waist. It wasn't until I looked up at him like a child who had been told that she can't have the fresh warm cookies straight out of the oven that I understood. I saw it in Gabriel's eyes and in the fact he wasn't breathing either. His eyes were gold because we don't drink from humans and Gabriel was just as tempted as I was.

I immediately stopped struggling and held my breath, ashamed that I could even think for a second that that was food. Someone was dying. That person wasn't food. No matter what, there is always someone that loves them. It isn't right to decide who lives and who dies. Everyone deserves a chance to live –even if they've screwed up. It was hard to remember that at times.

I listened to the muffled screams that no one else would hear and curled up against Gabriel. I felt better just being in his arms despite the noises I could pick up. It was clear that someone was slurping down the blood just a few feet away from us; behind the abandoned building. Who ever it was, they were just out of side, hidden by the walls, cans, and dumpster that all covered the grizzly deed. It didn't matter how delicious that blood smelled, it was still human blood. Someone had to die to provide that.

I heard the slurping stop, the screams long gone, and felt Gabriel's arms loosen around me in a matter of seconds. He kissed my cheek before taking a step forward towards the back of the building, through the abandoned lot. I started to walk with him but Gabriel waved me back. I suppose it would be better if I wasn't around a place where so much blood had been spilled, given that I was a newborn and well…it might also be a good idea for Gabriel to go towards him if this is Elijah. A friendly vampire approaching would probably be less problematic than seeing two –although friendly- vampires approaching a single one that just finished his feasting.

I stayed where I was and watched m husband move closer. It was about five steps before I couldn't take it anymore and moved a half step closer to him. I decided I'd stay back but what if I was wrong and that wasn't Elijah? Even if it was, who's to say he'd play nice once he got a look at Gabriel's eyes? I didn't like my husband –my mate- being exposed like that. I was a newborn and I could help, I think, at least contain anyone who would try to hurt my Gabriel.

Gabriel noticed my movement but he didn't say anything or motion for me to stop. I guess he probably didn't like me being that far back either! Instead, he just smiled and continued to walk towards the back of the building.

Once Gabriel was about twenty or so away from the vampire, I saw what was a highly disturbing image to me. The vampire –Elijah- looked up at us curiously. He cast away the drained body of the human he had just feasted on like I use to throw away a paper plate. The dead man's body sort of crumbled into a heap near the dumpster. I could only see a few blood splatters upon his clothing. It looked like Elijah had even liked the wounds on the man's hands clean based on the now lacking evidence of much blood. It wasn't until I saw a small puddle behind Elijah that I realized where the kill site probably really was.

"Hail, Elijah," Gabriel stated, holding out his arm to greet his friend. I recognized the other vampire immediately thanks to my own abilities and having seen him through Gabriel's "movie".

"Gabriel! I did not think you would come to these parts for many years," he said as he walked closer and grasped my husband's arm in a welcoming gesture. Rather than looking into my husband's eyes, he cast a wary glance to me. Gabriel followed his glance and smirked lightly. I also noticed my husband was breathing. Maybe it was okay to take a tentative breath?

"I have many reasons for coming and she is one of them," Gabriel answered before beckoning to me come closer. I fought the urge to bite my lip and took my place at Gabriel's side. "I would like you to meet my wife," Gabriel said as he introduced me. "Elizabeth," he continued as a shocked look came over Elijah's face. At least I was prepared for that after the Denali clan. I expect a lot of shocked looks when Gabriel's friends and acquaintances discover he is married. Actually, I expect shocked looks from anyone that met Gabriel prior to me.

"Your wife?" Elijah questioned. Gabriel nodded once and wrapped an arm around my shoulders protectively. I couldn't help it. I rolled my eyes. Elijah burst out laughing.

His laughter seemed to scare a couple of thug looking guys that had been passing by. I suppose any sound that resembled a happy one would be a terrifying one in this neighborhood. Smiling at me and regaining my attention, Elijah took my hand and shook it. "Very pleased to meet you, my dear," he told me. I was just glad I remembered to put my gloves on the second we walked into the empty lot! It wouldn't be good manners not to shake his hand.

"Now tell me," Elijah stated as he moved to look at me slightly better. I saw a curious look pass over his face when he saw my eyes. They weren't oh my goodness! red anymore, but sort of a blood amber color. "How you bewitched our Gabriel so I might not fall under the same spell?" he teased lightly earning a gruff response from my husband. I don't think he liked Elijah being that close to me but Elijah ignored him.

A part of me wanted to respond the way I always would have in this type of situation. Just shrug and say "I don't know" but another part of me realized that, physically, I was the strongest here. What point was there in not talking other than the dead body that might still have some yummy smelling human blood left in it? What was the point in not telling the truth? It wasn't like I needed approval anymore or acceptance. I had a family and a husband that loved me dearly.

Taking a hesitant breath and realizing the direction of the wind had changed, I spoke. "I saved him from Jane," I answered with a small smile. Gabriel squeezed my shoulders as Elijah's blood red eyes opened wide. He stumbled back slightly and looked from me to Gabriel. I suppose then was when he caught Gabriel's golden eyes which only made him more shocked.

"I heard," Elijah started. He stuttered slightly before managing to calm himself. "I heard that she was dead but that a vampire hunter had killed her, not a vampire. I thought it was nothing more than sport. I did not believe," Elijah started to ramble.

Gabriel reached out and placed a hand on Elijah's shoulder as Elijah looked at me half in awe and half confused. I could see the tell tale, nearly ever present smirk, making it's way back on to my husband's face as he interrupted Elijah's ramblings. "She was human she killed her," Gabriel stated with what almost sounded like pride.

Elijah looked up at my husband in disbelief before looking back at me. "The stories are true," Gabriel continued. Turning his head again, Elijah looked back at Gabriel.

"Is she why you have taken to the unnatural diet? With such an unnatural thing as a human…," He started. I could see Gabriel starting to stiffen as he heard Elijah talk about the unnatural diet. I squeezed myself in closer to my husband to let him know I was there. Who cared if another vampire didn't think it was natural? Gabriel didn't think it was a way of life prior to meeting me either. Now, he understood. I hope!

Taking a step back, but obviously not running, Elijah looked at us both. "It seems you have much to tell me Gabriel. If the stories are true than the Volturi," Elijah started, his eyes looking at me as his voice trailed off.

"Yes, the Volturi were not pleased but they now have other plans," Gabriel stated, a hint of anger in his voice.

Elijah cocked his head slightly to the side. "Other plans?" he asked.

I took a step forward. I knew the books far better than Gabriel did and I understood the Volturi plan. They could claim we had broken the rules but, in reality, all they wanted was to surround themselves with talented vampires; particularly Aro wanted to surround himself with talented vampires.

"I managed to call a truce with the Volturi while I was still human," I began to explain. I knew that I had Elijah's full attention instantly. Gabriel just continued to hold me, but listened as well.

"How on earth…?" Elijah began but I cut him off.

"I have information that the Volturi would never want out publically," I explained. I smiled a bit at Elijah's confused faced. "I blackmailed Aro." Rather than laughing, Elijah looked rather shocked and confused.

"How did you get such information?" he asked. I shrugged. That was a completely different part of the story.

"It's not important right now," I stated. I glanced up slightly when Gabriel gave me a slight smirk but then quickly turned my eyes back to Elijah who was waiting for me to continue. "What is important is they agreed, assuming I was turned within a year," I stated. Elijah seemed to relax a bit. I guess that sounded normal to him.

"And Gabriel turned you?" Elijah asked with a hint of a smile. I nodded once.

"Yes, he did. But that's only part of the story," I informed him. Still eager to hear more, Elijah gestured for me to continue.

I thought on exactly how to tell him. I couldn't just come out and say that Gabriel and I have two children together because, although perfectly normal in human conversation, it certainly wasn't in vampire conversation. "There have been many events that led up to my being turned and after that, that the Volturi believe they have reason to attack my family," I told him. Just thinking on the Volturi attacking the Cullens infuriated me. "My clan," I added quickly when Elijah looked confused again. Clan was considered the gentler name for coven, I found out.

"You belong to a coven now and still somehow managed to get into a brawl with the Volturi?" Elijah asked Gabriel, slightly amused.

Gabriel grumbled a bit, "I didn't not ask for such a fight to come." Elijah simply half huffed, half smirked at that.

"And you, little one, did not stop him from picking another fight with the Guard?" Elijah asked me.

"It's not the Guard we are worried about," I stated. Elijah, again, cocked his head slightly. I smiled a bit. "Demetri and Felix are both with us now," I started to explain. That seemed to take Elijah back a bit.

"After I killed Jane and then Alec, I also damaged Demetri," I stated.

"We killed Alec and injured Demetri," Gabriel interjected. I half rolled my eyes.

"Fine, we killed," I amended. I guess he did build the remote detonator and blow the room up right before our first kiss. Of course, at the time, I thought it would be our only kiss. How wrong I was!

"Both of the witch twins are dead?" Elijah breathed.

I nodded. "Si," Gabriel stated.

"And the tracker is part of your clan?" Elijah asked in disbelief.

"Not really. He just likes to stop by a lot," I tried to explain. I had to stop myself from saying that Demetri came by all the time to play with our twins and little Carlie. That would go over as well as molten lava.

"But you have said he at Felix are with you now?" Elijah continued. I nodded.

"The Volturi aren't happy about that. They have…reasons for thinking we have broken the law but all those reasons are false," I continued.

"Such as?" Elijah asked, clearly mulling over all this information in his head.

"It's easier if you see for yourself and make your own opinion. The Volturi are relying on second hand information. Everyone, except one vampire, who has seen…the reasons for themselves, understands that the Volturi are misinformed," I stated.

Gabriel gently let go of my shoulders to step forward towards a very confused Elijah. "You know well of the Cullen clan?" he asked. Elijah looked at Gabriel and muttered.

"I suppose that explains your eyes, but yes. I know of them," he answered. Gabriel nodded.

"Go to place known as Forks. You will find them there. They shall explain further and then you may wish to stand with us to profess your witness or leave as you wish," Gabriel told his friend.

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "This is all truth?" he asked Gabriel. My husband nodded.

"It is as my wife, Elizabetta, has said," he affirmed. I closed the gap between us and retook Gabriel's hand. He squeezed my hand back tightly.

Elijah looked down in thought for a moment and I could only pray that he would at least go to the house and see the werewolves and the children. It would be a heck of a lot to take in but, at least in the books, the werewolves were nothing more than an amusement to the vampires. It was Carlie everyone had a bit of trouble accepting.

After what seemed along moment, Elijah looked up at Gabriel. His face looked pallor with the light of the streetlamps hitting his skin; again reminding me of a black pearl. "I shall go to see what this curiosity is," Elijah stated. He then formed a smile upon his lips. "After all, anything that has turned you into a married man and makes you drink upon the blood of animals must be quiet interesting," he stated before reaching for Gabriel's hand.

Gabriel smiled and took his hand. "I have no fear of you falling to such a fate," he told Elijah. Both men grinned and I rolled my eyes. I was tempted to mutter about men behaving like idiots but fought against it.

"To the Cullen clan?" Elijah asked again. Gabriel nodded before looking down at me.

"We shall return to our home there upon finding other who may be willing witness for us and see that no rules have been broken," he said softly as his left arm draped itself upon my shoulders.

Elijah smiled at as. "I shall meet you again there then," he told Gabriel before turning to me.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth," he stated. I nodded.

"You too," I added quickly. Elijah's smile widened a bit before he was off and Gabriel and I were alone in the empty lot with a dead body nearby. I turned to hold my husband close and felt Gabriel's arms move around my waist.

"One down," I whispered, getting a chuckle from Gabriel. Slowly, he broke the embrace and offered his hand.

"Shall we continue to look for the others?" he asked. I grinned as one name particular flashed through my mind.

"Can we hunt down Garrett next?" I asked. Gabriel laughed at me.

"Si, amore," he said, kissing me quickly. "We shall find Garrett next."

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**Author's Note:** I know a few of you probably have given up on this story since I started to get slow in posting, but I'm getting better now! So, review, please?


	97. BIII Cxxxvii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This chapter is rather long. Garrett is in it towards the end. :-)

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 37

I've discovered that, although I couldn't get phyiscally uncomfortable in the car –not really at least-, I could get emotionally uncomfortable. Every part of me was telling me that I should rest, that we should stop, that I needed to tell Gabriel that I had to get out and walk. Every time we passed a gas station, a part of me could only think about walking into the store and getting a slim jim and gummy worms. Of course, both of those would taste and probably smell disgusting to me now.

But my brain was going a mile a minute. This was wrong to still be the car at three in the morning and not stop. We had transversed the country in a little less than two days. We had already found one potential ally and now were going somewhere to find yet another. I still wasn't sure where we were going but that wasn't important to me right now. What was important was that we stop and we get a hotel room because that's what I've always done. Heck, the last time Gabriel and I went cross-country, we stopped every night and stayed in a hotel room. Some were better than others, granted, but we stopped.

…and we weren't stopping now. And it felt so very wrong. And I so wanted to stop even though I knew I had no physical need for sleep I was mentally exhausted by the car. I had been staring at the same slight dent in the windshield caused by a very tiny pebble fourteen hours ago for the past hour we had been back in the car. Well, at least when I wasn't shifting in my seat every five minutes.

After speaking with Elijah, Gabriel and I headed back to the park where we left the car. I took one look at the Chrysler 300 and groaned. I wanted to stay outside! I wanted to run and breathe the nice cool night air. I did not want to be stuck in that passenger side seat again for God knows how many hours until we find a good spot to get out and track down Garrett. I groaned.

"Elizabetta?" Gabriel questioned me at first. He turned to look at me as he opened my door first and then he chuckled. "Not much longer, amore. It is but a few more hours and then we may get back out again," he informed me.

I pouted but didn't say anything. Gabriel gave me a quick kiss as I ducked back down into my seat, still pouting. Smiling slightly, Gabriel closed my door and ran to his. He started the car in less than a second.

"I have no more wish to be in this vehicle than you do, amata mia," he told me as he backed out and headed towards the highway again. "However, I know that you wish to see our children as soon as possible as well," he said as he looked me, a trace of a smile on his lips. I just glared. He knew perfectly well I wanted to see our babies again. Right now. Actually, I'd probably be a lot happier being in the car if I had my angels with us. It wouldn't matter then where we were going or how long we had been in the car…well, it would matter to poor Ginsie but not to the babies. We'd have to stop every few hours for the pup. That would be nice, to stop. To get out and just have a change of scenery!

That had been an hour ago. I had called the house and got to speak to both Luca and Claudia. My angels were doing fine and they were having fun playing with Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella. Claudia told me how much she missed me and I know I would have been in tears if I was still human. Luca talked to Gabriel for a bit before Kate took the phone and talked to both of us.

According to Kate, Ginsie was going crazy and kept trying to "reach" for the phone, so my now-cousin Kate put the pup on. I heard hysterical laughter once I said "Hi, baby!" over the phone to Ginsie. I also had heard the sounds of a tongue licking the phone. Ginsie sent me a kiss through the phone. Damn, I missed the pup on this trip!

This road trip was nothing like the ones I had been on in the past. In the past, Gabriel and I would drive for a couple of hours and then stop for maybe fifteen minutes before moving on until it got dark. Then Gabriel would insist on spending the night on the most expensive, most outrageously ornate hotel he could find while all I would want is something with a decently clean bed to sleep on. Of course, since I didn't need to sleep anymore, what as the point?

I sighed as I lazily traced random designs on the passenger side window. I could see Gabriel's head turn towards me and feel his eyes on me. I wasn't worried even though he was going at least a hundred miles per an hour. Not only were we both indestructible now, we both had perfect peripheral vision as well. He could see the road as well as I could see him.

"It will not be much longer, amore," he told me. I sighed again but straightened up. I looked at the radio and started to play with it. My husband watched me with a raised eyebrow as I flipped from one station to the next. Even on the satellite radio, there was nothing on that could keep my interest. To me, all the songs were a good couple of years old as least! There was nothing new.

I looked around at the outside world again to see the various road signs. It occurred to me that I didn't have the faintest idea of where we were going other than East…and there wasn't much East left! "Where are we going, anyway?" I asked Gabriel. I was bored to tears –if I could still cry!- but this small matter of where we were going would alleviate my boredom for at least a few minutes. I hoped.

"Boston," Gabriel said, a slight hint of a smile upon his lips.

"Boston?" I more stated than asked. Gabriel nodded anyways. Slumping back down into my seat, my arms crossed over my chest, I huffed. "Figures," I mumbled.

Turning to me again, Gabriel looked at me curious. "Why do you say that, gioia mia?" he asked me as he took one of my hands to hold in his own. I sighed and straightened up a bit. I really, truly, hated being in the car this long even though it was just a mental exhaustion and not a physical one.

"It just…fits," I stated, thinking on what I knew of Garrett both from the books and from Gabriel. He was also in Alice's memories. The blond adventurous vampire had come across the Cullen home a couple of times over the many decades. He had no problem with inviting himself over to see what his old friends were up too.

Gabriel squeezed my hand gently before raising it to his lips. "How so?" he asked me. I shrugged lightly.

"Where else would a former revolutionary patriot hang out other than Boston or Philadelphia?" I asked. Thinking on it a bit, I answered my own question. "Maybe Lexington or Concord, but I doubt he'd go south. Stickin' to the darkness doesn't seem like it would be much fun for your revolutionary friend," I half answered my own question, half told Gabriel.

Gabriel chuckled and kissed my hand again. "Garrett informed me that he had tried to go as far south as Charleston at one point," my husband told me. I thought back quickly on Gabriel's life and remembered that conversation. I giggled a bit and smiled.

"I saw that," I stated. Gabriel looked slightly dismayed but only squeezed my hand again. I suppose it was hard to be around someone who already knew every single one of your stories because she had already seen it. It also meant he couldn't embellish any of them because I already knew the truth. I bit my lip and was desperate for anything different after traveling for so long. "But I'd like to hear you tell me," I whispered.

Gabriel looked at me, searching my eyes for what I was really feeling. It was the truth. I loved to hear the soft deep sounds of my Italian lover's voice. Listening to Gabriel just talk all day was something I could do easily. It was far better than driving all day and night for two days!

A hint of a smile crossed Gabriel's lips before he started again. "According to Garrett," my husband began while looking at me and not so much to road, "he tried for Charleston in 1859, prior to the great Civil War breaking out." Noticing that I was listening to him with rapt interest, Gabriel turned to look at the road again and continued to tell his story.

By the time we had gotten to Boston, I had found 34 of the 50 state license plates –and two Canadian ones. I had also annoyed Gabriel by flipping through every station imaginable and never finding a song I liked. He eventually got so upset with me he just turned the radio off! …That lasted all of five minutes before he couldn't stand it. We left it on the Classical music channel.

My mind easily drifted then to something I use to do when I was little and on long road trips. My Dad would put on the classical music station to hush us children up. Three or four kids crying from the back seat because they were bored out of their minds was pretty much a part of every parent's nightmare. Dad use to say the classical music calmed us and put us to sleep. I don't remember ever sleeping to it. Instead, I pictures beautiful ballets in my head to the random tunes that would flow over the airwaves. So that's what I did now.

I pictured a simple ballet of a soldier lost during a war and stumbling upon a fairy land. It sounded completely absurd but picturing the settings, the choreography, the costumes; all of that made me think and made me less antsy. Well, at least for a little bit.

I had been to Boston before with my human family. My Dad took us on an insane trip around New England and up into Canada. He made sure I got to see the Cheers bar since that was my favorite show when I was fourteen and that I got to see Prince Edward's Island where Anne of Green Gables took place. We even went on the tour of the Green Gables house and saw the beaches and places Anne describes in the books. I never want to go back.

Oh, it wasn't because it wasn't fun. And it had nothing to do with my Dad in this reality –something I was trying very hard not to think about- but it was because of those stupid biting horseflies. Although I am well aware that I am a vampire now and the flies can't attack me anymore and my ankle swell up to the size of a football and cause my Mom and Dad to argue on whether or not to test the Canadian health care system by taking me to the ER, I also knew that the flies bite. Biting means blood. Human blood and little newborn vampires like me do not mix. Well, not if you are a trying to be a good vegetarian vampire and not kill people. Humans are friends, not food.

When we found Garrett would it be a similar situation to how we found Elijah? Would Garrett be hunting and be in the process of a kill? I hoped not. I hated the very idea of the fact the race I now belong to normally does kill humans as a means of survival. Granted, I killed animals –I had been great at fishing- but killing a creature that had the capability of being anything close to what you were…. I ate cows when I was human, not monkeys and chimps! Killing humans to me was like a human killing a Neanderthal and cooking him up with some rosemary. Just because you could and it tasted good, didn't make it right.

I wonder if there are any vampires old enough left to know what Neanderthal tasted like. Or if vampires evolved or were created after the Neanderthal died out. Wait. Maybe vampires killed off the Neanderthal population by over eating and that's why they suddenly seem to be wiped out? Once the Neanderthals were gone, the vampires turned on the homo sapiens? Hmmm…. I need to get in touch with some very old vampires…literally!

…Actually.

I wonder if just touching a Neanderthal skull will work. That would probably be easier than finding a vampire over 10,000 years old!

I was brought out of my revere by Gabriel chuckling. "What are you thinking about, gioia mia?" he asked me. I shook my head and blinked, looking towards my husband. I could feel him squeeze my hand and I smiled.

"Just silly things," I told him. After all blaming the extinction of an entire race of humanoids on vampires did seem a bit far fetched. And wouldn't we have stories? I should as Carlisle. He'd know. And he wouldn't laugh too much…

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at me and I stared right back at him. Of course, a staring contest when you are driving, vampire or not, isn't always the best thing. "Eyes on the road, Gabriel," I told him. Yeah, it wasn't like he was going to hit anything or anything like that but still!

"Tell me," Gabriel stated, his attention un-averted. His eyes bore into mine and I tried to narrow my own eyes at him and look grumpy. It didn't work. Me being grumpy didn't affect Gabriel nearly as much as it use to. Darn it!

I sighed and looked away. I could still tell from the corner of my eye that the corners of Gabriel's mouth were twitching up in a triumphant smile. I just glared at him. "It's stupid," I continued, deciding not to tell him if he was going to gloat!

Gabriel's face fell. "Amore," he started but I interrupted him with narrowing my eyes even further. Wait, did I just growl? Huh. Cool.

Gabriel sighed and grumbled. We were both quiet for about all of five minutes until I felt guilty about not telling him and for getting so upset. "Neanderthals," I muttered while looking out the passenger side window. It was perfectly clear out and I could see the beauty of the milky way. I don't think I'll ever get over being able to actually see all the stars.

"Che cos'era?" Gabriel asked me, confused. I sighed and sat back up to look at him.

"Neanderthals," I stated as way of explanation. "You know, the precursor to modern homo sapiens?"

A few hundred questions washed across Gabriel's face. "What made you think of that, amata mia?" he asked me, clearly confused.

I shrugged. "I was just curious if we were responsible for their extinction since there is no data to suggest that it was born out by any known natural causes," I continued, thinking on my old anthropological and archeological classes. Gabriel raised an eyebrow in question at me but I just looked down at my hands.

Then I heard him laugh. I looked up at my husband, watching him laugh as he drove along. He kept closing his eyes from the deep belly gut of a laugh he was having at my expense. "Eyes on the road, Gabriel," I grumbled before turning to look back out the passenger side window.

He quieted and I felt my hand being lifted. He managed to kiss the top of it while I turned back to face him. There was still a hint of the laughter upon his lips and in his eyes. There was also only one hand on the wheel. And he complains when I'm actually looking at the road but driving with my knee? At least I'm watching the road and it's not like it takes that long to plug the phone into the charger anymore. "Makes me feel mortal" my foot! He just doesn't like having a female drive him around!

"Forgive me, amata mia," Gabriel asked of me. It was impossible to stay mad at him for long. He was forgiven the second his lips touched the top of my hand. "I do not know of any old enough to remember such times," he continued, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "But I am sure that if such a creature exists as a vampire old enough to remember back past ten eons, we shall find him eventually," Gabriel teased. I tugged my hand out from his and curdled back up in my seat, looking out the window. I decided to ignore my husband –as best I could!- until we got to Boston. Luckily, given the speed that Gabriel was driving at and how long we'd been in the car already, it wasn't that much further.

We stopped just outside the main city. I had already forgotten that I was mad at him. Well, not forgotten, as much as it just wasn't important anymore. The second we stopped, I jumped out of the car and inhaled the air of the suburb. It was far better than the car. Gabriel chuckled at him and I smiled back at him.

He walked over to my side and reached for my hand. I just hugged him tight instead. Chuckling, Gabriel asked me, "Does this mean I am forgiven?" I shook my head and gave him an nuh uh while I hugged him tight. I was just glad to be out of the stupid car!

It was almost morning. I could see the lightening of the sky even though the sun wasn't up yet. It was going to be sunny for a couple of hours before the clouds rolled in. It wouldn't be safe for vampires to walk down the street soon. Letting go of Gabriel, I looked around at where we were. I wasn't exactly sure where a nomadic vampire might hide.

My Gabriel use to hide inside bars or hotels when it got sunny. Was Garrett much the same? Or did he hide out in the woods like Alice did until the sun would go away again? Of course, the woods fit Alice; our little wood nymph. Where else would a vampire pixie hide? But a revolutionary vampire? As in one from the American revolution? Where would he hide?

It sort of hit me at once. I knew where we were and I knew where someone like Garrett might hide. I groaned. Even I wouldn't be quite this obvious! "We're in Lexington, aren't we?" I asked. Of all the places for a Rev War actual patriot and not just a history buff to hide! Only the Old North Church would be more obvious.

"Si, amore," Gabriel stated, wrapping his arms back around me. "He should be near here if we are to find him at all," my husband told me. I understood the meaning. If Garrett wasn't in the area, then there was no way we'd find the adventurous patriot –possibly even with my talent. We also couldn't waste time looking for him when there were still others to be found.

That could be interesting. If we don't find Garrett now, we'd have to find him after the battle with the Volturi –assuming it doesn't go like the books and we end up having to fight. After all, Kate is supposed to be Garrett's mate. I can't just let that not happen or wait for them to meet by chance years from now. Yes, we don't get any older but the more time we have together, the better. Besides, it's sort of hard to get use to the idea that I will never get a gray hair or get a belly. I won't ever have wrinkles or have to deal with age spots. It just didn't add up in my mind yet. Maybe in forty years or so and I still have long brown hair that never gets any thinner or thicker and my reflection hasn't changed.

"We need to find him," I whispered. Gabriel grunted an affirmative sounding grunt before kissing me lightly on the cheek and looking at the house we were parked next too.

Holding his hand, I followed him to look at the old place. Of course, everything looked old but I noticed the placards and signs and saw that this had been a tavern during the Revolutionary War. What? Did Garrett still want to be around a bunch of drunken men? I suppose that such a place brought back to him a familiar time and possibly some better memories. Is this how he held to his humanity?

Gabriel took a deep breath and furrowed his brow. I looked up at my husband. "What?" I asked him.

"He is not here," was the only reply I got. I looked around and up at the windows to the old place.

"Maybe?" I said as I reached out to touch the doorknob. Gabriel stopped me which made me even more curious.

"No, amata mia," he said gently before pointing to the sign. It said "Buckman's Tavern" and told the story of how this is where the minutemen stayed before the battle of Lexington but I didn't get the point. "Many people use that door in which to enter, but not Garrett," Gabriel explained. Oh. Right.

This place was part of the park system. Employees and visitors would probably be using the door all the time but a vampire wouldn't bother if this would be place he'd hide. Garrett would most likely try for the attic or something. I suppose I'm just still thinking too human, but that's all I knew. I wasn't entirely sure how to think like a vampire. However, Gabriel did.

My husband looked at the surrounding area and the houses across the street. He then tightened his grip on my hand and began to pull me towards the woods. "Come," Gabriel almost shouted as he began to run. I immediately fell instep with my husband, curious as to why we weren't just staying here. I could always figure out what window Garrett used to enter and see if we could figure out where he went that way.

"But," I started. Gabriel immediately cut me off.

"He would take to the woods if he did not take to the tavern," Gabriel explained as we bypassed backyards, heading through the woods. It was still too early for most people to be up but Gabriel was also trying to be careful. I think. It seemed the only reason to me for him to have such a strong grip on my hand.

I, of course, followed him. I had to follow him with the grip on my hand! I was slightly annoyed but I was more curious as to why we were running through the woods. Just as I was about to voice my displeasure at being pulled along –especially since I was stronger and faster than him right now anyway- my hand brushed up against a leaf on a small tree. I'm not entirely sure why, but I could see a woman running this way too. It was dark but it couldn't have been more than a half hour ago, I think. There must have been someone with her because she turned around and shouted "run!" as loud as she could.

"Gabriel!" I shouted the nanosecond I came out of it. We had already stopped and I guess my husband was concerned because he was cupping my face when I shouted his name. Oh. He was already there. I hadn't realized he had let go of my hand. Huh.

"You are safe, tesorina," Gabriel breathed before hugging me tightly.

"No, no," I stated, gently pushing him back. Gabriel looked at me, confused. "There was a woman. She was running away from something. I think it might have been Garrett," I started to explain before looking off towards where she had run. "There was someone with her though," I trailed off.

Gabriel nodded. He didn't even bother to ask for further information. "Two humans along with Garrett. He might have been hunting them," my husband started to explain. I looked up at him as if he had two heads. How had he known?

Looking a bit sheepish, Gabriel replied. "I can smell them. Can you not?" he asked me. I shrugged. I could smell something that smelt like a human and the scent I knew to belong to Garrett but really? Mostly what I smelled with _him_; salt water and patchouli. Maybe I was just too wrapped in my beloved lover to recognize any other scents? Or maybe I was relying too heavily on my ability? I wasn't sure, but those other scents just weren't important to me.

"Sort of," I answered. Gabriel tugged at his non-existent beard and hmm'd at that. I rolled my eyes and pulled at his hand. "Come on! We've got to…" I started before getting pulled into another vision.

This one was different. I saw the woman again but a man was with her. "We've got to split up," the man said. The woman nodded, her blond curls bouncy before she darted off towards the left. The man ran towards the right.

Coming out of the vision, I pointed towards the left. "She went that way," I explained. "The man went to the right." Looking up at Gabriel, I knew what he wanted to do the second I looked into his butterscotch eyes. He nodded and kissed me on the cheek before taking off to the left. If they split up, so would we.

I dashed to the right, trying to keep on the path the man took. I realized quickly that if I tried hard enough, I could concentrate on tracking him while still running. I didn't have to slow down or stop while I got these flashes of visions. The day broke as the man ran deeper into the woods.

I could hear someone near me. Part of me instantly wanted my lighter and a can of spray paint but another part of me realized I was a vampire now too. If it was Garrett, he wouldn't attack me. Even if he did, I was a newborn. I was stronger and one quick scream and Gabriel would be on Garrett like chocolate on peanut butter.

I was about fifty yards away from what looked like the body of the man in my visions when a fellow vampire jumped down in front of me and growled. His face was so twisted as he growled at me, it took me a second to recognize him as Garrett. It was the blond hair tied back that gave him away. I slapped him.

"Don't you growl at me!" I shouted. Taken back, Garrett rubbed his jaw and looked at my eyes. He obviously wasn't expecting that.

"This is not your meal, newborn," he told me slowly as he studied my face.

"I don't drink the blood of my brethren," I replied. I almost wanted to cross my arms and glare at him but we needed his help, not my indignation!

Garrett came out of his crouch completely and looked at me, stunned. "You are a newborn?" he more questioned than stated. I nodded.

"Sort of," I said, realizing that would be a fun part of the explanation.

Garrett tilted his head in curiosity. "How do you mean, sort of?" he asked me. I was about to answer when my husband came up behind me. Rather than welcome Gabriel, Garrett placed himself between me and my husband! I was even closer to the human man now and could see he was unconscious. He wasn't bleeding though, thank goodness. I don't think I could take that again!

"Peace, Garrett," Gabriel stated as he walked up, one hand extended upwards. I smiled at my husband as he smiled back. "And, if you would, I do not think my wife needs your protection," he teased.

As I slipped in next to Gabriel's side, I watched Garrett look at him, look between us, and try to re-find his jaw and how to use it. I giggled. I couldn't help it! It was funny to see this big, strong looking, Indiana Jones-wants-to-be-him type vampire in total and complete shock. Gabriel wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. I, automatically, scowled up.

"Your wife?!?" Garrett managed to spat out. Gabriel nodded once, his jaw clenched tight. I just squeezed him closer to me a bit before looking back at a still very shocked Garrett.

"And she is a vegetarian?" Garrett more stated than asked before he managed to get a good look at Gabriel. I could tell he caught sight of Gabriel's eyes when Garrett's own eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. "Dear God," Garrett whispered before a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It wasn't long before he let out a very long and very hearty laugh. Gabriel grumbled a bit and hugged me shoulders a bit more tightly. I just gave my husband a quick smile before watching the older-than-me-vampire nearly tumble over with laughter.

"A vegetarian newborn! Only someone that unique could finally force our Gabriel to give up his bachelorhood," Garrett managed to say after he quieted his laughter. He walked towards me, his arm extended in greeting. I made sure to slip my glove on as discretely as possible before shaking his hand. If Garrett noticed, he didn't say anything about it. "I am very pleased to meet you, my dear," he said, still smiling.

"As I am you," I replied.

Garrett quickly turned his attention back to Gabriel, laughing again. "And you too went vegetarian!" he laughed before slapping Gabriel on the shoulder friendedly. I smiled still but Gabriel wasn't. His jaw was tight and he was clearly not in a joking mood. Silly mosquito.

"It was the right thing to do," Gabriel said grumpily. Oh yeah, because that's convincing, sweetheart.

I did know Gabriel didn't regret turning his back on human blood. We had had plenty of conversations about it when I was human. He said he did it for me but as well as himself. It made him feel more "worthy" of me or some such nonsense. I didn't care as long as he didn't kill other humans. It would have made it harder to be around me while I was still human! If he had regretted it, would he have stopped me from taking Elijah's meal? I doubt it.

"My husband is only grumpy because we have spent the past few days traveling across the United States without stopping," I stated with a smile. Garrett smiled at me and leaned up against one of the many available trees. It was so nice to see trees that were at the correct height and not towering above me like skyscrapers. Just a nice couple of stories or so.

"And why were you traveling and from where, my lady?" Garrett asked.

"Elizabeth is sister to Carlisle and Esme," Gabriel answered. His jaw wasn't relaxed but his voice was sure. That was better. It always sounded so odd to hear "Elizabeth" rather than "Elizabetta" come off his lips but I knew why. "Elizabetta" was his name for me.

Garrett laughed again. "At least they should keep you out of trouble!" he chuckled before giving Gabriel a pointed eye. "Or was that the trouble? Other than diet, I never thought the strict coven leader ideal would suit Carlisle!"

I tried to bite back another laugh as I pictured my big brother be strict. Oh yes, because that would work with all those teenagers that are just as strong as you. As long as you tried to stick to the diet and as long as followed the main rule of our kind –Keep the Secret- everything else Carlisle didn't mind. Well, he might mind if you like burned all his books or destroyed his desk or something like that but he wasn't exactly what I'd call strict. Carlisle barely had a stern bone in his body!

"We have come because our family is in trouble," Gabriel answered. Despite my giggling at Carlisle being strict, Gabriel's words brought me back down to earth very quickly. I felt the crash in my gut as I thought on our family. Our beautiful babies, my cousin and his family, my brother and sister, my nieces and nephews, and even the pups –Miss Ginsie included in that one; if anything happened to any of them….

Garrett stood up at that like a soldier being told that the battle is coming. "What sort of trouble?" he asked as if asking for tactical advise.

Gabriel looked down to me as I looked up to him and then back to Garrett. "Have you heard about Jane?" I asked him. Garrett's brow furrowed.

"Jane of the Volturi Guard?" he asked me. I nodded once, Gabriel hugging me tight to his side again. "I heard the rumors that she had been destroyed but…" Garrett started, sounding very unconvinced.

"Ita vero," Gabriel told him, meaning "it is true". "My wife destroyed her when Jane thought to interrupt me from my meal," Gabriel stated with some sort of emotion I didn't quite recognize in his voice. Garrett's eyes snapped to mine.

"I heard many rumors regarding Jane's death. None were of a newborn killing her," Garrett stated. I was slightly curious as to what those many rumors were and which ones were perpetuated by Felix himself. If found out Demetri would just grin whenever Felix told the big ole tales.

"I wasn't a newborn then," I stated simply. That got his eyes to bulge a bit.

"But that isn't possible. No mere human has ever," Garrett started to almost mumble to himself.

"Felix and Demetri called me a sabbatianoi," I informed him. Garrett looked at me like I was something completely foreign or alien to him now. I wasn't just a little vegetarian newborn –he knew Carlisle and could construe that in his head- I was the human that killed Jane. I was something impossible.

"I saw Jane readying to attack Gabriel as he was already on the ground thanks to her abilities," I explained, placing my hand on top of his on my shoulder. "Only knowing what she was, I took out a lighter and a can of hairspray and flame throwed her," I stated rather anti-climatically. Really, it's hard to say that with any form of seriousness even though that was exactly what happened.

Garrett looked between me and Gabriel and could see that we were both serious on this. "Are the Volturi exacting revenge? Is this how the Cullens have come to trouble?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No," I stated but it was Gabriel that continued.

"The Volturi have little qualms over Jane's death now. Or over Alec's either," he said with the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Their qualm now is over something far less revengeful and based upon a misunderstanding," he stated. Garrett looked intrigued.

"How so?" the blond vampire asked. I let Gabriel continue this time.

"We believe that they may have been called to the Pacific Northwest due to Carlisle's treaty with a pack of werewolves that live there," Gabriel answered. Garrett's face twisted up a bit.

"Because of a pack of werewolves and not because of Jane?" Garrett asked, unbelieving. It did sound ridiculous and I doubt I'd believe it if I hadn't lived through it.

Gabriel nodded. "We only come to ask to have those that are friends to the Cullen family to witness before the Volturi that what the…informant may say is not the full story. We ask of nothing more," my husband told him. I squeezed his hand again.

Garrett stood up straight again and nodded to both of us. "I shall see these wolves for myself and witness. But why would the Volturi become angered over a treaty with wolves if they too have need to keep their existence secret?" he more asked himself than us. I smiled gently.

"There is a lot more to the story that Edward will tell you if you go," I stated.

Smiling a bit, Garrett looked up at me. "When I go, my dear," he corrected me. Taking a couple of steps closer to me, Garrett cocked his head to the side a bit. "You truly killed Jane as a human?" he asked. I nodded.

"I think the flame thrower worked only because she was very distracted at the time and relied way too heavily on her ability," I explained. Gabriel looked down at me with a curious expression before mumbling something along the lines of "like someone else I know" in Italian. I elbowed him.

Garrett laughed again and clasped Gabriel on the shoulder. "I don't know which I find more enjoyable; that you were saved by a human that you later married or that Jane was killed by a human! With a can of hairspray!" he exclaimed, laughing.

It was then we heard a moan. All three of us looked over to where the man was slowly coming to consciousness. Garrett's black eyes darted to his meal as Gabriel tugged at my shoulder's to leave.

"We shall see you in a weeks time in Washington," Gabriel stated. Garrett nodded.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth. Keep him well, my lady," Garrett told me. I smiled a slight bit and nodded before we took off.

I only heard a half choked scream behind us that was instantly cut off. Another life lost and I wasn't sure why. All I knew to do was to pray and hope that, at the very least, this man was a criminal. That Garrett hadn't taken an innocent life. That we would find enough witnesses to get the Volturi to pause. That it would work out like it did in the books. That my children and my pup were alright. That we would be able to live in peace after this. I prayed.

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**Author's Note:** So, finally, Elizabeth meets Garrett. I'm starting to wonder how long this story will be because I originally only wanted to go to chapter 100 but ummm…I'm not sure if I'll get it all in by then!


	98. BIII Cxxxviii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So I started this chapter and hated it. I then scratched that and rewrote it and it really took on a life of it's own. I got it to go where I wanted it too and it really could have been even longer but, I hope, that y'all enjoy what is here. Don't forget to review! Please?

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 38

It had been almost a week. I missed my babies terribly but we still had one more stop to make according to Gabriel. I didn't argue. I knew how terribly important it was to get as many vampires as we could to help us.

In total, we had found five other vampires who were willing to see what curiosity the Cullen family home held. Most were just overly humored that Gabriel had gotten married. I wasn't sure whether to be peeved or to be honored that so many were more shocked that Gabriel had gotten married than the fact he had gone vegetarian. The other vampires seemed to find the whole story amusing but when they discovered that I was Gabriel's wife always put a smile on every vampire's lips. Well, not that I was his wife; just that Gabriel had a wife. They seemed to get it once they learned I was the great sabbatianoi.

I'm really going to have to talk to Felix again about his stories. I spent the better part of an hour arguing with Delilah –one of the nomads we had come across- over whether or not a "true" sabbatianoi can turn invisible and can't be turned. I think she finally believed me when I pointed out there really hadn't been any sabbatianoi's in recent memory before me. I always figured that there has to be someone before, perhaps during the Romanians reign, that killed a vampire somehow. Someone had to start the stories…and then embellish them just like Felix did. Stupid meathead of a vampire!

After talking to Delilah, Gabriel and I headed south towards Maryland. Gabriel told me there might be some more down this way and into Appalachia as we head back. It gave me hope that someday I could move back South and well below the Mason-Dixon line. It shouldn't be too hard to get Jasper or Emmett to agree with me on that.

One thing you can't get away with when you travel even as a vampire is that you do still need to stop. Not for sanity –which I argued for or else Gabriel was going to deal with a very grumpy wife- but for gas. I liked stopping at the rest areas every couple of hours, getting out and walking around in the woods, and then running back to the car. However, after we tried that the first time, Gabriel pointed out we had wasted a hour. We both wanted to find as many fellow vampires as we could and then head back to our babies. I gave up on the getting out and breathing the fresh air after that. Gabriel bought me a computer that we could plug into the car so I could play games and not be completely bored.

At one gas stop, I sat in the car with the window half rolled down. Gabriel was leaning against the Mercedes, pumping the gas, and basically looking like some dangerous rogue like hero out of some ridiculous romance novel. Thank God I don't act as stupidly as those "heroines". Really!

Noticing some of the women taking a bit too long to look at my husband, I started to growl lightly beneath my breath. They wouldn't hear me but they might see the woman in the passenger seat scowling at them. "Elizabetta," Gabriel warned me gently. I opened the door and swung out a bit so I was still sitting in the seat but facing the same way he was. The awning over the station blocked the rain.

"I don't like them looking at you like that," I told him, my arms crossed. The two woman that had been staring at my husband like he was a piece of meat to be purchased had already looked away and were whispering about whether or not that "beautiful, angry, woman" might be dumping him and they might have a chance with someone that handsome. Uh, no. I'm not angry at Gabriel right now just you too idiotic creatures. Why are there so many stupid people making up humanity?

I looked up at my husband when I heard him smirk. He smiled over at me and reached for my hand, which I easily gave him. "There is no.." Gabriel started to say when we both smelled something else. The change of the wind direction pushed the gasoline and tar smell down and filled it with the smell of rain and of cotton and something floral…something vampire. We both looked at each other and no words needed to be spoken. It didn't matter if we didn't know who this was; we needed help of any kind.

I did see Gabriel nod before I took off after the strange scent. Since everything was wet, the smell had to be new. The rain would wash it away otherwise. I just hoped this creature was possibly a friend of Carlisle's. I had to run at a human pace towards the woods but I quickly took to running at vampire pace once I was concealed in the considerable brush. Gabriel joined up with me quickly but both of us stopped short after only a minute or two of running. About 100 yards in front of us was the strange vampire.

I had seen auras around everyone I had met since becoming a vampire. The auras came in different colors –like Gabriel's blue violet or Edward's copper- but there were sometimes tints to them. It was hard to put into words. It was sort of like how there are many shades of blue. You can have a bright blue, dark blue, pastel blue, light blue, and all sorts of other shades and everyone had their own favorite.

I understood the shades as tones. Not only did people have spots like the hideous yellow or the ugly blackish color in their auras, but they had tones to their auras. Gabriel's yellow spots were fading, I noticed, and the black spots were getting much smaller; however his aura was still my favorite color –that blue-violet that I loved. So far, most of the aura's I had seen, I rather liked the colors to various degrees. Demetri's and Felix's were even improving in tone to look more "jewel" toned. But the aura of the creature in front of me was hideous.

Hideous didn't cover it, really. His aura shocked me so badly that I immediately curled up next to Gabriel, partially hiding my face against my husband's chest. The pure…evil that seemed to radiate off this vampire's aura was far too much for me to take. It terrified me and shocked me.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel whispered worriedly, his arms immediately enveloping me.

"We need to go," I said quietly back. It was then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the vampire look up and at us. His aura was so dark, so disturbing, that I couldn't even make out anything of him other than his blood red eyes. He was the stuff of nightmares.

Gabriel looked over at the vampire and then down to me. I could tell he was about to question why but something seemed to make him stop. Whether it was my own pleading looks or the other vampire's just pure evil that I'm sure must have been palatable to even those without my ability, I'm not sure. Whatever it was, Gabriel practically picked me up and started to run back through the woods to the little truck stop.

I climbed in to our car immediately. "Start the car, Gabriel," I said quickly, glancing towards the woods. Gabriel didn't say a word. He just did what I asked and we took off. I saw those piercing red eyes as we pulled back out onto I-95 just glowing in the woods. I felt horrible for any human that dared to cross those. Even those two women that had been looking at Gabriel.

Oh, we had met our share of human drinkers –all the vampires we had found were red-eyed vampires- but there was something different about this one. I can't describe it other than he gave me that same feeling that I use to have when I thought a spider might be close in the dark of night and none of my vampires were around to find it and kill it before it would drop on my head. Even that really didn't describe the feeling well since there is nothing inherently evil in a spider –stupid creepy creatures- but maybe add a psychopathic serial killer to the mix and it might come close. Of course, most vampires by their very nature were serial killers so that didn't even get to the point.

He was evil. I knew that. Maybe it was because the human drinkers we had met tended to be choosy about their prey, or maybe it was because they didn't see humans as anything more than cattle. This one, I suppose you could say that I got the vibe he liked to play with his food. I also got the vibe that, to him, both Gabriel and I were food. Even at the most precarious of moments around Gabriel in the very beginning or even around Felix and Demetri –who were both still human drinkers- I never felt like "food". I felt like a curiosity, something odd, but not food. It was a strange, unsettling feeling.

Neither of us spoke as we headed down I -95 at 100 mph. When I did manage to look up at my husband, I could see his jaw was taunt and his hands gripping the wheel. Rather than chastising him for holding the steering wheel too tightly, I just reached over and pried his fingers from the right side of the steering wheel and held his hand between my own. I was too terrified from our encounter with that creature to really do much else!

It only took a few seconds for Gabriel to squeeze my hand and for me to look back up at him. His face was still serious but he was more relaxed as we put miles between us and whatever that was. Something that dark, that diseased, could no longer even have a shred of humanity within him, could he? "What was that, Gabriel?" I asked quietly, truly curious. The aura had been so thick I couldn't see anything other than those piercing red eyes through that enveloped him.

"A true creature of legends, amore," Gabriel told me quietly as he brought my hand up to his lips. "I know of few that have even attempted to speak with him," he said in almost a whispered tone. Something in Gabriel's voice told me he feared what he knew. I just looked up at him, hoping he'd tell me what that thing was.  
Looking away from the road again and down towards me, Gabriel smiled slightly. His face turned serious right before he spoke. "Have you heard of the Jersey Devil?" he asked me. I'm sure my face looked completely shocked. Of course I had heard of the Jersey Devil. Who hadn't when growing up on the East Coast? They had a couple of X-Files episodes devoted to the idea!

I was about to say as much and probably would have if I was still human but, as a vampire, my brain processed things much faster than it did just a few months ago. Of course I heard the stories of missing hikers and paranormal groups trying to hunt down the legendary creature. I remembered wanting to go check out some of the sightings myself and maybe take Kit with me or Estelle. And there was the crux; that was in my universe. As far as I was aware vampires didn't exist in my universe.

Yet, there were the stories. I thought little of the similarities of the stories between one universe and the other. I thought since my vampire family didn't exist –obviously if a book was written on them- then no vampires could exist. But what if I was wrong? What if it was just that Carlisle hadn't been changed and, therefore, no one else was changed? But then how do I explain Alice and Jasper? They weren't changed by Carlisle? And what about my own Gabriel? Where did the change occur that doesn't allow for me in this universe but doesn't allow for my family in the other?

"Yes," I managed to eek out. I knew the stories from my universe and if they were the same here… I couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation other than vampires existed in both universes. Maybe someone from this universe came to mine? That also sounded reasonable. It would have to be more than one if the stories caught on in my universe. So did that mean there were other people here in this universe from mine? I had too many questions and no way to get any answers.

Gabriel looked at me and couldn't comprehend my expression. I looked down and curled up a bit in my seat. "We had stories in my universe about him. I was always told he was the born sometime around the revolutionary war and that he was impenetrable to canon fire," I stated, trying to recall what I could. Most thought the devil was a deformed child years ago but it would make much more sense that the devil was actually a vampire.  
Looking taken back a bit, Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Is this part of the books?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Urban legends and conspiracy theories," I said softly. We both were quite again for a bit. If the creature we saw was the Jersey Devil then why was he not stopped? Why did the Volturi let something so well known live? I suppose I could ask Felix and Demetri later but I also figured it was because the devil was nothing more than legend. Very few put any real faith into it. It was something funny, not vampire.

Gabriel hmm'd as he drove along, relaxing more as we put distance between us. Thinking on the entire scene again, I wondered what had tipped my husband off on what the creature was –because that was definitely a creature and not just another vampire. "How did you know that was the Jersey Devil?" I asked him quietly while looking up at his smooth jaw line. It was so hard to picture him with a beard even though he told me he had one many years ago. He better not ever cut his hair! I like it far too much waving just past his shoulders.

Gabriel tensed again but, rather than crunching the poor steering wheel, he simply squeezed my hand. "There are…legends, I suppose one might say, among our kind of the creature," he told me gently. I just looked at him quizzingly which got the characteristic Gabriel smirk out of him. "Did you not see how deformed the creature was?" he asked me.

I looked down and shook my head. "No," I whispered quietly. "All I could see was the piercing red eyes inside a dark cocoon almost," I tried to explain. I looked up only to see Gabriel's questioning expression. Still holding his hand, now with both of my hands as I turned my body towards him, I looked back down. "His aura…it was…" I started as I bit my bottom lip. I actually shivered as I thought on the darkness. I don't think I had shivered once since I had been turned. I had gotten nervous but, then again, I had never gotten that close to something that really drilled fear right into the heart of me. Even if it wasn't beating, I knew I still had a heart.

I looked up at Gabriel, worried. "It was evil, Gabriel. Pure evil," I whisper yelled at him, the words almost getting caught in my throat. Seeing that creature had made me more upset than I realized.

Gabriel started to pull to the side of the road when he saw my expression but I shook my head. "Please, Gabe," I asked of him. Once he looked at me, I continued. "Tell me about what you saw."

Gabriel looked into my eyes, ignoring the road for a split second, and then must have seen what he wanted to see because he nodded and picked the pace back up to around 100 mph. We could probably get away with a good deal faster but why wear out the car like that?

"I saw what the stories describe," Gabriel started as I played absent mindedly with his right hand. "A creature that is clearly vampire but has lost all but the stubs of his arms and his feet so deformed that the shape is not readily discerned," he told me. I bit my lip, thinking on how horrible that creature must have looked to him. The physical sometimes does meet the inner beauty, I suppose. Maybe only as a warning, in this case.

"How…" I started to ask. I needed to calm down, hearing my voice about to crack. We were fine. Our children were fine. My pup was fine. We'd look for a couple more friends and then head home. "How did that happen?" I asked, hoping he'd have the answer.

"Hmm?" Gabriel asked me as he lifted my hand again to kiss it.

"How did that vampire get so…deformed and become so…so…evil?" I asked. "Why would the Volturi come after us for werewolves but not go after something like that?" I voiced my unspoken question from earlier. I knew Gabriel wouldn't have the answer but I had to ask it anyway.

"I do not know, tesornia," Gabriel said quietly as he drove. He offered me a small smile. "When it comes to his deformation, there are many stories, though none are probably accurate," he stated.

I waited patiently to hear them. Yes, I could just think back and pick the information out if I wanted to but that was assuming that Gabriel hadn't learned anything new lately. Even then, it would take me only a second to access the information. One simple touch and I'd know it.

"Some say it was a fire. Upon seeing Demetri prior to finding a new arm, that may well be true but doubtful," Gabriel told me. "Others say it was werewolves and yet others say something accorded during the transformation to turn him thusly," he stated.

I bit my lip to ponder all of that. I remembered Demetri when I first saw him with my human eyes –one arm missing. Werewolves didn't really strike me as the culprit either since I'd gone up against them. How could the transformation do anything other than make you beautiful or, at least, pleasant to look at?

Most of the rest of the ride was quiet. I sat there thinking over the dark shadow I saw while holding Gabriel's hand tightly in mine. It was a few hours before I looked up and noticed the outside world again. I blinked. The trees passing us by were very familiar but they weren't part of I-95.

I checked one of the signs along the side of the road and knew instantly were we were. I thought as much but the look of the road and the various parcels of the land that lined it but I didn't get why we were here. "Annapolis?" I asked curiously. There was a vampire in Annapolis? All though there were a bunch of blood suckers in DC, they weren't our kind –just the human kind in the form of government officials. I guess the cloudy winters would make a great cover for any nomad though…

Gabriel's face broke into a smile. "Close, amore," he said as he got off a way too familiar exit. I knew this way. Heck, I'd know this way with my eyes closed and backwards! That butterfly feeling started in the pit of my stomach and slowly bubbled up, forcing a smile to my face. It was Saturday and it was October. All thoughts of the evil Jersey Devil vanished from my mind and were quickly replaced with the desire for the familiar sights and smells of the Renaissance Festival. I was curious as to what fall would smell like now that I was vampire here.

"The Renn fest?" I exclaimed, grinning.

Gabriel chuckled at me and nodded. I squealed happily which just made Gabriel laugh even harder. The Renn fest was my most favorite place to be before coming to this universe. To have my beloved husband come with me to my favorite place? Pure bliss. I looked down at my jeans and scowled slightly. "But I don't have anything to wear," I said sadly.

"Alice is rubbing off you a bit too much," Gabriel teased. I crossed my arms and glared at him. He knew perfectly well how important it was to me to dress up for the renn fest. It explained my sewing room.

"There is my Elizabetta," he teased me. I huffed and looked away from him. It was only when I saw him reach back and blue silk appeared out of the corner of my eye that I turned back towards him. My glare was completely washed away when I saw him hold up my wedding gown.

"I believe you did not receive a chance to wear this for as long as you desired," Gabriel told me. A smile creeped back on to my face as I pulled at the icy looking robin's egg blue silk gown and the full linen chemise to go with it.

After hugging the material to me, I looked back up at my husband. "You planned on coming here?" I asked curiously before narrowing my eyes. "Ya know, you need to dress up too," I warned him. Gabriel chuckled again.

"Do not worry, amore. I have appropriate garments for your beloved Renaissance Festival," he told me. I crossed my arms again. He better be wearing something similar to what he wore when he was human or he'd be in a lot of trouble. Of course, I could also drag him immediately to the pricy garbber and force him into velvet and split panes, similar to what he wore at our wedding. Not that that was a bad idea or anything…

With my mind now on far more enjoyable topics likes listening to the Rogues and praying that the Mediaeval Baebes where here this weekend, I smiled. My smile was only growing as Gabriel turned up the street towards the renn fest. Before we even got pass the corner to head on to the main road to the renn fest, I was giggling. I couldn't help it! If going to Paris was Alice's type of Christmas Vacation, then this was mine. It may be simple but nothing could beat the Renaissance Festival in my mind. Where else could I actually tell Gabriel's real birthdate, wear a pretty dress, listen to great music, and critique everyone else's outfits?

It wasn't long before we stopped at a hotel. The exact same hotel we stopped at after that night that Gabriel admitted I was his mate and then decided to take a college kid for dinner. It was also when I figured out how inept my darling vampire was at such a simple device as a remote control. How he ordered Underworld was still beyond me.

"Why are we stopping here?" I asked Gabriel curiously. He smiled.

"If you prefer to change in the parking lot, I know many men would appreciate it," he stated back. I scowled and got out of the car, bundling my dress and chemise in my arms. Gabriel just chuckled behind me.

We checked in and Gabriel, somehow, managed to get the exact same room. When I stepped in, I could smell the cleaners and very old cigarette smoke – just like Gabriel had said all those months ago. …I missed my puppy dog.

Seeing my slightly heart broken expression, Gabriel wrapped me up in his arms. "Tesorina? What is it?" he asked me. Taking my chin in his hand, he looked me in my eyes. "If you prefer not to stay here, I do understand. Not all the memories would be pleasant ones," he said sadly. I only curled up against him as best I could and sniffled slightly.

"I miss my puppy," I told me. With that, Gabriel laughed lightly.

"Miss Ginsie is well and safe at home, amore," he said, a smile on his lips. I sighed and pulled away from Gabriel only to see my bright pink duffle slung over his shoulder. It's where I keep all my hair stuff. I'm glad he remembered.

Silently, I took it from him to place in the bathroom so I could see what I was doing. My new reflection was still so odd, I didn't always know what would look right still. Of course, according to Gabriel, any way I styled my hair –or didn't style it- was fine by him.

Gabriel cleared his throat needlessly as I placed the bag down. "Take your time, gioia mia. I shall change out here," he told me. I looked at him funny. We were married and I had very little problem changing in front of him except that…oh. Yeah, right. We might not make it to the renaissance festival if I change in front of him right now. Good point. I nodded to him.

"Okay, Gabe," I told him before deciding to tease him a bit myself. I blew him a kiss, smiling, as I closed the door to get ready.

It took me all of five minutes. Gabriel must have had help in packing which means that this was something he had been planning…or Alice had been planning. It wasn't any secret that I desperately wanted to go to the Renaissance Festival. Before this mess, I had be all grumpy about not hearing the music, seeing the jousting, and otherwise just being there…in garb. This was my hobby. Edward had his piano, Gabriel was taking up detective novels and watching cops, Rosalie had cars, and I had the Renaissance faire. It sort of sucks that I can't eat cheesecake on a stick anymore but oh well. I'm sure it will smell all sorts of funny now and very inedible.

I looked in the mirror. The lady staring back was still a stranger. She didn't have the familiar scars or the barely noticeable freckles I was use to. Her hair was nearly all curls and not bone straight. Her eyes were blood red and not green.

I looked down and shook the thought of a very different pair of red eyes out of my mind. Carefully, I put in the contacts that Alice most likely placed in my duffle bag. My hair was done up in twists around my head to mimicking the hair binding of Gabriel's era. It was simple, now, for me to place the hairsticks just right…

I cracked the door and looked around the corner to see Gabriel's shadow near the beds. Opening the door all the way to see what he would think of my wedding gown –which I had no doubt would get muddy but I didn't care, Esme could clean anything!- this time around. I wasn't prepared for what my Gabriel was wearing though. Stopping short of the edge of the bed, I just stared at him in his Renaissance outfit.

Oh, I remembered his wedding outfit from my human memories and had seen it in my head from his own "movie" but it was something very different to see it again with my vampire eyes. The linen shirt, the slashed britches, the black velvet jerkin…he looked far too pretty to be mine and much too pretty to take him to the plain old renaissance festival! He belonged in a museum, not in the mud and sticks.

Gabriel looked right back at me and gently moved to touch my shoulder. I looked up only to find his face a mere couple of inches from mine, his sea salt and patchouli breath just against my cheek. Maybe it was the fact we were in the same room as all those nights ago, or that we were in our wedding outfits, or maybe, even, that the past week had been spent pretty much on the run; but, what ever it was, all I wanted in that moment was to kiss his perfect lips.

I felt him move closer for the kiss and then felt his lips move against mine. His left hand moved to gently cradle my head while my arms found their way around his neck. "Screw the renn faire," I murmured against his delectable lips. We were very much married and it wasn't like we didn't have a bed.

Gabriel chuckled and broke the kiss completely. "No, tesorina," he told me, his forehead resting against mine. "You will be upset if we send the afternoon here rather than there," he told me. I looked up at his pitch black eyes and knew it wouldn't take much to make him change his mind. Of course, I also knew he was right. It wasn't like we didn't have time for that later. The renaissance festival, however, was only here and only open for a few hours on the weekends during the fall. We could always come back afterwards….

I closed my eyes again and broke away from him slightly, nodding. Renn fest first, hotel room second, go home third. It sounded like a perfectly logical arrangement. Now if there was some way to teleport the kids out here to Maryland right now, I'd be in perfect bliss. Of course, we'd have to get another room for them…

By the time we got back into the car, I was bouncing. The clerk behind the desk saw both of us in full garb and mumbled about "those people". I was use to it. Some of the locals didn't like the renn fest and all the garbbed patrons. It would be different once we got to the grounds on this perfect cloudy day.

The second I saw the beloved Renaissance Festival grounds, I was pretty much ready to get out and run. Of course, that would be a bad idea because there isn't a human being on this planet that can run in chopines and there is the cop car right there. Too much hassle just to get inside the gates that much quicker.

Gabriel chuckled at me. "Almost there, amata mia," he told me, reaching for my hand. I was too excited that we were here to even bother to glare at him. The moment that Gabriel parked on the grassy lot, I opened the car door and barely managed to remember to go at human speed, not vampire. My husband just smiled at me and walked around the car.

He took my arm, pressing the very modern key chain to lock the car, and made sure I kept a measured, human, pace up the walk towards the ticket sales. I could smell the elephant and the horses mixed in with everything else. The smell of the changing leaves, the fall wind, the misty wet air, a few drenched humans, and earth. Although it smelled like Renn Faire, it also smelled very different from my human memories. It smelled even better in some ways and worse in others. It was something impossible to explain but, with Gabriel at my side, this smelled like home. All I needed was the rest of my family –my vampire family- to truly feel at home.

For a brief moment, I felt my heart ache that I didn't have my babies here or the rest of my family. I knew this was wasting time that could be spent to drive straight home to the loving arms of our babies and my siblings but we were here. I also knew that I needed this break. With all the dangers surrounding us, from the incident this morning to the general atmosphere of impending doom for the Volturi, I need this escape and I'm sure Gabriel could use it too. A couple of hours added to a cross country trip wouldn't matter that much. We'll just drive even faster.

Gabriel looked down at me, concerned for a moment, until I smiled up at him. We were here! The familiar sounds of the fountain played in my ears as we approached the ticket booth. Given that it had rained this morning and was still dreary, I knew only the die hards would come. It meant fewer humans –which was good on two accounts to me. One, I was still a newborn –a very controlled newborn but a newborn that didn't like to get tempted- so less humans meant I was less likely to smell someone tasty. The second was the same reason I always loved coming on cloudy days in the past; the die hards tend to be the garbed folk. It meant the only people that would be here were people I knew in my universe and their outfits would only add to the atmosphere. There was something wrong with talking in near perfect Elizabethan English with someone wearing a perfect velvet Tudor only to turn around and see some guy in his t-shirt and shorts eating chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick. It ruined the escapism to me.

I sort of just looked around while Gabriel got the tickets. I notice an awful lot of people going in wearing plaid. Oh no! It was Celtic Weekend and I'm wearing Italian? I need plaid! I can't wear a pretty silk early Italian when I should be romping about in a Scottish gown!

Gabriel thanked the lady for the tickets and then looked at me, re-taking my arm. "Tesorina?" he asked me when he saw my expression.  
"It's Celtic weekend," I stated. Gabriel's brow furrowed.

"Do you not like Celtic weekend?" he asked, confused. He knew from my IPod and from my massive CD collection that I adored Celtic music.

"No, I love Celtic weekend."

Gabriel chuckled lightly as we started to walk towards the gates. "Then what is the issue, amore?" he asked.

"I'm not wearing plaid," I tried to point out. It came out has a half hearted sigh. Gabriel just laughed at me and kissed me on the head once we got under the gate. I scowled up at him.

"Then shall I buy you the prettiest of plaid skirts," he whispered in my ear. Of course, my worries of not wearing plaid were quickly forgotten because my ears picked up the bagpipes. The Rogues were about to start and it sounded like they were at the White Hart tavern.

Breaking out into a grin, I smiled up at Gabriel and pulled upon his arm to lead him down the way, past all the pretty shops, to just go here the music. I'd stop later to shop.

It sort of hit me then but it built up until we got around the Oyster Bar and down the hill towards the White Hart. I realized, slowly, that I really could buy anything I wanted here. Those shoes I'd been craving? Only $600. Gabriel would have zero problem with custom made boots that I'd wear once a year. A pretty necklace? Who cares about the price? It wasn't like I had to think of a mortgage, electrical bills, medical bills, or anything else that really had to do with being a poor human girl who lived by herself.

I had my family. Gabriel himself had enough money that, even if he never invested again and he just left his money in the bank, we wouldn't have to even think of budgeting for a century. What was there to budget for? Carlisle owned the house –many homes actually- and the car was paid for. It wasn't like we needed food. Clothing, internet access, and pretty much all the other things I had were mere incidentals anymore. Dropping a couple thousand at the renn fest was nothing in the long scheme of things. Oh! I wonder if that means I can order that custom made canopy bed that I've always admired! I just hope Gabriel and I don't break it if I do get it.

By the time we got to decent viewing distance of the kilted Rogues, I felt free. It was an odd feeling. Yes, I had to worry about the Volturi but that seemed manageable. I didn't have to worry about getting things paid on time or budgeting. I didn't have to worry about getting to work, doing a good job, not getting too many people upset, and dealing with my boss. I didn't have a job. I didn't need a job. I realized I had everything I ever wanted.

I wrapped an arm around Gabriel and hugged him tight to me. He smiled and placed an arm around my shoulder. "You like them, gioia mia?" he asked me.

I nodded. "You don't?" I asked curiously as the guys beat out the rhythm with drums and struck up the tune on the bagpipes.

"It is…a different style of music than I am accustom," he told me. Smiling down at me, Gabriel said slightly lower, "but it is not bad."

I grinned and listened as many of the songs I knew blasted through the air. I watched the familiar hawkers with their baskets pass buy, selling the various CDs. I also briefly took notice of the rose sellers as they based by, baskets on their heads, and a wide array of roses. With so few people, they weren't going to have a good day and I felt sorry for them. They worked on commission.

Gabriel followed my gaze and smiled at me. Part of me wanted to object when he left my side but I didn't for two reasons: the rose sellers needed the money and I really wanted a rose. I hadn't received a rose at renn faire since 2002 or so when one of my friends bought me one. That was hardly romantic. For my husband to be here, to be in garb, and to buy me a rose? It was one of my dreams come true.

I pretended not to notice Gabriel speaking with the rose seller that I had seen several times over the years. Being that it was 2006, and not 2009 or 2010, the rose seller I knew best wouldn't be working yet. It would be another few years before Rebecca would take up the basket carrying rose selling profession at the faire.

Paying more attention to the music than I was my husband, I didn't notice when he bought more than one rose. He came back with three, each a different variegated color. I looked at him surprised and held out my arms for them.

"One for you, amata mia," he told me, placing a pink and red striped rose across my arms.

"One for our daughter," he said as he gave me a yellow and pink one.

"And one for our son, both children that you have given me," he said, handing over a purple one and giving me a kiss. I would have blushed if I was still human for the claps and hollers. I also heard quite a few women remark "why don't you do that for me?" and laughed lightly.

The day was spent going from store to store and from stage to stage. Since it had stopped raining and was overcast, it was absolutely perfect to me. We saw the jousting –which Gabriel pointed out was decent although not as good as in his day- and many a play. I just giggled my way through anything done by Shakespeares Scum. I don't think my poor husband got many of the modern jokes interjected into it like I did. Although, it is sort of funny how long the rivalry between France and England –and many English speaking countries- has been going on. I wonder if it pre-dates the Hundred years war.

Many of the stores were happy to ship to Washington State once they saw the amount of stuff we were buying. Well, what I was buying. From an endless supply of beeswax candles and soaps from the Bee Folks to various pieces of jewelry, I was having fun. When we got to the woodcarvers who makes all sorts of interesting furniture and hammocks, I decided to sit down.

I flopped back, rather gracefully now since I was a vampire, into the hammock trying to ignore the smell of various fried foods wafting in. I really can't believe I'd eat the ribbon chips. They smelled horrible now.

Swinging back and forth in the white and pink hammock seat in the open store, I patted the side of it while looking at Gabriel. He smirked and moved around behind it, gently pushing me back and forth. I loved the way my dress flowed.

"Perhaps we should place one of these on the porch, if Esme will allow it," Gabriel told me. I looked backwards and up at him, smiling.

As I moved to look back down, I saw a beautiful canopy bed. I put my feet down to stop swinging and took in the unfinished hand carving. One pillar was a man and the other a woman. At the end of the bed were "normal" spiral pillars. The scenes etched into the head and footboards were of the woods and hobbit like homes. It was beautiful.

I got up and took a look at it. I knew that it would be way too much even with a near unlimited supply of money. If I remembered correctly, the bed itself cost more than a new car. Well, a new car the average person could afford –not a new vampire approved car. Silly boys and their toys. Not that Rosalie was exactly good about it either.

I ran my hand delicately over the grain of the wood, surprised by how smooth it felt beneath my fingertips. I smiled up at Gabriel when he joined me. "It's pretty," I told him.

He laughed gently. "Si, ita vero, amore," he replied. He had started to use a mix of Italian and Latin and I wasn't entirely sure if it was to annoy me or simply because I would understand it.

I examined each piece of it like it was a priceless piece of art. If I got a bed like this, I'd want a few things changed and some minor additions, but, overall, it was the kind of bed I'd like to have when we moved in a couple of years.

Edward was still stuck on the idea of New Hampshire and going to Dartmouth. According to my dearly beloved husband, we also already had a house there although I wasn't allowed to know anything about it. I tried to just touch Gabriel and see but he pointed out that he hadn't seen it yet so that wouldn't work. Stupid limited ability…

Sighing, I went to grab my husband's hand and picked up my roses from the small coffee table I placed them on. "Where to next, tesornia?" he asked me. I looked around. We hadn't gotten to the hairstick place yet.

"Hairsticks," I said a bit more exuberantly than I planned. Gabriel chuckled and followed me all the way down and around to the very edge of the Faire. There, in the booth where I had always seen the hairstick ladies, was something different. I was still at the top of the hill near the Dragon Inn, looking down but, with my extremely good eye sight now, I could tell that the booth no longer contained hairsticks.

My brow furrowed as we got closer. There were pretty crystals and glass pendants but no hairsticks. The faces of the people in the booth weren't familiar to me. I had seen many familiar faces all around faire but not here.

"Did you wish to buy some more hairsticks, amore?" Gabriel asked me, his tone of voice giving away that he was confused.

"It should be here," I said, looking at the building that had been repainted from a familiar blue and white to white and brown. I didn't understand. The hairstick lady wasn't related to me. I only bought from her, I didn't have any more interaction with her than that.

Gently pulling away from Gabriel, I went up to one of the workers at the booth. She was wearing little more than a leather choli top and a ragged leather skirt. Her piggy tails on either side of her head moved slightly upwards when she grinned at me. "Hello! How are you today?" she asked chipperly.

"Hi," I said, already hearing my accent come through. "Ah'm sorry, but could you tell me where the hairstick people are? Ah thought they were down here?" I asked.

The girl's face fell and she looked around the store a bit. "I don't know. I've been coming to the faire for a couple of years and I can't recall anyone selling hairsticks," she said. It was clear by the way she said "hairsticks" she didn't have a clue as to what they were.

I shook my head. "Maybe I'm mistaken," I said quietly. I caught sight of Gabriel out of the corner of my eye. I wouldn't let this bother me. I wouldn't let this ruin my day. "Thank ya," I stated before picking up my skirts slightly to move out of the way and back to my husband.

"You're welcome," the girl said chipperly again.

"Amore?" Gabriel asked the second I was safely back in his arms.

"I just don't," I started to say but shook my head. It didn't matter if I didn't understand it. This universe was different. I was a vampire. My Dad was a vampire and my Mom didn't exist. It stands to reason that some other things that I knew well wouldn't be the same either.

"Let's go try on hats!" I said, smiling as best I could. Gabriel chuckled a bit but I could still see the worry in his eyes.

"Hats it is then, for you, amata mia," he told me softly. I hugged his arm close and just tried to stay here in this time, in this place; because, despite it all, this was my happy place.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So a bit of fluff and a bit of a turn. …And one very long chapter! I hope y'all like it. Like it? Hate it? I'd like to know what other people thought about it.


	99. BIII Cxxxix

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: ** …Ladies and Gentlemen, always ALWAYS save your files. You see, this originally started much differently. Ruth had a much bigger part. …and then the power went out. Twice. And I lost all I had worked on both times. The last time I had four pages written. It was half done and then…gone. Grrr….

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 39

It was more than a feeling for once. I could see the familiar auras of Forks. When I was human, I'd always simply know when we were getting close. I'd wake up during long trips when we got to familiar areas. Now that I was a vampire, I could see the familiar patterns in the auras and understand them. I could see home as well as feel it.

Home. Such a simple word with no simple definitions. It can be the place where your family is, where you are staying, where you are from, or just the place you feel most comfortable. Home, right now, to me, was a fluffy white puppy and two dark blond children that I called ours. It was my husband, my babies, and my entire family. The house, although terribly cool and it was highly amusing to watch all the windows get covered in steel when you don't have someone that wants to rip you and everyone you love to pieces, just wasn't home. Home simply lived there.

By the time we hit the gravel road, my fingers were itching to open the door and run up to my babies. Gabriel took my free hand and kissed it, smiling. "Wait, amata mia. I wish to see them too," he whispered into my palm. I gave him an anxious look but waited. I knew I could run faster than the car but Gabriel still had to drive it. We should wait to greet our babies together.

I couldn't help but worry about Luca and Claudia. How big would they be now? We had been gone a full week and I guessed they would be a couple of inches bigger, a few weeks older looking than when we left. I had missed an entire week out of my babies short childhood. To most parents of one and half month olds, that wouldn't be a big deal. To me, it was like missing a month. At least I didn't have to worry about our children not recognizing us but I did worry about what they learned.

I knew Edward and Bella would watch them carefully and I trusted the Denali clan to a point but what about these strangers? What have they told my precious babes? Were the Romanians here yet? Have they talked to them? What about vampires like Elijah? I had too many questions and had to wait for my answers. I hated waiting.

As the gravel road turned into the meadow of a front lawn, there on the porch I saw part of my family and both my babies. The only thing keeping me from jumping out then and there was Gabriel's hand holding mine. They had grown! Edward had Claudia in his arms and her pretty golden curls were now down past her shoulders. She looked like a perfect little cherub. Leah had Luca which made part of my furious but I was just so happy to see my baby boy after an entire week, I didn't feel the need to scream at her. Bella was there too, with Carlie on her hip and Ginsie at her feet. Home.

When Gabriel stopped the car, it took every bit of will power to wait for him and go up to see our children together. It didn't matter that he was only a second, my patients didn't last that long. We both practically ran up to the porch, earning a few chuckles from someone inside. I didn't care. Instead, I gently took my baby girl from my cousin, giving Edward a kiss in the process.

"Welcome home," I heard Edward whisper as I covered my baby girl in kisses much to her delight. Claudia began to giggle and hug me as tight as she could with her tiny little arms. _Thank you_ I thought back to Edward. Not only for welcoming us home but for taking care of my and Gabriel's children.

Ginsie, of course, ran right up to me and tried to jump up on me. She was happily whining and barking to get my attention as well. Gently moving my sweet little girl to my hip, I bent down to pet my much furrier little girl. The only other creature that knew the world I came from and knew my universe. Ginsie was the only part I really had left to my old home.

The pup happily licked me and danced around on the porch, causing more laughter and awws from both inside and out. Smiling, I looked up at Gabriel who was holding our son in his arms. Luca looked as cheerful as ever, smiling happily at me and Miss Ginsie. "We missed you Mommy and Daddy," Luca stated.

"Ci sei mancato anche i bambini," Gabriel whispered before kissing his son. I patted Miss Ginsie gently on the head and smiled at both of them. I had my babies, my husband, my pup, and most of my family around me. I was home.

Inside was an interesting collection of immortals. First, there was the extended family –the Denali clan. The rest of my immediate family, the Cullen clan –damn, it still sound weird sometimes to actually think of them as my family despite that being exactly what they were- were still around the various parts of the globe trying to find friends and acquaintances that would help us. We needed as many witnesses as possible and it looked like we might get it.

So far, there were seven non vegetarian vampires inside and I could already tell that was grating on Leah. She had followed us in and was almost pacing behind Gabriel, since he had Luca, as Gabe went to join a small conversation involving Tanya, Kate, and Garrett. I had no problem with that but Leah clearly did but her half heard mutterings. She kept wrinkling her nose and mumbling something about the "real" vampires smelling even worse. Well, I guess that means she's warming up to us. If she wants to be around Luca, she better.

Scattered through out the room were the other non-vegetarians other than Garrett. I didn't recognize three of them. The other three were friends of Carlisle or Jasper's. Mary, Peter, and Charlotte where the ones I knew of…wasn't there a band by that name? We seriously need a vampire named Paul to complete that ensemble. Edward chuckled near me.

"It's good to have you back, Elizabeth," he said, squeezing my arm before going over to Bella and Carlie.

The one I didn't recognize looked friendly enough. At least their auras said they were approachable. They only had that odd yellow tinge that all non-vegetarian vampires have, as I was slowly learning. I guess that hideous yellow overlay goes away as you atone for your sin of eating from that which you yourself came from. By feeding off of animals, we were more humane and our auras coincide with that. Or something. It was a working theory. I had plenty of time to test that.

Over the course of the day, I learned the new ones names were Ruth, Ephraim, and Claude. Ephraim looked oddly familiar to me even though I knew I had never seen him before. He was relatively short –only 5'6"- in comparison to most of the male vampires I was use to but he looked nice enough. It was his smile that looked so familiar to me and I couldn't figure out why.

Holding on to Luca now –Gabriel and I switched children after a couple of hours- I went up to Ephraim to see if I could put my finger on why he looked familiar. I had been informed the Edward warned the new vampires about me –the great sabbatianoi who could see everything you ever did with a single touch- so most of them were staying far away. Still, it was Mary that backed up, not Ephraim. He just smiled at me.

"Hello, Elizabeth," he greeted me.

"Hello," I replied lamely. I hugged my baby boy tightly and decided to just come right out and ask him what I was thinking. It was sort of pointless to just talk nonsensically and see if I could remember. That's when it sort of hit me. Remember. If I couldn't remember from my memories now, then it must have been a human memory. But that shouldn't be possible. Ephraim already told Luca he was born in the last century –the 20th century. When Carlie pressed him for a date, Ephraim chuckled and stated 1916. The year he was born into his human life. That would have made him well into his 80's or 90's by now.

The combination of age and human memories managed force their way together. He would be in his 80's or 90's now. He'd be a wrinkled old man with a cane and that smile. Ephraim as in Eph perhaps? The kind old man married to that witch of a boss I had at the museum years ago? Well, years ago to me but it had only been 2000.

"You're last name wouldn't be Jacobs, would it?" I asked tentatively. Ephraim looked taken back which caused Mary to move even further away from me.

"Yes, but how did you know? I did not tell the children that," he said, eyeing me suspiciously. I bit my bottom lip and wondered how to explain. He looked to be in his 20's so that would mean he must have been changed in the 40's. I know that mean old boss and Eph were married sometime in the 1940's.

"Did you know a lady by the name of Flora?" I asked carefully. I didn't want to bring up an old wound accidentally but I had to know if this really, truly was the same kindly old man I remembered.

"Yes," he said, surprised again. "I thought your abilities worked similar to Aro's," he stated smoothly. I nodded a bit.

"They do. I," I started. How did I explain without sounding crazy? Oh, well, it's only because you weren't a vampire in my universe and grew old and had a ton of cats and miniatures thanks to your wife who disliked me because I edited a paper of hers didn't really sound like something that would go over well. I felt Gabriel come up behind me and wrap an arm around my shoulder. I also heard the tinkling giggle of my daughter and a whispered, "Hi, Mommy."

"Is my wife conducting one of her investigations?" Gabriel asked good naturedly.

Mary was the one who answered though both vampires before me nodded. "She seems to know the exact questions to ask," she stated. I bit my lip again until Luca placed his tiny hand over my mouth. I kissed his palm and smiled gently at my baby boy.

"She does this often?" Ephraim asked of Gabriel, curiously. My husband chuckled.

"She read too much of our histories when she was human and now manages to put together the pieces from either her abilities or what she can remember of the books she read while still human," Gabriel stated. It was the truth, just not exactly the way I would have stated it. It also made it sound like it was one of Aro's Annuals and not a fictional/non-fiction story from my universe which worked well. Sometimes, I just love my husband.

As the days flowed by the wolves got use to the non-veggie vampires and the non-veggie vampires got use to me –Garrett excluded. He thought it was fun to watch the silly newborn and her babies when he wasn't watching Kate. It was slightly aggravating but I made him work as well. If he was going to watch me and my children, he was going to help with them. Not that the twins exactly required the same amount of care as your average two month olds. It was more just for the heck of it.

My family slowly trickled back in as did the vampires they found. I was having a bit too much fun watching the Romanians. They, like all the other non-veggie vampires had the odd yellow tinge –theirs was even thicker than most- and the black spots in their auras but their auras were interesting to me. The tone or colors were humorous. It was like they had polka dots for auras rather than any type of semi-solid color. When I'd look at them, they'd smile back at me with their toothy grins. It was sort of creepy but their auras were just too amusing to me.

The funniest part of having so many vampires together was when Demetri and Felix stopped by. You could have heard a pin drop. Both of them had been trying to hunt down "friends" or, rather, former enemies of the Volturi who would now be considered friends. The poor guys didn't have much luck because everyone they caught up to would run away! And those they did catch thought it was a trap! It was funny to listen to them try to explain. Of course, my dear brother Carlisle knew they did their best and welcomed them back.

I'm not sure if Carlisle welcoming them into the house or the children's cheers for "Unca Demetri and Unca Felix" were more shocking to those gathered. Of course, then the questions ran into how they left the guard, what was going on, and why they came here to help. Demetri didn't falter at all. He seemed pleased to know the reputation he had as the Volturi's hitman.

"Because," Demetri said, taking a side glance at me, "witnessing that no law has been broken is just as important as going after those that do break the law." After that, I made Felix explain all the urban legends her started about me, the sabbatianoi, much to pretty much everyone's delight.

"Turn invisible?" Delilah, again, asked. I suppressed a groan.

"No, but she sees invisible things," Felix amended. I made a face at him, Ginsie currently in my lap. She was actually scared of the Romanians.

With all eyes on me, I was about to explain when Garrett chimed in. "So, leprechauns, unicorns, fairies, and things that only she can see?" he teased. I glared.

"No, ghosts," I grumbled, petting my puppy dog. Gabriel and Seth had the twins downstairs right now. "The only pixie I've ever seen is currently somewhere in Brazil, we think," I pointed out. At least, that was the last location Alice gave us. Everyone that knew who I was referring to chuckled or laughed.

"I'm telling her that you called her that," Edward stated. I shrugged.

"Gabriel calls her fastidiosi fata so much that she practically answers to it," I pointed out. I heard my husband laughing downstairs as well as Seth.

"Ghosts?" Garrett asked, more concerned about that aspect then our playful exchange about Alice.

I nodded. "It's how I found…" I started when I realized this might be slightly profound. After all, didn't most vampires believe themselves to be dead, soulless things? If I saw the ghost of a vampire, that would change that. "A bag of ashes," I finished, looking down at my white and ginger furball's fur. I noticed everyone went quiet again.

"The lady who pointed me to the bag was a source of legend for the wolves. Their ancestors thought her to be the goddess of the Dawn but quickly realized she was…one of us when she attacked the wolves," I explained. It would probably be better for the wolves if I mentioned she attacked first. Self defense was considered only natural amongst our kind. It would go over much better.

"You saw the ghost of a vampire?" one of the Romanians asked, intrigued.

"Impossible!" someone else shouted. It didn't take long for it to turn into a very loud argument. It wasn't until Carlisle got up to explain that everyone calmed down a bit. I just hugged Miss Ginsie.

"I know it sounds impossible to many of you. Had I not seen Elizabeth go through the woods to the very location of the bags as if she were being led, I would have my doubts as well. But I have seen her when a ghost is near and know that no other explanation makes as much sense as the simplest one; that she can see those that we cannot," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. Being near my big brother like this did calm me, make me feel loved.

"None of you had any issue with believing she could see the auras around us or in her other that she is able to read those auras," Carlisle gently reminded them. "She also sees the auras, the very souls, of those that have passed," he stated.

"Impossible," someone muttered but the grumblings were not as loud as before. The talk was now more thoughtful, inquisitive. Over the next few days, I had many inquisitive questions about auras, ghosts, and souls. I tried to answer as best I could but I reminded a lot of the nomads that I was only a newborn and still trying to learn my abilities. They accepted that. After all, they had seen Bella.

That was fun, really. Bella always drew an audience when she was learning to fight and to use her shield. She didn't like that it was so hard to really let go yet. I think it bugged her more that she knew how from reading it in the books and yet she still couldn't just let go. Kate did try the Carlie trick but it only worked for a second –not as long as it did in the book. Probably because Bella knew the outcome already.

One day, when Garrett had been helping her, I started to laugh when poor Bella was getting overly frustrated at trying to take down the nomad adventurer. "You could try to learn too," she told me angrily. I heard Demetri smirk at that. There was no point in me learning because I already knew how to fight. Bella didn't. Still, it would be fun to show Garrett up.

I handed my daughter over to Kate who was sitting next to me without a word. Garrett smiled at me and looked like I wasn't going to be the slightest hint of a challenge to him. Boy, did he have it coming. Not only did I know how to fight when I was human –having three brothers means you need to fight constantly- but I had seen how to fight in both Gabriel and Alice's heads. As a vampire, I didn't really need to train my muscles –it was more of a retraining of the brain.

Garrett came at me and I simply moved to the side and hit him up the back side of the head. He growled at that and suddenly realized I was going to be a far harder opponent than Bella. He began to look for a weakness and tried to go at my left side. I punched him –no longer scared that I might break something that couldn't be fixed- and grabbed his arm, flinging him back and around to twist his arm up behind him. "Call?" I asked him. I had taken up wearing gloves all the time to prevent any accidental "readings". Everyone seemed to find that interesting since it wasn't something Aro had ever done.

"Call!" Garrett stated, trying to hide the fact he was in pain. I easily let him go and he immediately rubbed his shoulder.

Looking at a shocked Bella, I smiled. "Bella, you know perfectly well I took out two vampires and two werewolves while I was still human. Fighting is something I already know." She just scowled at me. I couldn't help it if she had been an only child and never had to fight growing up. …or that she had parents that loved her and never had to fight them either. I tried not to think on that because I didn't want to think about my Dad and how he went to the Volturi.

The Volturi would be here in a month or so now. Looking around at all the witnesses we had, from the former Guard to the Romanians to the Egyptian, Irish, and all the American clans, I knew one thing. We were ready. The Volturi just needed to bring it on.

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**Author's Note:** So, as much as I wanted to keep this to 100 chapters, I'm slowly seeing that that will be impossible. I'm thinking *maybe* 102 chapters? The next one will continue to lead up to the Volturi. Then the fight. Then the epilogue? Something like that. I hope! Review, please?


	100. BIII Cxl

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This took a bit longer. I had been thinking about this scene for a while. This is where Garrett and Elizabeth were supposed to talk a lot and it ended up not being as much as I originally envisioned. This is partly because I kept re-writing this and also because I just thought this way, it flowed much better and made a heck of a lot more sense. At one point, Alice wasn't in the chapter. At another point, I had a very detailed Halloween scene that was taking away from the overall storyline. I finally ended up with this after the past two weeks and four complete revisions. I hope y'all like it.

* * *

_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 40

October came and went to drift into a rather dreary November. It was more the entire atmosphere than the actual weather. The weather of Forks Washington was almost always dreary. The house, though, normally wasn't. At least, it hadn't been until Alice had her vision. We knew the Volturi would come –of course they would- it had been just a matter of time. But now that knowledge laid down on us and forced a far more serious atmosphere over my loving family and all their friends.

I didn't let Halloween pass without some fun, though. Bella and I simply took the kids over to Charlie's so they could at least see what Halloween was like. They'd be big enough for it next year, I suppose. Still, my children dressed up and watched the other kids go from house to house to pick up treats. They didn't seem to get the idea since they both hated candy bars and bubble gum. Carlie wasn't exactly enthused either.

November started normally enough and I waited anxiously, as the rest of the family did, to hear from Alice and Jasper. We knew they were in South America but no one had heard from them in a couple of weeks. We were all starting to get worried. What if they came across one of the other hybrids and not Nahuel? What if the Volturi went after them first? Of course, without Demetri, it wasn't like they could find them easily unless they got a new tracker.

And then the thoughts about what if they did some how find new vampires to fill in their thinning ranks entered my mind. One worrying question only lead to another and my thoughts would quickly turn dark. It didn't matter that I didn't want to think about it, my mind ran away with itself and by the time I caught up, it was too late. I was already making plans about what to do in case only the children lived. I hoped that, at the very least, my babies would make it.

The only thing that broke this cycle of dark thoughts, really, was when Alice and Jasper did come home with Nahuel. I don't think Jasper was quite prepared for the intensity of emotions in the house when we all saw them. I just know that Esme ran out and hugged them both and covered them both in kisses. She only became slightly embarrassed when Nahuel and Huilen watched this with confusion.

Alice simply giggled from under Esme's arm. Esme wasn't about to let go of either of her children. It seemed only right that they came back on Thanksgiving. I was thankful every one I loved in this universe was here together. Emmett was thankful we actually found wild turkeys. "Found" as in I think Carlisle may have had them shipped in from Montana. Even I knew enough to know those birds weren't native.

It was now December and everyone knew that they would be coming soon. It didn't matter that no one wanted to talk about it anymore. Oh, everyone made their various declarations a good couple of weeks ago so now it was just sitting and waiting.

Of course, there were the funny moments to break up the time –like when we held Alistar to get him to say hello to Demetri. That had been hilarious. Carlisle wanted to let his old friend go if he didn't want to stay but the rest of us –the family as well as some of the witnesses- wanted Alistar to face his fears. That, and I just really found it funny anymore that anyone could be scared of Demetri. After meeting the Romanians, I can't really think of any scarier "good guys" then that. Plus, nothing was more terrifying that the Jersey Devil. He was plain scary.

I was currently sitting on the floor near Luca and Leah –where Luca had decided to play- over in the corner of the living room. Claudia was playing with her cousin Carlie under Bella, Jacob, and Seth's watches so I knew she was fine. As I brushed back my baby boy's hair and gave him a kiss, I could feel Gabriel's aura envelop me. He had been downstairs in our apartment playing some game with many of the other "boys". I had been ignoring them.

"Tesorina?" Gabriel called to me softly as he kneeled down to ruffle Luca's hair a bit. That same head of hair I just smoothed back.

"Yes?" I said, slightly annoyed as I fixed my angel's hair back. There, it looked much better now. Silly mosquito.

"Would you come downstairs for a moment?" he asked me. I looked at him curiously and saw something in his eyes and in his aura that made me even more curious. I got up, keeping my gaze on my husband as we both stood.

"What did you do?" I asked, worried someone had broken something. If one of those idiots broke my coffin, I swear I'm burying them in the back yard and see how long it takes them to get out.

Gabriel smiled slightly and offered me his hand before taking me towards the basement. We hadn't had any privacy for a while. Although the babies still slept down here, there simply wasn't enough room in the house for everyone on the first floor at the same time. Irina had been banished to the third floor most of the time. Embry hung out where ever he wanted to or just went to the reservation. Everyone else was where they could find room to be. Our apartment sort of became another gathering place because of the space issue.

Confused and worried, I followed my husband to our apartment. As I got down the steps, everything slowly became clear. Gabriel was still at the top of the stairs, closing the door. In our living room was a table with a map of the Olympic Peninsula on it. But, far more importantly, was who was in the room. Garrett, Liam, Peter, Charlotte, Edward, and Jasper, just to name a few. Of the dozen or so faces in my living room, I realized quickly what this was –a strategy meeting.

Most of the vampires gathered either were soldiers in their human lives or had gain countless hours of fighting experience in their vampire ones. As my confusion quickly switched to wariness –I was certainly not a soldier, I had been analyst once upon a time thought- Jasper chuckled and pulled me into the room. "She already knows," Edward stated from behind him.  
"I figured as much," Jasper drawled. I could feel Gabriel come up behind me. If this was what I thought it was, then why the heck was I here? Yeah, I could fight, but I wasn't a fighter. I was still hoping for the "book" outcome and for this not to be drawn out into a fight. It might be a vain hope but it was hope.

"Then why?" I asked Jasper. It was clear to me he was leading this little meeting. I could tell the other vampires were confused by the only half spoken three way conversation. It didn't matter. I was simply being caught up.

"We need someone else who knows strategy," Jasper told me. I sighed and sat down in the chair Gabriel pulled over for me. Not that I needed to sit down or anything. It was more habit than anything else. I suppose bringing me down here was because I used to be an analyst. That seemed a lot longer ago than nine months.

"What war experience does she have?" Peter asked, more curious than apprehensive of bringing some one else in. I think it was Garrett that muttered "who cares?" but it could have been Demetri. I saw the two ex-Volturi Guardsmen in here too.

"None!" I said happily and was about to get upstairs to return to my babies when Gabriel put a hand on my shoulder and Edward rolled his eyes. I glared up at my husband while admonishing my cousin in my thoughts. Realizing both were a lost cause, I just crossed my arms and huffed a bit.

"The current situations within Iraq and Afghanistan are both conflicts Elizabeth dealt with directly," Jasper told Peter. I just raised an eyebrow at my nephew. I didn't deal with them directly. Indirectly, heck yeah, but not directly.

Peter turned to me. "You fought in Iraq or Afghanistan?" he asked.

"No," I said, sending every bit of annoyance I could muster to Jasper. I had no desire to be part of something that was in preparation for the worst outcome. Which, admittedly, was very unlike me but I had had far too many dark thoughts before my nephew and my niece came back. With Jasper and Alice here –where I could see them- those dark thoughts had faded and I was renewed with hope. Being here would only serve to destroy that hope again.

"Then.." Peter started, turning back to Jasper.

"Would you want to fight her?" Edward half teased. I glared at my cousin but I did here a few chuckles. Mainly from Garrett, Gabriel, Demetri, and Felix.

"She was an intelligence analyst for the FBI," Jasper stated easily. You could have heard a pin drop after that. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

It took a few seconds but Peter became resigned to the fact I was here –much against my will- and in on this little meeting. "Oh, alright then," Peter said, giving me a funny look. Geez louise! It wasn't like I had a gun and a badge or anything like that. I just had my creds and my little plastic ids to get in and out of places. Heck, most of the time I sat at a little desk and did nothing all day. It was terribly boring.

Garrett moved closer as Jasper moved to restart the meeting. "FBI?" he asked me. I could almost feel Gabriel's aura try to reach out and over me again as Garrett moved closer. I didn't get why. I looked up at my husband curiously but he was watching Jasper more than Garrett.

"It wasn't nearly as interesting as everyone thinks it is," I muttered lightly, listening to Jasper –followed by Demetri and Felix- explain positions and likely scenarios. Most of it was to see how to get the Volturi to stop and listen.

"War in any form never is," Garrett stated with a sad smile upon his lips.

"…It's impossible to anticipate given the lack of resources we'd, I mean, they'd be dealing with right now," Demetri said, grimacing at the map on the table along with Jasper. Everyone around them looked on curiously.

"Do you suppose they would try for the north face all at once?" Jasper asked, pointing at contour lines on the map. Demetri nodded.

"That is how they normally operate," he stated.

Several things happened almost at once. I was getting frustrated by their conversation. Demetri's knowledge was based on the Volturi having five extra guardsman that were no longer at their disposal. Their entire offensive line was out of commission so anything he said, unfortunately, had to be taken with a grain of salt.

As I grew more and more frustrated, I saw Jasper's aura reach towards my own. Since we were in an enclosed space, it wasn't like I could suddenly jump up and run from him with this many other vampires around. Instead, I focused on being angry at him but that didn't last long. Jasper just increased my frustration of the situation that I so didn't want to help with because I was attempting to be optimistic. My optimism died when Felix spoke.

"They'll still try for the North face. Caius prefers to overwhelm anyone we'd go up against and crush them quickly," he said. Edward was smirking when I got up. I'd deal with my cousin and my nephew later. Right now, I just wanted to correct a few points…or three.

"But you and Demetri," I said gestering to the hunter as I looked at Felix, "Are here." I glanced at the map. "With Jane and Alec out of the picture the offensive line is obliterated," I pointed out, literally. I guess Jasper must have pulled out the Risk game because little red and blue markers were all over the map. It didn't take me long to figure out red for the Volturi and blue for the Cullens. I quickly re arranged it.  
"If anything, they might try to circle us," I stated while the others looked on. It made the most sense to me. They wouldn't be sure of our numbers and knew that we had werewolves with us. The most logical thing to do would be to surround us and force us to group up. With so many of us in a confined space, it would be hard to fight without hurting one another.

"But, as you pointed out, Elizabeth," Demteri said with a critical eye. "There aren't enough of them," he continued.

Before I could reply, I heard a double gasp from behind me. I turned slightly to see both Edward and Alice. Alice had been almost hidden between Peter, her brother-in-law, and Edward which is why I didn't pay much attention to her being here. I thought it had been because both Edward and Jasper were down here and she didn't want to be left out. It was only when I heard the gasp that I realized she was here to look through her visions as we made various decisions.

Both my cousin and my niece looked even paler than normal. Both their eyes were completely blank. It wasn't even a split second that Jasper was at Alice's side –pushing poor Peter out of the way- trying to get her talk. I could see his auras, both the one that showed his ability and his own grayish aura, wrap themselves around Alice. It was also interesting that both his auras also seemed to reach towards Edward as well.

"Alice!" Jasper said a bit louder than he probably intended. The entire room was silent and watching the two "talented" vampires who had gone blank. "What is it? What do you see?" he asked as he held his wife.

I didn't care that I was in a strategic war meeting anymore. I loved Alice and Edward too much to not be right next to them. All my focus was on the two people before me as I sat down next to Edward, looking at him worriedly. Gabriel, of course, followed me through the crowd in our now rather tiny looking apartment.

"They are coming," Alice and Edward whispered in unison. Jasper and I looked at each other confused. Yes, we know that. That's why we are here. Alice already had that vision and we were already prepared for this. Not only had I read it in the books but so had Edward and Bella. We knew the Volturi would be arriving.

"Something has changed?" Jasper asked curiously as he hugged his wife closer.

"The Southerners," both Alice and Edward answered in what sounded like disembodied voices.

If the room was quiet before, it was now dead silent. In fact, the only noise was from Ginsie who had been quietly staying behind either myself or Gabriel the entire time. Her heart beat and gentle breathing were the only sounds in the basement right then. I knew it wasn't the only sound for Edward though. Based on the slight change I noticed in everyone's aura and in Jasper's grimace, everyone in the room was thinking the same thing.

Prior to that moment, we had over confidence in the idea that this was a fight we could win –easily. I had taken out Jane and Alec, the two most precious jewels of the Volturi's guard. Demetri and Felix were nearly happy to be on our side rather than with their previous allegiances and Demetri had taken care of Santiago. Renata, Chelsea, these were just a couple of the names of the vampires we knew that were left within the Guard. We had the information and the talent we needed to easily get the Volturi to stop and listen. If they decided to fight, it would only last as long as the last of them were standing.

But the Southerners. I had seen some of the stories through Alice's eyes. It terrified me nearly as much as the Jersey Devil had. The covens, or, really, cartels, in Mexico mostly were about nothing more than blood and revenge. Heck, half the time revenge was more important to them. I knew of nine different covens by name and knew that there were a lot more. Each and every one would fight for various reasons, mostly, as Jasper had stated in the past, due to someone killing someone else's mate. Thanks to Victoria, we all had a taste of that.

At the very thought of Victoria, I reached for Gabriel's hand. That red-headed bitch had dared to hurt my Gabriel and I would never forgive her ashes for that. I can only imagine what the covens of the south must be like.

"How many?" Jasper whispered to both his wife and brother. Both of them were still heavily in the vision. Alice seeing it, Edward concentrating on his sister's thoughts.

"Five or six covens," Alice whispered.

"The sixth hasn't made the decision yet," Edward told us softly.

It was Peter that spoke up next. "Full covens? Or just the leaders? They couldn't bring that many newborns here without.." he started when I interrupted.

I looked down at the hand that held my husband's and shook my head. "Chelsea. She'd be able to make them loyal to the Volturi. She would be able to control everyone," I stated. Gabriel squeezed my hand. I knew that, per a full Southern coven –newborns and all- we could be looking at an army that was closer to a hundred than just twenty or thirty vampires. Including the witness the Volturi might find… our odds were not looking good.

"I can deal with Chelsea," Felix said, a dangerous look to his eyes. I shook my head.

"Even if it came to that Felix, how many would we loose before you got to her? Before anyone got to her? How many would die in the aftermath?" I pointed out. It was too much to take. My babies being in the center of that chaos –because that's what it would be, chaos- my friends, my beloved family. How many would I really loose?

My mind started to go to those darker thoughts again. With our witnesses and Nahuel here, with Alice and Jasper safe at home, I had hope. I honestly thought it would be a simple thing to get the Volturi to stop, assess us, and then go home. They'd see the shapeshifters and my babies. They'd see that there was nothing to worry about. My Dad might even become curious about us. Maybe in this universe, I could have an actual relationship with him.

But that was all a pipe dream now. The Southerners were brutality in the extreme. They didn't think. They didn't assess. They just went at it and never stopped until they had the last man standing. It was a matter of building up and taking 'em down for them. It was pure revenge.

Which was also the reason that made this so curious to me. Yes, Rosalie, in the books, mentioned that the Volturi might call on one of the Southerners for help to eradicate the Cullen problem, but it seemed far fetched to me. It wasn't how the Volturi seemed to like to operate. Why call on the peasants to get rid of another lower class rabble? We were nothing more than a curiosity gone awry to them. Or were we?

I watched as Edward came out of Alice's head. I looked at him, worried not only about the alliance between the Volturi and the Southerners, but also about my cousin himself. I wasn't sure what he saw in Alice's head but I knew it couldn't be good. He smiled weakly at me and patted my free hand to let me know he was alright.

I watched Edward as he got up and walked to the table where the map was. As he began to move the Risk pieces around on the map, Alice came out of her vision too. She seemed just as intent as Edward on the map in front of all of us.

"There are forty others in addition to the Guard we know," Edward said as he dumped out the various pieces and lined them up. Blue in the center, red and now yellow scattered about in an almost circular fashion. Maybe that means that Chelsea can create the bonds but she can't control them. Didn't Eleazar mention something about the bonds being easily broken? Could she control that many and did the bonds need time to develop? Strength? Unfortunately, I doubt even Demetri and Felix can give us the information we need.

"It may go as high as forty eight," Alice whispered from the safety of her husband's arms. Edward nodded towards his sister in agreement.

"They will not be as skilled, I take it?" Demetri asked, looking at the map. He motioned around to the yellow pieces that weren't nearly as uniform as the red. The red pieces mostly lay towards the north face still, all clustered into three rows of six. Eighteen vampires left, not including the wives. Why they didn't fight, I wasn't sure.

Edward shook his head. "Most likely a nuisance," he informed Demetri. The former guardsmen nodded.

"But the wolves? They should be able to handle some of the Southerners without much difficulty," Gabriel said as he looked at the map. I also noticed the lack of wolf population on the map but I guess that was because Alice couldn't see where they would be.

I slowly slid to the back of the room as everyone began to talk around the table again. The atmosphere was much different now. It had been serious before but…jovial, really. Now, it was as if we were trying to figure out how to keep as many of us alive as was possible. Given the odds, I'm not entirely sure how many that would be.

Garrett sat down next to me after a few minutes again. I had been listening. From what I could gather, the Volturi would come from the northeast still but the Southerners would come at as from the southeast. Not only was I worried about those present in the house, but those present in the town of Forks. I loved Charlie too and didn't want to see him become someone's meal. I couldn't take that type of carnage.

"How long did you work with the FBI?" Garrett asked me. I looked at him curiously but was snapped out of my thoughts.

"Four years," I told him. It was sort of pointless to even pretend to play dumb when they didn't even have a file that I ever existed.

"Did you manage to catch many criminals?" he asked in an almost teasing manner. I'm sure if the mood of the room was lighter, he would have been teasing.

"I didn't work in that division," I told him. "I did research and analysis for terrorism topics," I explained. Garrett's eyes became thinking.

"Is this not like terrorism?" he asked me after a couple of minutes. I had to stop at that one. I guess it was. After all, what were the Volturi but another target planning an attack on something or, in this case, someone I loved? It would be like Al-Qaeda joining up with MS-13. I hadn't really been thinking of it that way. My thoughts were focused on the books.

"Can we bribe them?" I asked towards the group of the now softly arguing vampires around the map.

"Bribe who?" Felix asked me. "You can't bribe the Volturi," he almost scoffed.

I shook my head. "No, the Southerners," I stated. Jasper looked thoughtful but Edward's jaw went a bit ridged.

"You wouldn't want to do that, Elizabeth," Edward told me. I sighed. There must be something other than just blood, human cattle, that they wanted. Revenge was their key.

"What did the Volturi offered them?" I asked aloud. After all, the Volturi were all about their rules. There had to be something "extra" that Aro or Caius would offer. Something that would get the Southerners to join up and help destroy the Cullen Clan.

All eyes turned to Alice. But she shook her head. "I'm not sure," she said sadly. "It's like they are purposefully trying to block me or like it's already happened."

"Okay," I said as I got up and moved to be next to Gabriel near the map. "So, we find out what they get out of this deal and eliminate it," I said. That would even up the odds. If a terrorist group was offering a gang weapons, then you intercept the weapons shipment. This was no different.

I looked around the table and could see everyone else starting to think along the same lines. Yes, the Volturi tried to change the game, but I can change it right back.

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**Author's Note:** I'm going to hide in the bunker now. Happy Easter!!! Do you like it? Please Review?


	101. BIII Cxli

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **So umm…two more chapters. I think. This one was getting too long so I'm breaking it up. Cliffy at the end! At least you are warned this time.

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 41

War. That's what this was. Chaos. That's what this could become if the Volturi had their way. Of course, they never were involved in the chaos, not directly. The three men that made up the core of the Volturi family never joined in the chaos. They stood above, away from it, watching it play out like an entertaining scene before their eyes. They never got their hands dirty since they took over from the Romanians. Was it now our time to take over from them?

That was one possible outcome. There were many others I could think of as we stood upon the field, waiting. It was the same field where James and his coven had come in Twilight and where we would play various games like Football or Tennis since I had joined the family. I knew every inch of this field and every tree surrounding it. I only hoped that knowledge would give me more power to help stop the Volturi and keep them from taking us over.

Today they were coming. Alice had walked up to me as I finished putting the ornaments on the tree –I was not about to allow Christmas to go without some decorations- and told me they were only a day out. I could feel them growing closer and could almost see a shift in the auras of the forest as the moved through it. The Volturi, their Guard, and the Southerners would be before us soon.

We hadn't known if my father, Nicholas, had seen the children or not. Edward stated his mind was frantic at the time and we were all more focused on Seth than on my Dad. No one could be sure what he might have seen other than a newborn being very protective over a werewolf.

Since we didn't know if he had seen Carlie, Luca, or Claudia, we didn't know if we should bring them or not. I managed to win out with a very simple argument despite my not liking my own idea; if the Volturi find out about them later, they'll just come back and we'll have to do this over again. No one wanted that so the children would be there, in the center of the chaos.

I looked behind to Luca and Claudia who were with the smaller wolf pack behind myself, my husband, my cousin, and my niece, Bella. Carlie had Jacob by the gruff of his neck. Claudia, my perfect little angel, stood next to Seth, holding on to a bit of fur right above his front right leg. Luca was just to the other side of her, levitating rocks that he thought he might throw. Not that it would do a lick of good but I wasn't against my son throwing rocks with his telekinesis if he wanted to. I was more terrified I'd never see my children again.

Quickly, I banished that thought from my mind. It would work out. The Volturi would stop. The Southerners were under their command. Everyone would stop and listen and we'd all be able to get on with our lives. No one needed to die today unless the Volturi refused to listen.

I recalled the scene from Breaking Dawn well. Aro refused to look into Carlisle's mind but asked to check Edward's instead. I decided already that I wanted to be the one he'd check. I knew it might put me under for a few minutes but my unquenchable thirst for needing to know so much just demanded that I see everything that Aro had ever done, just as he had taken every thought from everyone he had ever touched. I wouldn't be able to see the thoughts as I examined the past, but I could see the actions. I knew it would be gruesome but I was prepared for that. A small part of me also wanted to smirk in his face when he saw how I blackmailed him. I figured that would be a truly sweet moment.

Oh yes, there were many things I'd like to keep to myself –like every single thought I'd ever had- but I realized that, no matter what, some one had to go forward. If Edward went, well, he read my books and his own. It would only lead to further questions. It was simply easier if Aro saw the truth for himself through my thoughts.

I was broken out of my thoughts by the quick change in aura around the forest as the Volturi descended into the snow covered field. Around them were the cloaked ones and around us moved the snarling, biting Southerners. They were easy to pick out from the Volturi even to someone who couldn't see auras. Those that were of the various heads of the Southern clans were so scared it was hard to imagine them as being beautiful. The only one that seemed to be shocked at the sight before them was a dark headed girl who stood maybe a bit over five feet tall. From Alice's life, I recognized her as Maria. The rest of the Southerners seemed to be itching to strike, only holding out due to some unknown order from the Aro and Caius themselves.

As the Southerners entrenched us, our own group moved with precision, just as we had planned should they try to circle us. Ben sat on the field, ready to open up a fault line if it was necessary while each of us on the outer circle was turned to the closest threat. I watched two newborns on the very back edge of our strange group start to fight amongst themselves and two older vampires try to break them apart. Bella and I just looked at each other like it was the oddest thing we had ever seen. Why would anyone want to fight before the fight? Why risk getting scarred? I think I heard Jasper mutter something, but I wasn't entirely sure.

My focus returned to the Volturi as their advance stopped suddenly before us. The gray and black cloaks stood out in stark contrast to the pale white snow on the ground and trees. I could barely make out the color of each of the auras since they all seemed to be covered not only in the pale ugly yellow that I think meant blood drinker but another layer on top of that – a clear military green that I didn't really like the shade of- covered over every one and seemed to originate at the girl near Caius. That had to be Chelsea.

Rather than the thirty two that Bella had counted in the books, they were down to twenty seven. I smiled when I heard Garrett whisper to Kate, "The redcoats are coming!" a couple of times. The Romanians grumbled about me being right –they should have burned down the castle at Volterra like I said was possible. Carlisle hadn't been too pleased with that suggestion.

Despite the overwhelming numbers I noticed as even the witnesses slowly pooled on to the open field, staying on the sidelines, I knew something they didn't. We had anticipated this. Not only did we have Alice to tell us this would happen, we had the rest of the wolves to back us up. I couldn't see them since I didn't want to turn my head to look but I could hear them. Sam's growl echoed and carried through the dozen or so pack members as they encircled the Southerners. It wasn't an even match by any means, but it was enough to make the other side nervous…and that's all we needed.

As the wolves entered, I could see Bella's aura ripple. The soft mint green moved around her as she looked around. It was when she saw Carlie and Jacob that her entire aura seemed to explode into a very thin, transparent, crystal like green that encompassed us all. I smiled. We hadn't told her that Sam was still backing us up. In fact, someone might have told her that the La Push pack was told to stay out of it and not get themselves murdered. Which wasn't a total lie but it neglected the point that Sam had laughed at that idea.

A low growl went through our ranks as the Guard seemed to be preparing. The only one who really wasn't was Demetri; he had a grin on his face like he was finally going to catch some prize. I knew he wanted to tear Chelsea apart and I wasn't entirely sure why. I hadn't really bothered to ask.

Aro and Cauis were at the center of the Volturi advance, but a few yards away. It was sort of odd to see them in person. I suppose a part of me, a very small part, still thought of them as fictional despite having spoken to Aro on the phone. Well, that and actually seeing their papery skin and milky eyes was just weird. I wasn't sure what to make of the ageless faces with the vampire equivalent of wrinkly, pruny skin and corneal disease. Of course, what I was trying to focus more on was their auras.

Marcus' aura was thin, more like a veil around him and as if he were dead. It was a plain gray, without depth or substance. Boring was not only written into his face but into his very soul.

Next was Caius. His aura was a mix of yellow and black beneath the layers of the yellow smog as I had come to think of it and the pale military green of Chelsea's influence. The color combo was rather pretty but it was also intimidating, like he was an armored evil little bee, about to sting us.

Aro was different. His aura was what I considered a true royal purple, a clear, deep, magenta. His aura was the color of spilled blood and it was the most horrifying of all. Caius may want to destroy us but it was out of some sick twisted sense of military obligation and entertainment. Aro wanted blood and acquisition.

Beyond the Guard and the Volturi, I saw my father and my heart immediately leapt. No matter what, I still loved him. He was still my Dad. It didn't matter if he wasn't in this universe or not since we still shared the same DNA. I was still his daughter even if he didn't know it. …Just like he hadn't realized that fact until I was in my late twenties even in my own universe.

I heard Edward speak to Carlisle, breaking me out of my revere. I felt Gabriel's aura wrap itself around me. Reaching next to me, I took his hand. I had was wearing the gloves, mostly for the dramatic affect since everyone knew not to reach for my hands anymore on our side. I closed my eyes for a second as I felt him squeeze my hand.

That was when the newborns in the back decided they had had enough and started to attack. I wasn't sure what happened, really. However, many people –from both sides- were telling them to stop. All I knew is that Ben started with his earthquake and that forced everyone to re-evaluate the situation quickly. Only one newborn was lost. It was Irina that got bit on our side. Hardly a casualty. Although, I supposed, I did feel a little bad.

Shocked by the newborns not behaving, everyone had simply watched. It had given Carlisle the opportunity to stand between the Volturi and pretty much everyone else. He looked as if he had been trying to find a way to get towards the now stopped fight and stop it himself. Sighing in relief, most likely, Carlisle turned around towards Aro who was glaring at the back line.

"Aro, my old friend. Peace," Carlisle spoke to him.

Aro's eyes narrowed and it seemed that the only sounds were of the werewolves and my babies hearts. It took a good minute but Aro did come forward, waving off his own personal guard as he stood before Carlisle. They didn't like that very much but I guessed Aro knew enough of my big brother to know that Carlisle would never attack unless seriously provoked. Now, I found out how to provoke him but when he attacked me, it was mostly teasing and sibling stuff. It was never violent.

"Fair words, Carlisle," he said in sort of half dead sounding voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."

Carlisle shook his head while reaching out, palm up, towards Aro. It was interesting to see this play out since this is how it happened in the books. It was totally different to actually be experiencing it than to read it. For one thing, I wouldn't die from reading about it.

"You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent," Carlisle told him gently. He spoke as if there wasn't a good football field between the two of them yet. Since I knew the outcome already –there was no way Aro would touch Carlisle's hand- I sort of smiled. I knew the outcome I wanted and Aro would touch my hand instead. Let's see what he thought of that!

Aro's eyes narrowed further, showing the milky red iris as nothing more than thin slivers. "How can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of all that you have done?" Aro asked as he waved towards us like we were evidence on a table. "Not only have you committed the crime to which we are here but also you created immortal children! Not one, but three!" he said aloud, as if speaking to the witnesses behind him.

"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for," Carlisle told him staunchly.

"Then bring forth those responsible. Nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today, dear Carlisle," Aro stated simply, folding his hands before him.

"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain," Carlisle replied, again, offering his hand despite the distance between them. As I saw Caius drift towards Aro –and it did look like he was drifting towards him and not walking which was really scary to witness- I looked back at Gabriel. I was going to go to Carlisle and offer my hand to Aro instead. We'd see what he thought of that.

"I'll be right back," I whispered as lowly as I could. I'm sure only my family and maybe Demetri heard me. Edward knew my plan, as did Alice and probably Jasper, but not Gabriel. I knew he wouldn't want me within a 100 feet of Aro despite my being an immortal too now. That whole blackmail thing and the fact I was Gabriel's wife – it was his "duty" in the 15th and 16th centuries to protect lil ole me- probably would make Gabriel very reluctant to let me get any closer than I was already.

My husband's eyes went wide as I squeezed his hand and turned quickly so I couldn't see his face as I went towards Carlisle.

"…newborns and werewolves were what you had," Caius said angrily to Carlisle. I had missed the first part, too focused on pulling myself away from Gabriel. I knew nothing would happen and that I'd be right back at his side in a matter of minutes while kissing our children happily. We'd win and go home. They wouldn't bug us again.

"And now you bring forward immortal children?!?" Caius yelled at Carlisle.

"They are not immortal. They are not vampires. I can easily prove this with just a few moments," Carlisle began. Rather than reliving the various parts of the big build up in anti-climate confrontation in Breaking Dawn, I stepped forward. It was now or never anyway.

The two ancient vampires looked at me curiously. When Carlisle saw me and gave me a slight smile, recognition seemed to cover Aro's face. Caius just looked at me like who the heck was I to dare interrupt them on the field of battle. Oh well. He'd learn.

"You want to know the truth, do you not?" I said, directly addressing Aro. I put a special emphasis on "truth", glancing at Marcus as I did so. It, of course, did exactly what I wanted it to –it made Aro damned nervous.

Aro quickly recovered though, especially under Caius' gaze, and smiled at me. "Our little sabbatianoi, I assume?" he chuckled. I heard a various murmurs through the Guard and the witnesses. Great.

Pretending that that didn't annoy me –and making a mental note to force Felix to go out to every single person here and correct all those rumors he started- I simply cocked an eyebrow. We didn't exchange any words. For every step that Aro took, I took one until it was only the two of us in the center of this no man's land. I could see out of my peripheral vision that my husband had joined with Carlisle in the very front of our line. No one had joined with Caius yet.

I figured the best way to do this was just to be as over dramatic as possible…which really wasn't me. I snapped off the glove on my left hand, which Aro seemed to find curious and amusing. I just looked at him. He had no idea what he was about to get into.

As I reached my hand forward, as if to shake his, I could see Renata fluttering near Caius, about fifty feet away. She obviously didn't like this at all. Aro chuckled and reached for my hand, which was sort of his mistake and mine as well.

It came forward in a flood so quickly it was hard to make sense of it. Part of me wanted to slow down what I was seeing but another part of me knew I didn't have the time right now. I tried to perceive what I could of the lighting fast movie playing before my eyes. Above the ancient Latin –which was really weird to hear it actually being spoken with a proper accent- I could hear a scream. Two screams, really. It took a bit to realize they belonged to myself and Aro.

Everything I was seeing and thinking, he was being forced to see again along with my every thought I had ever had. It was the double movie again. Not only did I see his life, but my own playing in quick blurbs –from inside the womb until now- over and over again, measuring up timewise to the movie I was seeing of Aro's pathetic life. I managed to stop screaming before he did.

I knew that Renata and Caius were there too only because I recognized the auras. I could also see the familiar warm gold aura and my beloved husband's purplish blue aura wrap themselves around me. I could hear shouts but I didn't quite understand them over the sounds from within the two movies I was attempting to watch. I wanted to know Aro's life. I wanted to see how well he deals with the truth.

In the months since I entered this universe, I've had to deal with the truth of my former life many times over. The books were in every supermarket now and I had even seen the trailer for the movie. I had seen the girl who would play me.

It didn't matter that I asked Mrs. Rodgers not to finish it and to stop production. On her website, she had the nerve to put up an outtake about Elizabeth –me- dealing with her "fans". It was horrible. It was embarrassing. It was enraging.

It was that rage that currently drove me. I clutched Aro's hand tight as I felt someone try to pull us apart. Amazingly, it was Aro who spoke. "No," he said; or, at least, I heard him say. I think. "Leave us," we both said at the same time. I think I heard Renata cry something but it was Gabriel's voice the broke through to me.

"Elizabetta, let go, amata mia," he whispered into my ear. I didn't know how to explain to him that I couldn't. I couldn't not know what had caused Aro to be the way he is. I couldn't not know the details of Didyme's death. I couldn't not know about each and every vampire he had killed, or ordered to be killed, over the years. I needed to know how he became drunk with power so that would never happen to me.

It didn't go unnoticed by me how similar Aro and my abilities were. I saw every action with a simple touch. He saw every thought. I didn't want to go up to people willy nilly and just demand to know their entire life story. I didn't want to be him.

Unlike in the book, when it had been Edward in my place, this was not an unequal conversation. Aro would not get every thought of the family as well as Edward's own. Instead, he was stuck with a whirlwind of information about my universe, my time, my place, and probably some information he shouldn't have like the password to every computer I ever had access too.

Oh, he'd see Gabriel's life, Alice's, my children's, and even my pup, Miss Ginsie –who was safely with Charlie again- but he wouldn't get to know their stray thoughts, their desires unless they were spoken. He wouldn't get all the information he seemed to crave. All of that was still safely in Edward's head –someone we trusted.

Slowly, as I watched the movie play before –I was up to the fall of Rome which wasn't quite as dramatic as I had always pictured it- I realized we had both been standing there a while. I could hear the voices around me but I couldn't really concentrate on them. One sounded angry, loud. Another sounded hurt, scared. There was one close to me whispering something but I didn't understand, I just knew I liked that voice. A forth was calm but sounded worried. There were many others too. A fifth voice and a sixth, both close by now.

Rather than trying to figure out the voices and force my brain to figure out who was who, I looked at both the movie Aro was showing me –whether he wanted to or not- and the auras around me. My favorite blue violet and familiar warm gold were now joined with a copper aura and a burgundy one. I knew that meant that Edward and Demetri were nearby too. I wondered briefly what the Guard and even the Volturi themselves thought of our Demetri and Felix now. I knew neither would want to rejoin up. They enjoyed their freedom a bit too much.

I watched the movie of Aro's life and it was like some deep, sick, twisted movie that the critics would acclaim for the depth of character but that no one would really want to see. The murders he committed over and over. Since I couldn't read his thoughts, only his actions, I noticed his lust for power quickly. Once they did unseat the Romanians, Aro and Caius' desire for power seemed to be more and more potent. By the time the middle ages rolled around, it was clear that they were killing to either make themselves look better or to gain powerful vampires into their ranks.

I watched as Caius and Aro would plan. They would have secret meetings to discuss what abilities they would like to have and how they should find those that have them. I watched as Aro killed his own sister to prevent Marcus from leaving them. He needed Marcus like a drug. He needed to know how people were related, who to use as blackmail to get what he wanted.

My anger increased as I watched as quickly as I could. Aro's days were filled with his greed for power and little else. He hardly even seemed to bother with his own mate! It was like he loved the idea of power more than her. That was something completely incomprehensible to me.

I knew we had been there a while. Both myself and Aro were hunched over, our hands joined into fists as I saw his life and he listened to mine. The hearing and the seeing. Our powers really were a lot alike.

I wasn't sure how, but someone broke us apart. I knew that Gabriel was holding me as I came out of my vision and could see Caius in front of Aro, glaring at me. The whispered sounds of many confused vampires radiated around us but I didn't realize how many people had come to the line until I looked around. Each side looked ready to pounce the other.

Aro stood erect, Renata behind him, unwilling to let her master go this time by himself. Aro looked at me with a serious gaze before breaking out into his cat that ate the canary grin. "It seems that there are many questions and few answers with you, sabbatianoi," Aro told me. I could see some of the participants on both sides relax ever so slightly as I stayed in the protective hold of my lover's arms.

"You know the truth. Now go," I stated getting a slight reprimand from my big brother but nothing more. The other side, the one that had the Volturi Guard, looked more shocked that anyone would dare to order Aro about. Aro just chuckled and waved the guard back.

"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable," Aro told them before taking a step towards me. Gabriel just clutched me tighter to him as the guard hissed and the Southerners snarled. It sounded like everyone had been promised a good fight.

"What is the meaning of this?" Caius asked angrily. I looked at him and glared him down. Aro chuckled again.

"These are not children of the moon nor are the children near them immortal children. It seems we have two wonderful additions to our histories!" Aro clapped.

"What is this about, Aro?" Caius snapped which forced me to glare him down even more.

"What he said is true. You can go home now –if it's still standing- and get drunk off the power you exert over all others you," I said, getting angrier by the second. It was Carlisle that interjected, placing a claming hand on my shoulder like he was trying to hold me back, despite me still being in Gabriel's arms.

"Do not anger them more, tesorina," Gabriel whispered in my ear as Carlisle spoke to Caius.

"Elizabeth is very protective of her biological children, as you might imagine," Carlisle said lightly. More whispered went through the crowd. I could hear phrases regarding myself being a sabbatianoi and who the father was of the children that made them look like vampires. I would have blushed if I could. Of course Gabriel was the father. Who else?

It was then that someone else broke into our two very segregated groups. All eyes turned to Marcus as he actually came forward. It was clear by the looks on many of the older vampires' faces, particularly those in the Guard, that this was not normal or in keeping with his behavior at all. He didn't look bored and his aura was a bit wider than earlier –which had been nearly half a day. It probably bored the poor witnesses to tears, if they could cry.

"You cannot destroy her," Marcus stated to Aro emphatically, nearly pushing Caius out of the way. Aro blinked.

"I have no intention of destroying our sabbatianoi seeing as she has not committed the sins we thought as brought forth by our…informant, her own father," Aro stated. I groaned as he grinned and heard the very familiar shout of "What?" from my Dad somewhere behind the mass of vampires before me. I so didn't want to deal with that right now and particularly not with this many people present.

As the ugly yellow aura of my father tried to push up and through the crowd, Marcus became more emphatic. It was odd to see the docile, bored looking vampire suddenly look almost…normal. I guess he was pretty outraged about something. I had no idea as to what, although Edward's fists were clenched as Marcus drew closer to Aro.

Aro, looking just as befuddled as everyone else, took Marcus' hand. Turning to me, Aro's complacent smile left his face completely. I looked to Edward to figure out what the heck was going on, but he was looking at Marcus and Aro curiously now. Whatever it was, it was interesting.

Aro actually started to look angry as both he and Marcus turned to look at me. "That is not possible!" Aro shouted angrily. Edward smirked.

"You've seen for yourself, through her own thoughts, how it is possible," he said, looking at me. I could only form one thought at this odd little exchange. Luckily, Caius echoed it.

"What is your meaning, Aro?" he demanded. That seemed to snap Aro out of his angry glare quickly. He waved Caius off.

"It is of no matter," Aro replied, still casting his glances at me like I was even more of a freak than he already thought I was. What the heck had Marcus seen that was so strange? Marcus only saw relationships, like that of a leader to his troops or a mother to her child. Seeing that the twins were mine and Gabriel's was hardly shocking. After seeing everything that had ever been in my head, the fact the informant could be my father and not know me at all is hardly shocking. So what else was there? What relationship could I possibly have that would cause Aro to get that upset.

"It is of every matter," Marcus stated. The fact Marcus was speaking was really odd. It seemed even more odd to the Guard who was around him every day. The only reason I bothered to turn my head to look away from this exchange was some noise for the back of our side. It sounded like one of the newborns was getting restless again.

I could see my babies, still safe near Rose, Emmett, Esme, and the wolves. I trusted Esme as if she were my Mom with my children. I knew, from how Gabriel acted when I was still human, how much he trusted Esme as well. Our children were fine the fifty or so yards they were behind us despite the small fight that broke out. It looks like one of the newborns tried to aggravate Paul. That was dumb even if he had imprinted.

"Stop!" Aro ordered angrily. The various sides tried to break them up but it ended up in an armless newborn. I swear if he had a helmet on, it would totally be a scene out of Monty Python but with werewolves and vampires. Paul stepped back due to the obvious Alpha command from Sam and the Southern clan tried to reign in their newborns. I smirked slightly at the entire scene.

"Your fault for bringing them," I said lightly to Aro who just glared at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Enough of the artiface!" Caius yelled at he stood before me. "We have the informant. What care is it if he is the sabbtianoi's father or not? She has created at least two of the immortal children."

It was then that my father came forward, pushing his way through the small crowd made up of Renata, Aro, Marcus, Caius, and a couple more of the Guard. Everyone else was still staying well behind, giving us a wide berth.

I felt Gabriel hold me just a bit tighter and saw his aura cover me so completely it was hard to see through it to see everyone else's. Oh, I could see them and I could see colors still but it was like looking through blue violet colored glasses. It really was difficult to gauge the colors of everyone else's auras and I wasn't sure if I liked that. What I really didn't like was Gabriel starting to growl as my Dad came closer.

Oh, intellectually, I knew he wasn't _my_ Dad. The vampire who had joined the rest of us looked to me and then to Aro and Marcus. His eyes were blood red and his dark hair was shaggy at best. His skin was pale like all vampires but still…the cheekbones, the jaw line, the nose. He looked exactly like my Dad did when I was little. Because of that, it made me lower my eyes a bit and desperately want to say "Hello, Daddy," but I knew the problems that would create right now. Instead, I elbowed Gabriel to keep him from growling. My husband had promised not to kill this man.

"What are you talking about? She isn't my daughter," Nicholas stated. Even though I knew it was true, in this universe, it still cut me deeply. I clutched to Gabriel's arm that he had around me for support. My own father might not love me, even know me, but I did have a family that adored me. I had to remember that right now.

"Oh, but indeed she is," Aro stated with a bemused look back upon his face. This was the Aro we all knew and it seemed to relax the Volturi side of the field.

"That's impossible!" Nicholas stated. Aro raised an eyebrow as Caius seemed to appear at my Dad's side. He yanked my Dad back and glared at him.

"You will learn your place!" Caius stated to him and he seemed to through my Dad towards the Guard. I sucked in a breath, trying hard not to scream.

Aro looked to me and then to Caius. "Now, now, my dear brother," Aro said gently. "Calmly and carefully," Aro stated as he placed a hand upon Caius' upper arm. Caius scowled at Aro but said nothing further.

"We are here to deal with traitors not with riddles!" Caius yelled but it was easy to see that most of his anger had left him already. Aro chuckled lightly.

"Indeed," he said before turning to me. Although he kept the smile plastered on his face, I could easily tell something was bothering him when he looked at me. "Would you allow me to see the children?" he asked me and Edward. I looked at my cousin. I had no desire to let my babies near Aro or Caius, especially since something else was clearly going on.

"You may wish to tell Elizabeth more of what is going on before she agrees," Edward said lightly. It was his way of being polite but forcing Aro's hand. The grimace on Aro's face –although fleeting- didn't escape me.

I glanced at Edward and then back to Aro. The world was still blue violet thanks to my husband. It was almost like he was trying to draw me into himself, hide me from all of this.

"What did Marcus see that actually upset him?" I asked Aro quickly, changing the subject from my children –Carlie was my cousin- to Marcus. I hoped to get an actual answer.

"It was nothing that would change the situation here, sabbatianoi," Aro stated a bit more sharply than he intended, obviously. He covered with a smile.

"Tell her, Aro," Marcus urged his brother before shooting a sympathetic eye to me. Why he didn't just tell me himself, I wasn't entirely sure.

Aro growled. Now that really seemed to shock everyone, even my dear brother. Caius even took a step back. What kind of relationship could Marcus see that Aro didn't want to admit too? Something that had to do with me.

It hit me. The reason I never existed here and why everyone I loved here didn't exist there. Why the Volturi didn't shut down the books in regards to vampires existing in my universe was, I always knew, because they didn't exist there. But I did. I did exist because the Volturi were never created. They were never turned.

Whether or not vampires existed in my universe was irrelevant. What was relevant was that Aro, Caius, and Marcus were all Italian. They had always lived in Italy and also would. I started to look closer at Aro and tried to see what I could. He did look an awful lot like my great uncle Gino. A great deal. It just wasn't something that I really had thought about before. But now that I did…

I started laughing. I was laughing so hard, Gabriel had to loosen his grip on me and turned me around his arms. Carlisle, I could tell, was just as confused as everyone else but Edward smirked.

"Is there anyone I'm not related to here?" I said through my giggles, mostly to Edward.

He chuckled. "Probably not."

Aro looked like he was about to fume while Marcus went back to looking bored. Caius looked somewhere between confused and angry. "So, granddad, you want to meet your great grandchildren?" I tried to say without giggling. That didn't work. Okay, so technically speaking, there was about a hundred and twenty or a hundred and forty generations between us, give or take, but this really was too much.

My family tree in my universe was crazy, but here, it was even crazier. I was genetically related to vampires! My Dad was a vampire. My cousin was a vampire. Now, my maternal ancestor –hence why my Mom didn't exist here- was a vampire! This really didn't speak well to everyone in my universe…

Aro's eyes narrowed on me as I desperately tried to reign in my laughter. I tried to think of sad things, sort of like how we could all die with a single flick of a finger from Caius, but that really didn't work.

"Granddad?" many people questioned. I heard both Caius and Demetri say it. Caius sounded angry but Demetri sounded amused. I looked over at the former Guardsman and nodded, smiling. He grinned back and tried to suppress his own chuckles.

When I looked back over at Aro, I could see poor Carlisle look totally bewildered. I think my brother was about to give up. Huh. I wonder if I'm related to Carlisle somehow, genetically. That would be fun to play with when we get home. Fun with DNA, 101.

"Is that what Marcus saw?" Gabriel whispered in my ear. "He saw that you were Aro's descendent?" my husband asked softly. I nodded lightly, still in his arms. Not that I really wanted to be anywhere else despite the possible PDA issues. Gabriel was only trying to protect me. I tried not to giggle again when Gabriel scoffed a bit and muttered the Italian equivalent of "Figures".

"Yes, it seems this little one has us all quite in a bind," Aro stated as his forced a smile back upon his face. He chuckled as he moved closer.

"I would like to see my great-grandchildren and Edward's daughter as well, if you would introduce me," Aro stated easily. It was like listening to a snake slither. I looked to Edward and saw a small nod.

"Bella?" he called.

"Esme?" I asked my sister. We already had plenty of friends around us. I wasn't worried about anyone trying too much of anything but I also knew that Seth wouldn't let go of Claudia right now. Leah might let go of Luca more easily if she knew her brother was here too. "Seth?" I called him too. It seemed to please Aro.

The sandy haired wolf jotted up with my daughter who I took easily to my arms as Gabriel dropped his own to let me grab her. I stayed right in front of my husband, inches from him, as Seth sat between us and Carlisle. My brother looked down only slightly to the wolf and smiled at him. As much as I hated the imprinting, I did love Seth and so did the rest of the family. It was Leah we were trying to get use too.

"Did you really leave us for them, traitor?" I heard someone hiss from over to my right. I looked to see a maybe 5' 9" vampire with sandy brown hair glaring at Demetri. I instantly felt protective over my friend. Demetri had done a lot lately to help us.

Standing up a bit straighter, Demetri looked this other vampire in the eye. "I stand on which ever side holds the truth and justice, Corin," Demetri said coldly. I think Corin was about to say something else when Aro moved towards Bella.

"May I greet you daughter, lovely Bella?" he stated in such a sickening sweet tone I wondered how the hell I was related to someone like him. Thank God there were a few dozen generations between us.

I watched the familiar exchange take place. So like the book and yet so not. Jane was dead and not hissing in the background. Demetri and Felix were on our side. And the Southerners were here. Really? Could they not have chosen someone else to help them?

"Indeed, the children are half mortal, half immortal," Aro announced to all around us and the witnesses. "Conceived so, and carried by these newborns while they were still human."

"Impossible," Caius stated flippantly.

"I have seen it through my granddaughter's own thoughts as well as what this child was willing to share with me," Aro answered, bemused. "Are the children's heartbeats trickery as well?"

Caius scowled and then looked to me. He pointed a finger at me and I felt Gabriel grab my shoulders and I held Claudia tight. My husband pulled me around to almost be behind him and next to Seth as he growled at Caius. Caius didn't pay much attention to him but he did seem to pay attention to Felix, who stepped forward, and Demetri, who looked like he was about to get into a crouch.

"She has killed two of our own. Should we allow her to live as well? Long ago we should have done away with her. Did you not simply because of some misguided idea of bloodlines?" Caius nearly screeched at Aro.

Aro stood there, his hands folded before him and shook his head lightly. "I know how well you love your justice, brother, but there is still much to learn from this one yet," he stated. I saw Edward's hands clench into a fist and I think I heard Maggie hiss somewhere behind us. It was clear that, all around the field, the natives were getting restless.

"You will defend her? Was not Jane and Alec your beloved ones?" Caius demanded angrily. I could see Aro watching him like an amused adult watches a child throw a fit. "What of their alliance with the Children of the Moon? Will you defend that, too, Aro?" Caius continued to rant. "They have been out bitter enemies from the dawn of time and yet Carlisle encourages a familiar relationship with this infestation –no doubt in an attempt to overthrow us. The better to protect his warped lifestyle."

Edward interjected while Aro just facepalmed. It was sort of funny. I think a desk would help for Aro to beat against.

"Caius, it's only the afternoon," Edward pointed out. He pointed over to Seth and Jacob –who had scooted closer as did Leah. "These are not Children of the Moon. They bear no relation to your enemies on the other side of world."

"Mutants! The entire lot!" Caius retorted. I rolled my eyes. Different breeds on the other side of the world hardly allotted to mutants. Really…Uncle. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"Dear Caius, I would have warned you on both matters if you would have allowed me. These creatures are shape-shifters, the wolf form is but by chance," Aro started. "As for my granddaughter," Aro said with a chuckle again –it was like he was covering up his irritated thoughts with chuckles and smiles so no one would be in on his true motivations. How he thought he could get away with that when he knew perfectly well that I had read the books, Edward could read his mind, Jasper could sense his mood, and Maggie and Charles could both tell his he was telling the truth or not, was sort of beyond me.

"She was simply better…informed as a human than most and not through any fault of her own but through her abilities," Aro answered. "It was how she knew of us and how to destroy us. She preserved her own life, nothing more. Hardly a reason to exact justice," Aro worded it carefully. Huh. So he didn't want to say the whole "she's from another universe and read books on us" thing either? "Careful, Caius. Specious allegations get us nowhere."

I watched as Caius looked down, thinking for a moment before he suddenly looked up again. "I want to talk to the informant," he stated, beckoning my father closer. I felt Gabriel pull me to him again, his aura rewrapping itself around myself and our daughter. Esme still had Luca.

With Caius' command, I prepared. I knew whatever my Dad might say would hurt me. I gently kissed my daughter's head and held her tight as Gabriel held me. I kept in mind that the fact I had my husband, my children, my brother, sister, and cousin all up here with me and even friends was evidence enough that I was loved. It was hard, but I needed to focus on those I loved as the one man I loved and hated for my entire life stepped forward again.

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**Author's Note:** Review? Please? I would love it!


	102. BIII Cxlii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **This chapter took on a life of it's own, really. It's umm...yeah. Tell me what you think, okay?

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 42

Every part of me tried to remember the books but seeing my Dad's face started to turn me into a complete and totally three year old. I wanted my Daddy! I wanted the one that, if I went home right now, would give me a hug and demand my resume to get a new job. I wanted the one I knew as a grown up, as Elizabeth French –not the man before me. It was so hard to reconcile that the two men were different since both were my Dad.

My father struggled against the Guard and I wondered why he didn't just disappear into the Earth until I noticed his bare feet weren't touching the ground. The two guards that carried him made sure to lock him about the elbows and not allow him to leave in any way, shape, or form. I instantly wanted to go after both of them but only had to look to Claudia in my arms, Luca in Esme's, and feel Gabriel around me to know that I couldn't. I had too many responsibilities and I couldn't just free my father without starting a war.

I tried to close my eyes and kissed my baby girl in comfort since I couldn't take seeing my Dad struggle against the guard like he was. He was thrashing about as they held him like he was trying to touch the ground. He wanted to leave but he couldn't. When his red eyes turned towards me, I saw the look of betrayal in them and eased back into Gabriel. I also heard both my husband and my cousin growl. Quickly, I shot both a look –not that either would pay attention to me.

"Nicholas!"Caius barked. Seeing my Dad still struggling against the Guard, Caius slapped him. I choked back a scream.

Rather than acting like he was humiliated –since that was something my Dad would never do- he roared. It was like hitting my father set my Dad into some sort of wordless beast. I cringed back, knowing that look. I had seen it before when I was growing up. Gabriel's aura became so thick around me, I couldn't see anything other than the blue violet and the outlines of those around me.

I held my baby girl and made sure that, although there was nothing I could do to prevent her from hearing the growling, that I could keep her from seeing that look on my Dad's face. I looked to Esme and she was holding Luca away from the scene too. When I looked back up towards the Volturi, I could see Caius's wicked grin in my direction. Suddenly, the only things holding me to where I was were Gabriel and Claudia. I wanted to smack that grin off of Caius' face, badly.

"So you appear to have been quite mistaken in your allegations," Caius began through my father's snarls.

"As if you haven't been quite mistaken in yours," my Dad spat back. Caius reared up to slap him again when Aro quietly stopped him.

"The newborns," Aro said just loud enough that all of us gathered in the center of the field could hear. It was then that the Volturi and their Guard turned their eyes, not to me and Bella, but to the Southerners.

The half circle that composed the Southerners had turned into a snarling mess. They didn't try to fight against us anymore and had taken to fighting among themselves. I looked around and realized Jasper was probably having a bit of fun but what about Chelsea? Couldn't she have re-enforced the bonds between everyone on her side?

Remembering what Eleazar said in the book about how strong Chelsea's ability really was and also remember what Bella could do, I looked over to my niece and saw her smile at me. There wasn't a way for me to ask her "So, did you separate us into different groups and you have the Southerners under a different bubble than the Volturi?" right now. Looking around Gabriel a bit, I could see Zafrina looking like she was concentrating and then…it sort of clicked.

I couldn't see something aura wise going on with the Southerners but I hadn't been sure what since Gabriel's own aura encompassed mine. I wasn't able to tell if it was a clear aura, a mint greenish aura, or Zafrina's bright orangish red that covered the Southern clans. I now knew, it was probably all three. Jasper to excite them, Zafrina to hid us, and Bella to keep Chelsea away from them. We had the offensive. Silly Volturi. Don't they know not to bring newborns into a fight?

As the Volturi side looked around at the chaos around us, much to the Romanians delight, I notice my Dad manage to just get his toes on to the ground and…disappear. He slid back into the Earth. Shooting a quick look at Ben so he wouldn't try anything, Ben nodded. He understood –Don't crush my father.

Caius looked back to where my father had been and saw nothing but the empty hands of the Guard. He roared. Really roared. Pitching his head back into the scream, he suddenly nearly flew towards me which, of course, forced Gabriel to put me behind him. I rolled my eyes at that but also hissed at Caius. He was not getting near my baby girl.

The only reason Gabriel probably didn't attack was that Aro had managed to pull his brother back a bit while Demetri held Gabriel back. "He won't hurt her, not without some semblance of a cause," I heard Demetri tell my husband in Italian. I noticed the two Volturi didn't like that but Caius, did, at least, stop.

"You create mutants!" Caius spat towards me. Pulling back but facing the witnesses as well as his Guard, Caius opened his arms to them. "It is this one's father that is the source of the trouble! He has created the sabbatianoi who created two of the children you see before you! You have all seen how she called the dog, how the mutants fraternize with one another!" Caius started, trying to make it sound like an illustrious speech. I think Aro really did facepalm again.

"Brother, Elizabeth was quite normal for a human as was her father," Aro stated. Caius glared at him but Aro brushed it off with a smile. "She is not of our world. It seems quite like a science fiction plot, truly," Aro stated with a chuckle. I groaned but walked back to the center front, Gabriel behind me again and Demetri directly to my right side. Of course, Demetri and Felix looked perplexed but all of my family simply looked…unamused.

"Speak plainly, Aro. We have no time for such talk when justice needs to be delivered," Caius complained.

"No justice can be delivered, for we were…mistaken in what we thought we might find here," Aro said sadly. I think it was Maggie that growled somewhere behind me. It could have been a few people. I know Edward wasn't pleased.

"What?!?" Caius roared again.

Aro held up his hand to silence his brother. "The shape-shifters are not children of the moon. They serve only to protect their own people. Carlisle's children have found Nahuel, who is a grown vampire hybrid of a hundred and fifty years. Through Elizabeth's thoughts, I saw that there are three more of maturity within the Southern hemisphere of the New World," Aro explained. Caius scoffed and glared at the gathered crowds. A great deal of the Southerners seemed to have already killed themselves off!

It was sort of weird to know that the other newborns –the normal ones unlike myself and Bella- were quite that volatile. What was even more eerie was how no one –other than their creators- seemed to pay the slightest bit of attention to a group of people tearing each other to shreds. It was…sickening, really.

I suppose our side of the line was paying attention as were some of the Volturi witnesses but most were simply trying to stay out of the way. I shook my head and turned back the Volturi. "Unless you really want the odds furthered into our side," I started to tell both Aro and Caius. Aro didn't look pleased that I was addressing him right now and Caius looked down right furious. I didn't care but it seems quite a few people around me did. I barely managed to break away from Gabriel again.

"You might want to stop the carnage going on around us. I think that is a great threat right now," I stated simply. Caius sneered at me but Aro stood up a bit straighter and looked around. He flicked his fingers and nodded once.

It was rather beautiful in an odd way. The Guard descended on to the Southern clans and pulled the newborns apart, the clans apart, and made only a few funeral priers. Once the newborns were back from each other, they managed to put themselves back together like broken toys. It was so terribly odd to see and I didn't like it at all.

As I turned my attention back to Aro, I saw him smile a bit. "If the ones among you did not interfere with Chelsea's gift, then no carnage would have taken place, granddaughter," Aro said with a hint of a chuckle. My eyes narrowed.

"If you had better intelligence, Aro, then none of this would have been necessary at all," I said in the same tone back. Caius growled at me which meant, of course, Gabriel snarled back. Really, Gabe, you'll scare the children!

The smile fell from Aro's face a bit. "Yes, but seeing as I have lost five of my dear ones to you already, how am I to know I shall not loose another?" he asked lightly.

I was about to answer when one of the Volturi's own witnesses stood up. "Is that what we are here to witness? A family dispute?" he asked curiously. I couldn't place his accent. Swiss, maybe?

"No, friend Gerron," Aro said almost happily. He was really starting to get on my nerves and creep me out at the same time. "We came here in an honest assessment at what we believed to be immortal children," he stated. It was then that Garrett took a step forward from Kate's side. I heard him rather than see around my husband and beyond Demetri, both of whom were blocking my view that way.

"May I off a side to be considered?" Garrett asked of Aro.

Aro nodded, as if he was the ruler and he was granting some serf permission to approach. That also annoyed me. "Nomad."

Garrett joined the rest of us in the ever growing front line. Bella, Edward, Carlie, Esme, Carlisle, Seth –with Jacob and Leah not too far away-, myself, Gabriel, Demetri, Felix…and now Garrett. Of course, for every one of us that approached, so did one of the Guard. I could see Demetri grit his teeth at that and watched Felix nearly want to pound his fists. I guess they really weren't happy about the side their old friends were on.

Gently, I reached and touched Demetri's arm. He smiled back at me before glaring over at a few members of the Guard. They seemed shocked by something although I wasn't sure what. I simply hugged my baby girl tighter and waited for Garrett's speech that I knew he would give. Of course, it struck me as odd that Aro would allow him to speak given that he must have seen this already play out in my head.

Garrett looked towards the witnesses, glancing only slightly at the remaining Southerners who had now regrouped to five clusters around the Volturi side rather than around us. The wolves had moved in closer, not exactly scared of the vampires they knew.

"I came here at Gabriel and Carlisle's requests, as the others, to witness," he said. "That is certainly no longer necessary with regard to either the wolves or the children. We can all see the daylight and hear the beating hearts," he told them.

I could slowly tell that another person joined behind our lines and saw my father near the wolves. I stiffened, worried about what he would do, or what Leah would do as Dad approached her. Leah growled of course, and snapped a few obscenities in there. I'm making her drink soap later. My Dad backed off and looked at her curiously. "Damned freaks," he muttered. I looked down at Seth and whispered as low as I could so as to not interrupt Garrett. "Tell your sister she's drinking dish soap for that." Seth chuckled in that wolfy laugh at me.

"…These ancient ones did not come here for justice as they claim," he said as he walked in front of our line, closer to the witnesses. It was sort of General Patton in a way. "We suspected as much, and now it has been proved. They came, misled, but with a valid excuse for their action. Witness now as they stay but for what reason? They struggle to find justification for their true purpose- to destroy this family here," he told them as he pointed back towards Carlisle and then Tanya.

I watched as Garrett stopped in front of the nomadic witnesses the Volturi brought. He would speak, stop, and then pace in a very dramatic military like manner. "Elizabeth may be Aro's granddaughter but do you not see how he also sees all the clan's golden eyes as competition? They are difficult to understand, it's true for how else would two newborns be so close without the slightest hint of animosity towards another. We have just seen with the Southern clans how difficult it normally is to keep such under control," he said. I grumbled. Garrett is so being thrown down. Again.

"But the ancient ones do not see this clan and their strange choice as a family. They do not even truly see them as their own despite the relations. They see power," Garrett told them. I could see the witnesses either getting nervous or nodding along. Half hearted glares and curious eyes turned towards the three men that made up the Volturi clan.

"I have witnessed the bonds within this family –I say family and not coven. These strange golden-eyed ones deny their very nature, but, in return, have they found something worth even more?" Garrett said as he looked down in thought before pacing in front of the witnesses again.

"I've made a little study of them in my time here, and it seems to me that intrinsic to this intense family binding –that which makes them possible at all- is the peaceful character of this life of sacrifice. There is no aggression here as you see so illustrated by the Volturi's companions this day. The wild feuds have no place among this family. There is no thought towards it and, I am sure, that Aro know this better than I do," he said, casting a long glance to the leader of the Volturi clan and then to all of us along the front line.

Aro's face was complacent if not downright amused. It was still as if he smiled to keep from killing every one of us. It was about as Garrett turned to return to Kate's side that my Father suddenly appeared next to him. Garrett looked startled as Nicholas seemed to grow out of the ground next to him. Although everyone had already seen him do that, twice now, it still appeared to unsettle the witnesses.

Two things happened at once. My Dad told the witnesses, "They are all liars and scum. None of them are to be believed," while Caius shouted "Seize him!"

I watched the Guard advance and screamed, "No!" Luckily, my Dad managed to slip through their fingers again into the dirt and snow on the ground. Caius growled in anger as the Guard was once again, empty handed. He turned his angry glare to me, again. I glared right back.

"He's done nothing!" I argued with Caius. It was both Edward and Gabriel that growled this time, at me. This man that we keep seeing pop in and out of the ground is not the same person that held me when I was first born. They really don't need to be that protective of me.

Gabriel tried to push me behind him again when Caius came over towards us in a flash. "You do not dare to speak on such matters," he growled at me. I wasn't quite sure why, but I slapped him. Hard. And then moved to put myself between him and Claudia who was clutching my shirt. I heard a few murmurs and even a few smirks as Caius looked up, amazed.

"Get away from my children, Caius, and leave here completely. I want your filth back in Italy where it belongs and stay there!" I shouted at him.

"Mommy?" Claudia asked, whimpering slightly as she looked up at me. I kissed my baby girl's head and glared back at the still stunned Caius. I felt Gabriel's arms pull me back towards him and position me so I was slightly behind him but still next to Seth, protected. I didn't mind so much right now since I did have Claudia in my arms. They would not take my children from me.

The only reason Caius didn't not strike back was that Aro grabbed him. Caius turned his glare to his brother and even I could see Marcus move closer. The three were arguing right before us in a nearly wordless way.

"These abominations need to be eradicated!" Caius shouted this time. Another one of the witnesses stood up. I think it was Makenna but I'm not sure.

"For what reason? We have one that can tell the truth of what is said. What Garrett has spoken is true and this condemned family is innocent," she said as if she were unsure. I'm pretty sure she was just scared that the Volturi would turn on her next.

"Ah," Aro suddenly spoke as he turned towards the witnesses. "I am sorry you see it that way," he stated sadly.

"It is not what I see but what I feel," Charles answered in a very nervous voice. "I have ways of knowing what is truth and what is constructed of lies," he stated. Aro only chuckled in response.

"Do not fear us, friend Charles. No doubt the patriot truly believes what he says," Aro smiled.

"You know the truth Aro. Pack up your toys and go home. Drop those," I started to say as I pointed towards the Southern clans but Caius interrupted me.

"Who are you to order us?" he demanded of me. I looked right back at him from slightly behind my husband. Like any good southern woman, I had the baby on my hip while I looked Caius over this time.

"You are you to order me?" I spat right back at him. I heard a few chuckles from both sides.

Aro, chuckling, again came closer to where Gabriel, myself, Seth, and Caius were standing. I could tell even Carlisle was ready to attack Caius if he came close enough for me to slap him, again. "We do not fight today, brother," Aro told him.

The word fight must have triggered something in the back row of the Guard or there was something else going on I couldn't see with the throngs of vampires blocking my view. What I could see was Edward tense up again and hear a scuffle. That scuffle quickly turned into a fight amongst the Southerners' newborns who began, for almost no reason, to attack the Guard. I watched in horror as both sides tried to break them apart this time. I guess Zafrina wasn't quick enough to disguise them and Bella hadn't pulled her shield off them or something like that because it quickly was turning into a mess. I put Claudia on Seth's back and looked at him. "Run!" I shouted before grabbing Luca from Esme to put him on Leah's. I may not like her but I knew she would never hurt my son.

"Go," I nearly whispered to the small gray wolf. She looked to the fight, to me, nodded, and then ran off after her brother, my babies both on the wolves' backs. Bella did the same with Carlie and I watched as both Bella and Edward kissed their little girl goodbye.

Snarling now, I turned towards the mass chaos. Of course the Volturi weren't apart of it. They were moved, quickly, to the sidelines, watching and waiting. That didn't help my anger any. I marched right up to Aro and out of Gabriel's protective hold. I could hear my husband demand that I stay back but he quickly became busy with making sure the mess didn't seep further into our lines.

With the blue violet of Gabriel's aura no longer clouding my vision, I stayed focused on Aro's blood red one. I could just make out Renata filting around him him, and look like she was about to use her ability on me. I reached out with my own aura, like I had practiced on my children, to try to read Aro's from a distance. Maybe I could get an idea of how to destroy them with Renata in the way, just in case Bella wasn't covering me right now? It seemed a distant possibility but I tried anyway.

When my aura touched the sickening purplish red one again, I guess my anger was a bit over the top. I began to push at Aro's aura with my iridescent one, searching for what I wanted. Touching people always got a more immediate but overloading response. This was more subtle.

All I could get were various images of chaotic times before over the centuries. I passed through those, finding them both horrifying -in the amount of times the Volturi have gone up against big covens before- and unimportant since that wasn't what I was looking for.

I pressed his aura with my own and I watched as Aro actually stumbled back. Caius was too focused on the fighting but Marcus noticed as did Renata. "Master?" she whisper to him. Marcus.

Seeing Marcus as my anger flared and Aro's angry eyes turned to me gave me an idea. Maybe I didn't have to fight Renata at all. Maybe I didn't have to do anything at all. I just smiled at Marcus and took a step closer. Renata stepped between myself and Aro as the chaos crept ever closer to where we were.

"Marcus? You realize I can see every action that Aro has ever taken just like he can see my every thought?" I asked him. Aro started to look at me from around Renata, every bit of glee or contentment wiped from his face.

"No! Your silence is well paid for girl," he said as he began to move towards me. Renata was attempting to stop him but he was pushing her away. Knowing I didn't have much time at all, I uttered only three words.

"He killed Didyme," I said, pointing my finger at Aro. Charles and Makenna were still close enough that they heard.

"He would kill his own granddaughter as he killed his sister," Charles whispered to Makenna who only nodded.

The thin gray line that had once again become Marcus' aura seemed to suddenly swell about him again. The look in his eyes went from bored to furious so quickly that it was an amazing sight even if I wasn't completely focused on that. I was busy trying to dodge Aro's advancement -which seemed like he couldn't even see me. Zafrina I guess. Thank God. I moved out of the way just in case.

Marcus, however, could see Aro. He lunged at him. Renata hadn't been expecting that. Actually, by the sudden stop in the encroaching tide of all the other fighting, no one -not even the wild newborns- had been expecting that.

I watched Marcus tear at Aro as Renata, Aro, and a few other members of the Guard screamed. Gabriel was quick to come and yank me out of the way -again. Aro was attempting to fight back but it was as if my three words had restored life to Marcus -a life he had been storing up until this moment. For every finger Aro might get, Marcus got an arm or a leg. It wasn't long until Aro laid scattered in pieces on the ground.

Sulpicia must have seen that and screamed over the whispers and whimpering from the Guard. The fighting had completely stopped now with funeral priers set up along where many of the Southern Clans were. Little was left of them now. It didn't look like anyone on our side was badly injured -just a couple of new scars if anything.

Almost like the wind, Sulpicia came up next to Marcus with her contingent of the Guard. It was if this set off a new fight and forced the Guards to fight amongst themselves. Caius attempted to side step it, still stay out of the chaos but he was too close and quickly got wrapped up in it too.

As the ancient ones fought, myself safe in Gabriel's arms, I watched in a mix of fascination and horror. The lightening speed and attacks were directed at Marcus or at Caisu, depending on whom was fighting whom. Sulpicia hadn't lasted long against her ancient brother in law at all.

Looking around, I could see half the Guard looking completely confused while some were involved in the fighting. The witnesses the Volturi brought -and were still here- kept looking from us -myself specifically- to the fighting down below. As I turned my attention from my own family -all of whom were fine and I just hope Leah, Seth, and Jacob took the babies back to the house or to Sue's- back to the fighting again, I saw a large flash -almost like one of my flamethrowers- followed by all the pieces of the ancient vampires burn.

In the middle of the flames, Marcus stood tall, a small silver object in his hands as the remains of his former family laid around him in waste. "Thank you," he whispered as the flames lapped around him. I nodded once, turning in my lover's arms, as all the Volturi burned.

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**Author's Note:** So…yeah. Time to go to NYC! Review, Please?


	103. BIII Cxliii

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and Midnight Sun all belong to Stephenie Meyer. And I am not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe entered the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what if our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **I really wish I could have ended this on chapter 42. There would be something ironic about that, don't you think? It is the answer of life, the universe, and everything! Douglas Adams said so. Don't forget to review!

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_Zodiacal Light_

Chapter 43

Tracing invisible patterns on the passenger side door, I only stopped to look at the clock. I sighed. It was starting to rain and I knew we were close. Gabriel was driving and Ginsie was in the back seat, pretending to be a princess –again.

Princess. I smirked to myself which got an eyebrow raised from Gabriel. I shook my head and looked back outside the passenger side window as the world of green and brown passed by. A couple of vampires had tried to call me that but I sort of laughed in their faces. I don't think they understood why. After all, I was daughter to Aro, legitimate heir to the throne, and all that nonsense that they stated. Of course, they also tried to make Carlisle king. He politely declined in-between my laughing fits.

There were many vampires from all over the world that had come and were still coming to see the infamous Cullen Clan. It made life… difficult sometimes. But we all, even Rosalie, rejected the idea of being the "rulers" of the vampire kind completely. None of my nieces, nephews, my brother, my sister, or even my husband wanted that kind of responsibility. We all sort of just wanted to be left alone.

It took a good year for things to die down even the slightest bit. When we moved to New Hampshire –I got a solid promise that we would move to Appalachia after this from Carlisle- the string of vampires that wanted to meet the Cullens didn't stop. We thought in getting away from Forks that it might help, but it didn't. All it did is take people longer to find us.

Since so many were still going to Forks, an edict from the new rulers –a council of two of the Volturi nomads and our own Amazonian friends- was that Forks was a protected territory. Anyone caught feeding in that area was to be destroyed immediately. The wolves were rather happy about that but it also served to protect Charlie.

Charlie had been so upset when we left. He didn't want his little girl –or his in laws!- to move completely across the country. We all promised we would visit and they none of us had any problems with flying him out once a month. Charlie hated the idea of us spending money on him –at first- but his need to see his baby girl and his grandbaby won out in the end. He was supposed to drop by next weekend.

Then there was my own Dad. That was still a weird situation that got weirder every day. He didn't want to believe it even when Carlisle showed him the genetic tests. He claimed Carlisle made it up! Of course, Gabriel growled at my Dad and cursed him out in Italian. I yelled at my husband for that and his response was basically if he couldn't kill him, he wasn't about to give up cursing my Dad out. I rolled my eyes at that.

It really wasn't until I started to describe places that only a family member would know –like the inside of the old plantation house and the family stories associated with it- that he even began to believe me. Once he saw actual pictures of himself on my computer, he sort of gave up and accepted that, somehow, I was his daughter. He still didn't get why Edward and Gabriel particularly looked at him like they wanted to rip him to shreds every single second of the day. He had apologized for screwing up, in his own way, of course –he blamed us for not explaining everything right then and there when he went to the Volturi- but it was getting better. I was working on a relationship with my father and it was …working. Sort of.

I traced more lines in the window as I looked outside of it absently mindedly. I noticed a slight change in the auras up ahead and knew where we were. Sitting up, I looked at Gabriel. "We're here," I said softly. Gabriel immediately pulled over and stopped the car.

We were traveling from Greenbelt to Ithaca, again. It was March 19, 2009, again. Gabriel had bought my old house and got Esme to redecorate it just for a one year anniversary gift a couple of years back. She did a gorgeous job on it, far better than it looked originally, and I loved it completely –even if we couldn't stay there very often. The twins complained about having to share the same room and the tiny bunk bed in the super tiny 6' b 9' guest bedroom. I think they said something about Aunt Alice would be embarrassed to call something that small a closet. I'm sure they were right. At least the wolves stayed downstairs for the most part. One shower and six people was rather un-amusing.

For now, our babies were staying with their Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme. I knew they were safe and they'd be happy. I also knew that if Claudia or Luca tried anything –or, more likely, Leah or Seth…really just Leah- they'd have at least three different Aunts and Uncles "correcting" them at any one time. Probably more. It didn't help my lovely pre-teen looking three year olds that the Denali clan was in town for a visit. The cousins had zero problems putting the kids in time out as well. Not that Luca or Claudia ever really needed it other than that one week of hell.

Gabriel was driving a blue Ford Escape just like the one that got thrashed in that werewolf induced car crash all those years ago. When I pointed to a monster truck given that it fit his monetary requirements and my need for something that will easily go up hill and had 4 wheel drive, Gabriel relented and let me have whatever truck my heart desired. It was a lovely yellow pick up truck that I'm sure Alice had already taken out for a spin around town again. The Escape was my "Greenbelt" truck for when I wanted to get around DC or so the story went when Gabriel showed it to me. I knew he had been planning on recreating this day for a while. They all thought it would help.

Because, despite the fact I adored my family and I was happy, I missed my Mom. Terribly. I also missed my brothers and my friends. I only wanted my Mom to at least know I was happy, that I had a wonderful husband and she had two beautiful grandchildren. Of course, since she didn't exist here that was next to impossible for that to happen. I only could pray that God would relay the message to her.

So, I think Carlisle, Gabriel, and maybe even Demetri came up with a plan to recreate everything about that day when I finally came to this universe and met up with Emmett's jeep. Demetri was sort of a funny story on his own after the battle. Felix would come and go and had pretty much turned into a nomad. It suited him, sort of. Demetri, on the other hand, lived down the street from myself and Gabriel. He sort of got adopted into the clan…especially once he took to the diet. We all knew why even if he wouldn't admit it yet. After all, he only started the vegetarian diet a few months ago which caused us all to smirk in his direction.

Gabriel had started his own Private Investigative "firm". I use the term firm very loosely since the entire office consisted of myself, Gabriel, and Demetri. Demetri liked to track down the criminals and get the bounty for them. He found it way too easy work. Gabriel was just as bad.

A few months back we had a case that started off begin but turned very interesting. We knew the meth-head that has blown up his own home with his girlfriend and three month old baby in it was in state and we figured out where to find him. The cops on the case told us that he had left something on and the meth lab he had in the basement of his house blew when he was out. Of course, little was left of anyone that was in the house. Dental record identification and all.

So, the boys go out to catch him –they thought it was funny to go together, two vampires versus one human- and they come back with him and his latest girlfriend. She was….interesting. It was like no one ever told her that she was an idiot or how to live life. Now that she's seen how normal people actually live and that most people can easily go without ever touching or knowing anything about drugs, she wanted to change. I grumbled a bit when Gabriel offered her a job as the secretary. At least all she has to do is answer the phone!

But, she is sort of growing on me. She's trying hard to be "normal" for her baby –she's now six months pregnant and well known it's the guy's we turned in- and be as middle class as possible. Of course, Kathleen –the secretary's name- thinks that Gabriel and I are an example of a normal couple. None of us, even poor Demetri, has the heart to correct her.

Oh well, she'll find out soon enough. We've all seen it. Demetri helping her and constantly making sure she is okay. He'll drive her were ever she needs to go and is always following her around. When I commented a few weeks ago about it, he said he was just trying to be nice since she is trying hard to turn her life around now. Uh huh. Sure.

Jasper started bets.

I'm in for $500 that says Demetri already knows he loves her and he'll cave once the baby arrives. Of course, then the question is exactly what will become of the poor kid? We might be able to hide some things form him but the whole not aging thing will become obvious once the child hits 9 or 10. She or he will ask questions. No matter what, we can't reveal the secret. …Although Felix pointed out that when the kid hits 18 they could either be turned or eaten just like they did in Volterra. Um….no. We are not eating people, Felix.

Oh well, it wasn't an issue for a while and we might be able to bribe the council. Of course, the only human child around a bunch of very loving over indulgent vampires –because there wasn't a doubt in my head that Demetri was going to propose to Katheen and soon- would be spoiled rotten. As long as we kept the kid around us and around the werewolves, mainly, then she or he would be fine. No problem about the secret getting out if everyone was already in on it.

The werewolves had been fun. Sam called about once a week to check up on us and see if we wanted to come back. They were actually upset when we left. Now, it might be because we took the breakaway pack with us since Jacob imprinted on Carlie, Leah imprinted on Luca, and Seth imprinted on Claudia, but he did call. Embry was still hanging out with the Denali clan so he was down for the week or two as well right now. Everyone was together and everyone was happy. That's all I wanted.

I worried that my Mom was upset or worried about me. Did time stop? Was it still catching up? Was she only now, today, going to notice that I was missing? Would the FBI jump and investigate my disappearance? Or have they already? What would become of my Mom, my Dad in that universe? My brothers? I reached back and patted the consul to have Miss Ginsie come up to the front seat.

Obediently and tail wagging, she stepped up and looked at Gabriel and myself. "Ready to get out, Ginz?" I asked the pup. She stopped completely and looked at me like "You are kidding right? You know this was the purpose of the entire trip. Of course I want to get out!" Gabriel chuckled and kissed me gently on the cheek.

"Come," he said as he came around to my door to open it. By that point, I had my favorite pup in my lap. She was too old anymore to jump out on her own. Despite being born in 2002, her body told her she was a good ten years old. She needed a bit of help now and again and I didn't want her to hurt herself getting out of the truck.

Gabriel took the pup and gently placed her on the ground whispering "bene zibellina" and patting her on the head. I got out a second later, my husband's hand tightly in mine. Part of me was terrified that we'd somehow end up in my universe and I wasn't about to go without him. I had tried to beg to bring the children as well, my fears consuming me at the time, but I couldn't think of a logical reason as to why. Alice saw all three of us –Gabriel, Ginsie, and myself- coming home tomorrow without any problems. She also pointed out she had seen me coming so there really wasn't anything to worry on. So I tried not to…despite the iron grip I had on Gabriel's hand.

He kissed my temple and held me tightly to him as we went to the spot I remembered stopping. Ginsie was happily sniffing around while Gabriel held her leash. There wasn't anything more than gravel, weeds, and some trees off to the side of the road. Well, it was wet. Very wet. But then again, it was raining. That happens. I was thinking on the past too much to care.

My mind went back to thinking on whether or not my Mom was even getting any sleep at night. Would my friends be over and trying to help find me? Comfort her? Would the word get out on my blog that I was missing? Who would arrive first at the scene? Would they even know where to look? Would anyone come forward, remembering the blue truck along the side of the road in the rain storm? I didn't know and I didn't like that.

I had brought a few mementos of my previous life with me. I had the completely inoperable Blackberry that the FBI gave me, my other completely inoperable phone –my pink Razr, and a note to my Mom I had written just in case there was a possibility that these things might magically end up back in my universe just by being in this spot. The note was sealed in a plastic Ziploc courtesy of my sister, Esme. Besides the note, a picture of myself, Gabriel, and our children was in there. The destiny series also existed in the bag along with first two movies. I'm still upset about the casting.

"Where do you wish to place the items, amata mia?" Gabriel asked my gently. He had them in a bag in his hand. I bit my lip, unsure of where to put them. I looked at the ground and the gravel, trying to figure a spot where they would be seen if anyone looked for them but weren't likely to get run over either.

I pointed to a bunch of rocks near the treeline. "There," I stated softly. Gabriel nodded and walked with myself and Ginsie over to spot. He handed me the items and I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"Ti amo," Gabriel told me. I managed a weak smile up at my husband before moving to place the bag upon the rocks. It was then that one of our phones went off, of course. I couldn't figure out who's at first. It sounded like one of mine. Alice had had fun a few days ago and made sure that everyone had way too many songs on their phones so that they could choose to put the perfect song to whomever was calling. I had no idea at first who this song belonged too.

At first.

Then it clicked. It was an old western tune, a midi file. Alice didn't download midi files. Frantically, I began to look through the bag Gabriel had just handed me.

"Cucciola mia?" he asked me. He had started calling me that again after I told him I missed it one night…of course, I was a vampire by that point so we were equals. It was different when I was a vampire and he referred to me as his pet!

I didn't answer and pulled out the now working, glowing, ringing pink phone. Looking around us, I could see, right in front of me the auras were different suddenly and I moved back to the familiar auras of the forest while still looking at the caller id. It said Mom.

This was my chance. I could talk to her. I could tell her. It didn't matter if she believed me or not. All that did matter was I told her I was happy and not worry. Maybe the portal would stay open? Maybe I could get her to drive with my brothers and my Dad and come here? How long did this last? I think it was only and hour but I'm not sure. I wasn't even sure what I was going to say.

I looked up at Gabriel, showing him the phone. He looked at it confused as Ginsie sat down on the wet ground, waiting patiently for me to answer it. She would know the ringtone too. She knew who it was.

"How.." he began to say in Italian when I pushed him back a bit more. The change in auras was spreading. The one thing I did know was that I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to leave my new family and my children. I had a life here that I loved and people that I loved. It didn't matter than I had a family there too. It just wasn't the same. I couldn't leave my babies.

I bit my lip as it was about to end and flipped open the phone. Placing the phone up to my ear, I spoke only one word and knew, even as a vampire, that word would make my voice break. "Mom?"

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**Author's Note:** I know. I know. But this is the last chapter. I will do the Midnight Sun thing and go back to get Gabriel's perspective but only on the first "book". It will be rated M because Gabriel, clearly, is not as uh....gentle? clean? as Elizabeth is. I *might* do some outtakes or other chapters if people beg enough. ;-) Please, please, review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and/or of the entire series. Please?


	104. Outtake I

The Stars and the Sun

**Disclaimer: **Honestly, the Twilightverse belongs to Stephenie Meyer and not me. Because I'm not her.

**Summary:** What is someone from our universe enter the Twilight universe? What would she think? Do? Feel? And what is our universe was the fictional one?

**Author's Note: **OUTTAKE! In the middle of sewing like crazy and eating too much chocolate myself, I thought I should post this outtake. Depending on whether anyone likes it or not, I might post a couple more. This takes place sometime after the books get handed over but before the wedding. So, May! At some point… Also, I am writing from Gabriel's point of view. It's rated M for a reason (Gabriel can be a dirty old man) but it is up. I'm also working on reworking Alice's Origin story and writing for my story up on Twilighted…and sewing. Lots of sewing….

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Two of my children greeted me upon the porch. Rosalie looked pleased about something but rather annoyed at the same time –a typical expression for my middle child- whilst Alice did nearly bounce off the steps of the porch, into my arms, and laughed as she told me "Welcome home, Dad!" I immediately became curious what two of my daughters had done to gain such amusement in both their expressions. Had my youngest child made her appearance today? I thought that with Elizabeth's cold that Edward would wish to keep her away –not that such a thing as a cold would cause much issue with any human system. For us, it simply meant keeping a full supply of handkerchiefs available for Elizabeth's consumption. That, and the smell of hot tea had now permeated into the walls of the kitchen.

Rather than attempt to guess at my children's latest exploits, I simply asked. "Hello, Alice," I told my eldest daughter as I hugged her and kissed her atop her head before turning towards my middle child. "Hello, Rose," I greeted both my children warmly. "What occasion has caused you both to be out here?" I asked as I walked with Alice upon my arm, skipping almost at my side, as we walked towards Rosalie.

My eldest grinned whilst my middle child rolled her eyes upon my reaching the porch. It was Rose that was kind enough to explain to me why they were outside and not inside. "Elizabeth's angry," she stated in a non-chalant way, shrugging her shoulders. My very much still human sister being angry was hardly anything new or noteworthy. Her temper was quiet similar to Edward's –her biological cousin which may explain the temperaments- and it died down just as easily as his. However, based upon Alice's giggles, it was not the simple fact that, yet, once again, something had made their "Aunt" angry but the circumstances surrounding it.

Before I could voice my concern Alice managed to speak through her giggles. "She growled at Edward!" my eldest stated, very amused. I also saw my middle child's lips twitch to a smile for but a few seconds.

I could not help but blink as I attempted to picture such a situation as Alice stated. A human woman, no matter how strong she may be in spirit and physical strength, was not a match for a vampire –assuming she did not have one of her incendiary devices with her. Even then, it was pure chance that Jane had not noticed her in that dark alley; the vampire woman's attention was too attuned to making Gabriel suffer –something Elizabeth had saved him from. Of the many things I could consider regarding my younger human sibling, it would not be that she would physically hurt any of us –threaten, yes, but she would never go through with it. Yet to hear that she growled at anyone of us… A human growling at a vampire?

"She growled?" I asked Alice who nodded emphatically at my question.

"She actually looked fierce!" Alice told me with a great deal of glee.

"Too bad she didn't actually attack him," Rose muttered from my other side. I looked to my middle child in concern. Glancing back, she shrugged once again. "He deserved it. He should have known better," Rosalie insisted. I rubbed my forehead thinking upon the situation.

"What did Edward do that caused Elizabeth to growl at him?" I asked in wonder for such a situation as this –a vampire being growled at by human- was certainly not usual. Not that I could say anything in regards to any of the people I loved dearly was usual by any means.

"He hid her chocolate supply," Alice informed matter of factly. "Edward didn't want her to get even more sick so he hid all the sweets and anything that wasn't chicken soup in the house," she continued whilst bouncing upon her toes. "I told him not to, of course."

"Of course," I repeated while I thought upon the situation. Though a small amount of sweets would hardly upset her stomach and further her cold, the amount Elizabeth is known to typically eat in a day could be problematic. However, I had watched my sister closely the other day and she had decreased her sugar intake by a good 20% -a key indication that she was sick- beyond her demands for things such as hot tea and soup. Her cold seemed to have naturally regulated her diet and I thought little of attempting to force her hand. My son, perhaps, thought otherwise.

Edward must learn to not interfere with our beloved humans in ways such as this. Bella and Elizabeth will destroy him if he keeps up such tactics as preventing either his mate or his cousin from anything either of them wish. Thinking upon some of the threats Elizabeth has given various members of the family in the past as well as her own mate, Gabriel, I looked to both of my daughters and asked but one simply question prior to entering. "Does Edward still have all his fingers?"

Alice grinned and nodded but Rose rolled her eyes and folded her arms about her chest in frustration with a mutter that I believe was an "Unfortunately". At least no one was physically hurt in this altercation.

Thinking upon my sister growling at my son, I could not help but smile a bit for it must have been quite a shock for all that were home to hear a human growling at any one of us. Upon my entry into our home, I was greeted firstly by my wife whom I kissed and secondly by a creature we are very use to's growls.

"Hush, Ginz," I heard the already familiar voice of my sister state from within the kitchen. I smiled as the dog growled but once more and then retreated to the place of her mistress. Such a retreat was followed by a sneeze that no doubt belonged to Elizabeth and the sound of quick footsteps that most likely belonged to her fiancé.

With my wife still in my arms, I smiled down upon Esme. "I heard there was quite the commotion today," I began, hoping for her to start the story. Esme's smile faltered slightly –to the point I opened my mouth to back track and not have her tell me if she wished not too- but her caramel waves swished from side to side as she shook her head no.

"It was only a minor issue. I think our son is recovered to some degree. Although he is hiding from his brothers," she stated with her lips pulling back up into a smile.

"What occurred exactly?" I asked as I let my wife loosely from my arms. It was then Elizabeth's voice sounded within my ears for she had come out of the kitchen with Gabriel behind her.

"Edward stole my chocolate," my sister stated, an almost innocent looking pout –one you might more expect to see on a child than a grown woman- adorned her face. In her hands was a mug of something hot and steaming – most likely more tea- while Gabriel fluttered behind her, his eyes trained specifically on her.

I went over to the woman suffering from what was a bad cold, causing her to be quite irritable at the smallest infraction with good reason from what I understand of colds, and smiled upon her. "He stole your chocolate?" I asked wishing to know more.

Elizabeth nodded in reply. She took a sip of her tea –Orange Spice, I was sure- before speaking again. "And he wouldn't let me have any," she grumbled. I kissed her atop her head, knowing that if I or Esme did so, it would calm our sister. It was her fiancé that gave me more details.

"We were unsure was to what Elizabetta had been searching for at first," Gabriel began, his arm reaching for her shoulders to which my sister moved but a step back so she might be within his reach once more. It was such an automatic thing with them.

"But she somehow tracked down where Edward had hidden all the sweets to which Edward attempted to block her," he continued before shifting uncomfortably. "She growled at him," he stated as if it still perplexed him. Elizabeth, however, simply nodded once, a scowl still half upon her face before she sipped at her tea once more. I did attempt not to laugh as the images assailed my brain of my barely five foot eight human sister growling in any ferocious way upon my youngest son.

"Did Edward hand over the chocolates?" I asked of my sibling. Her scowl became more determined.

"After I argued with him and Jasper, Emmett finally went and gave them to me," Elizabeth muttered. Her precious green eyes –so very like Edward's were and even his mother's- looked up towards my visage. "He should know better than to steal a human's chocolate supply!" she did nearly shout.

Gabriel held her tighter to him and whispered lightly in her ear. "It's over, cucciola mia. He won't try that again." Elizabeth just huffed, her eyes still fuming though all fight was lost from her body. Again, her eyes turned to me.

"You should yell at him too. I know Esme already talked to him but he," she started before giving into one of her coughs. It seems her cold had progressed a bit –possibly due to her fight. I looked to Gabriel who was clearly worried and out of his element with such a case as this. I smiled reassuringly before patting Elizabeth, gently on the shoulder.

"Go, rest. I'll go talk to my son," I told her. I would do so if only to gain his perspective of this story for it sounded like much a to-do occurred whilst I was at work today. My sister nodded as her fiancé guided her towards the living room sofa. I walked up to my wife –Alice dancing in to our home to go join her Aunt- and smiled at Esme's worried face.

Kissing my wife once again, I cupped her chin to assure her. "I'm sure Edward with have an interesting take on this," I chuckled. Esme laughed slightly before recovering herself.

"I think he is more embarrassed than anything else," she informed me. I nodded, making sure to keep such in mind, as I went towards the stairs. Upon the first level of the house –or the second story as my children often "correct" me- I was greeted by my middle son.

"Hey, Carlisle!" he greeted me with his usual cheerfulness. "Did you hear that Elizabeth _growled_ at Edward? I didn't know humans could growl like that!" he stated in his normal amused tone.

"So I have been told," I stated with a smile.

"She is going to be scary when she's turned. She almost sounded like a vampire!" Emmett continued with a hint of seriousness. Something told me that Elizabeth, despite her ferocious temper, would be a bit better about the transformation than many of us had been. I was hoping that simply preparing Bella would ease her in most simply –and the same for Elizabeth. Both assured me it would –at least for Bella now that some answer lie in the books that Elizabeth had brought with her. With Elizabeth –at least I had Edward to go on for some idea of how she might handle it. As fierce as her temper was, she loathed to hurt any life. She was aghast that we did not at least use the hides of the animals we killed for other things. I supposed that's why Gabriel was reading up upon tanning –so that his wife would have leather to work with.

Chuckling, I patted Emmett upon the shoulder before heading up to Edward's room. I heard him sigh before I could even raise my hand. "I know, Carlisle," he said, his voice becoming clearer as he came to open his door. A smile played at his lips when I saw him. "But did not want her sweet tooth to cause her to be even more ill," he stated before looking upon his shoes. I could smell that Bella was here as well. Had she witnessed the entire thing? Edward nodded slightly, giving me my answer. I held back a chuckle further for it must have been quite the sight. I was unsure of Jasper's part –only that Elizabeth had uttered his name in the same breath as Edward's so he must have helped his younger brother in some small way- though I knew Emmett had rescued Elizabeth's chocolate supply from some unknown location.

"The attic," Edward stated. "She doesn't go in there."

Bella came into view and I smiled at my youngest daughter. "I take it you saw all of this?" I asked her. She nodded, looked to Edward who was still examining his shoes, and then to me.

"You do not mess with anyone's chocolate supply," she stated in nearly as much seriousness as Elizabeth had downstairs. I saw the corner's of Edward's lips turn upwards for but a small second before he again seemed to be engaged in analyzing the pattern upon the cut leather of his footwear. Despite its lack of lasting, Bella had caught Edward's smile. Her own face bore a frown.

"I'm serious. Renee grounded me for a week when I ate her chocolate nuggets!" Bella told him. Wisely, Edward stayed silent. Turning to me, Bella continued. "I think Elizabeth smelt where they were. She followed the trail up towards the attic," she started before her brow knit together. "It really is just a cold right?" my youngest asked, the concern for Elizabeth clear in her voice. I nodded in reply. I had checked her myself.

"It is nothing more than the common cold," I replied gently. Bella was quickly relieved by that information. I am sure Edward had told her but Bella must know that Edward does have a tendency to downplay anything he believes might worry her. However, something else bothered me.

"Elizabeth smelt the chocolate from downstairs while it was in the attic?" I questioned. Edward looked up sheepishly at me and nodded as did Bella.

"Hmm," I stated allowed, concerned that her sense of smell was already that strong.

"More like that attuned," Edward corrected.

"Explain, please," I begged of my son for I wished to understand what truly occurred.

"I did hide the chocolate but I think Elizabeth must have had one of the pieces half unwrapped. She looked everywhere for them and could only say she smelled them when she was close to the entrance to the attic," Edward informed me.

Again, I was confused. "Why did you not give them to her?" I had to ask.

"I honestly didn't think she would be that…stubborn on the issue," he replied. Elizabeth, not stubborn? Of the many things I may think about in regards to my sister, the word not should never appear betwixt her name and stubborn. I could not hold back my chuckle this time. I am sure Edward became determined that she would not have them for reasons unknown and Elizabeth became just as determined to have them. They truly did have the same genes. I knew by his look, my son was becoming embarrassed by my thoughts however it was Bella that interrupted them.

"You can't mess with a chocolate supply. It would be like…like hiding all the mountain lions from you or something," Bella stated before blushing at her analogy. "You wouldn't like that," she muttered. I chuckled as Edward groaned.

In an attempt to be serious, I grasped Edward's shoulder and he looked upon me. "No hiding chocolate from the humans," I attempted to state without laughing. Somehow, I magically succeeded. Edward nodded in a way I knew he would never do such a thing again. Turning back to go downstairs, I laughed. Elizabeth must have growled quite savagely to have affected everyone thusly. Perhaps Emmett is right, she will be scary when she is turned. Though, I would cast my lots with her only being scary to us or any that threaten our family. I suppose there is not a place more truly terrifying that betwixt a woman and her goal.

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**Author's Note:** Like it? Hate it? Want more outtakes?


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